SPECIAL TEAMS … Evergreen punter Landon Ricker tries to snag a high snap in the third quarter.
PHOTOS BY JACOB KESSLER / THE VILLAGE REPORTER
OFFENSIVE LEADER … Ryder Ryan (above) ran for 101 yards and two scores on the night for Archbold.
By: Jesse Davis
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
jesse@thevillagereporter.com
ARCHBOLD (September 19, 2025) – The Archbold Bluestreaks started strong and only gained momentum throughout their face-off with the Evergreen Vikings to take the home field win Friday night, 42-0.
A solid kickoff return by Archbold junior Ryder Ryan put the Bluestreaks a yard short of midfield to start the game, but it took the Bluestreaks a fourth-and-one scenario at the Evergreen 42 before they could convert it to their initial first down for the evening.
An immediate follow-up first down by Ryan seemed to up their momentum, but a third set of downs saw an attempted pass to the goal line incomplete and a turnover on downs.
Vikings’ senior quarterback Bryce Bolger held the ball in three out of the first four plays to gain one first down amid 19 yards of positive movement before scrambling under pressure and passing to senior Will Ruetz to earn a third set of downs.
Like the Bluestreaks, the Vikings were unable to capitalize in that third set, due partially to a holding penalty and partially to a sack for a loss by Archbold junior Parker Bixler.
What Evergreen wasn’t prepared for was the speed of Archbold junior Aranjer Krieger, who received the ball at roughly the Bluestreak 18-yard line only to pick his way through the defenders for an 88-yard return and the first Archbold touchdown.
A good point after by sophomore Quinn Sauder put the Bluestreaks up 7-0 with just under five minutes left in the quarter.
In their second attempt, the Vikings only earned two sets of downs which saw another sack, this one by sophomore Anderson Bentley.
Archbold was unable to capitalize on the turnover, however, going four and out and bringing out their own special teams, though they were able to down their own punt on the Evergreen four-yard line.
Without much room to maneuver, Evergreen fought to earn a first down and some breathing room as the first quarter ended and the second began, but they failed to make it the next 10 yards and were again forced to punt.
The Viking defense held strong during the Archbold drive, as the Bluestreaks gained one yard only to lose two and get back to the original line of scrimmage before kicking it away.
A pair of runs by Evergreen senior Quinten Eisel saw the team push past midfield, but they were again stymied when, after a no-gain run and a throwaway pass, Krieger intercepted the ball at the Archbold 4-yard line.
The Bluestreak offense started stringing together solid plays as they marched down the field on their next drive. Key throughout was the performance of Ryan, who ran first for four yards, then nine, then 27 across three out of four plays.
A facemask penalty against the Vikings put the ball on the 22, where sophomore quarterback Maddox Pinter carried for 16 before handing it off to Ryan on the next play for the second Archbold touchdown. Sauder did his job, and the Bluestreaks went up 14-0 with just under three minutes left in the half.
While the Vikings were able to slowly move down the field, they faced stiff resistance from the Bluestreak defense. Bolger was sacked yet again – by junior Hunter Warner, causing him to fumble, although they were able to recover the ball to keep the drive alive. Bolger was also forced to hold onto the ball due to defensive pressure.
An incomplete pass into the end zone brought up a turnover on downs. The Archbold crew took a knee to end the first half.
Despite starting strong with a 33-yard return by Ruetz to put them at midfield, the Vikings’ struggles continued in the third quarter.
The team caught a penalty for having an ineligible receiver downfield, and Bolger was caught again during a play, this time dragged down by his foot as he threw the ball away, again leaving him temporarily down on the field.
Already at third-and-13, an illegal procedure penalty pushed the Evergreen squad to third and 27, and an incomplete pass led to the Vikings again being forced to punt.
The Bluestreaks didn’t fare any better, as the ball was intercepted by Ruetz on their first play of the drive.
When they got the ball back, the Vikings managed to secure one first down before going nowhere in the next three plays.
The punt was also flubbed, as the ball was snapped over the punter’s head and he was tackled instead for a turnover on downs at the Evergreen 20-yard line.
A Bluestreak pitch to Ryan brought them to the five, and he carried it in on the next play. with Sauder successful, Archbold went up 21-0.
Another Evergreen three and out led to another punt, and with Ryan’s help as well as an illegal substitution penalty against the Vikings brought the Bluestreaks to the 10-yard line.
After another Ryan run, senior Ashton Stuckey carried it in for the fourth touchdown of the night. More Sauder success put the Bluestreaks up 28-0.
Evergreen’s woes continued in their next drive when despite gaining 17 yards on the first play, they were held static for the next two plays then Bolger was sacked yet again, this time by senior Sean Garcia.
A punt that dropped at their own 31 was carried to the 18-yard line, and a successful lateral pass play was followed up by junior quarterback Jarett Rufenacht running the ball himself twice, the second time for yet another Bluestreak touchdown.
After Sauder’s help, Archbold held a commanding lead of 35-0. With the clock now running non-stop due to Archbold’s lead, play started to chew up time as the Vikings fought through the end of the third quarter and into the fourth.
They were unable to gain any yardage at all, instead losing an extra four yards when Bolger slipped while running in the backfield and they were forced to punt.
Despite having their second string on the field, the Bluestreaks continued to find success in their running game, with junior Jesse Schumacher picking up 25 yards across three plays.
Successful runs by freshman players helped push all the way to the seven-yard line, where Schumacher executed a spin move on a Viking defender on his way to the end zone to pick up another Bluestreak touchdown.
With Sauder’s help, Archbold went up 42-0 while leaving just under two minutes left in the game.
EHS 0 0 0 0 – 0
AHS 7 7 21 7 – 42
A – Krieger 88-yd punt return (Sauder kick)
A – Ryan 11-yd run (Sauder kick)
A – Ryan 5-yd run (Sauder kick)
A – Stuckey 2-yd run (Sauder kick)
A – Rufenacht 5-yd run (Sauder kick)
A – Schumacher 7-yd run (Sauder)