LEADING RUSHER … Tristan Wyse runs the ball for Archbold in a 37-6 opening round win over Fredericktown. Wyse led the Bluestreaks on the ground with 78 yards on 12 totes. (PHOTO BY RENEA KESSLER / THE VILLAGE REPORTER)
By: Joe Blystone – THE VILLAGE REPORTER
publisher@thevillagereporter.com
Paul Revere once lit a signal in the Boston’s Old North Church to alert the local militias when the British were coming. One if by land, two if by sea.
Archbold’s Jack Hurst pulled his own Paul Revere imitation except his was one by air and one by land as the Bluestreak senior scored on a 46-yard pass from Cade Brenner and then a 39-yard run during a 22-point second quarter to propel Archbold to a 37-6 win over Fredericktown in the opening round of the Division V Region 18 OHSAA playoffs.
The Bluestreaks, seeded third in the region, are now 10-1 on the season. “He would be the first to credit everyone else around him.” Streak coach David Dominique said of Hurst.
“You know Cade putting it there, the O-line giving him time. He is a heckuva player though, you get the ball in his hands and good things usually happen and so you saw that tonight.”
Actually, it was the Archbold defense that scored first. The Streaks’ opening drive was stopped when Carter Mull picked off Brenner’s pass at the Freddies 20.
Three plays after that Mason Siegel and Wyatt Ripke sacked quarterback Blake Sipes, forced a fumble which Eddie Yoder scooped up and rumbled 15 yards for the score. Hurst’s two-point run made it 8-0 with 7:57 still remaining in the first.
“We had a good drive going, then that interception down there, one we wish we could have back,” said Dominique.
“But then the defense picked us up, that’s what we talked about playing complimentary football.” Once the offense got going it was really good for us.”
After a series of punts, the Freddies had a golden opportunity to get on the board after a 34-yard pass and catch from Sipes to Trevor Bellman placed the ball at the Streak 20.
The next play Elijah Roush broke through to the second level but was stripped of the ball and Archbold’s Nathan Juarez pounced on it to stop the threat.
Fredericktown threatened once more in the first half, getting to the Archbold 18. Hurst’s sack for a loss of 11, a bad snap that cost eight more yards, then an unsportsmanlike conduct for 15 forced a Freddie punt.
At that point the Streaks offense shifted gears. Tristan Wyse 18-yard burst got the ball into Freddie territory, then Brenner found Hurst sitting alone in the middle where he circled to the left sideline and blew through a tackle at the 10 and into the end zone to push Archbold up 15-0.
On the Streaks next possession, Wyse carried three times for two first downs, the Hurst running the wildcat got a great block from Stephen Diller on the left edge to romp 39 yards to paydirt and a 22-0 margin.
Chase Miller’s interception stopped the next Freddie march with 2:43 left in the half, giving Archbold the ball at their own 8. Wyse ran for 10, then Brenner hit Miller for nine more.
The next play, Brenner pump faked and Miller’s stop and go move left a Freddie defensive back in the dust and the pair hooked up for a 73-yard pitch and catch to make it 30-0 at the half.
“Our first two offensive drives weren’t pretty but from that point on we played lights out on offense,” Dominique said.
Archbold tacked on one more during the running clock in the third when Brenner tossed a screen to Miller on the right where he shook a tackle and scored from nine yards away.
Fredericktown got their touchdown in the last 90 seconds of the contest on Brode Davis’ 10-yard run.
Archbold totaled 333 yards, almost evenly split at 167 on the ground and 166 in the air. Fredericktown had 200 total yards.
Archbold now hosts sixth-seed Coldwater (10-1) this Friday in the second round.
FREDERICKTOWN 0 0 0 6 – 6
ARCHBOLD 8 22 7 0 – 37
A – Yoder 27-yard fumble return (Hurst run)
A – Hurst 46-yard pass from Brenner (Rodger kick)
A – Hurst 39-yard run (Rodger kick)
A – Miller 72-yard pass from Brenner (Wyse pass from Brenner)
A – Miller 10-yard pass from Brenner (Bacik kick)
F – Davis 10-yard run
FHS AHS
First Downs 12 13
Rushing Yards 31-84 25-167
Passing Yards 116 166
Passing 12-22-1 9-15-2
Total Yards 200 333
Fumbles-Lost 2-2 0-0
Penalties 6-60 4-40
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING: Fredericktown – Roush 14-37, Davis 3-34; Archbold – Wyse 12-78, Hurst 4-60; PASSING: Fredericktown Sipes 12-21-1-116; Archbold – Brenner 9-14-1-166; RECEIVING: Fredericktown – Bellman 5-61, Toombs 4-37; Archbold – Miller 4-95, Hurst 1-46
