AVOIDING THE TACKLE … A’Zarrion Hicks tries to fend off an Apache tackler on a first half carry.
PHOTOS BY RENEA KESSLER / THE VILLAGE REPORTER
HITTING THE HOLE … Landon Ballard (above) had 36 yards rushing on eight carries for Wauseon.
By: Elliot Schneider
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
publisher@thevillagereporter.com
WAUSEON (August 22, 2025) – The season opener delivered plenty of drama, but Wauseon couldn’t quite edge out the visiting Fairview Apaches. In a game that went down to the wire with multiple lead changes, the Apaches’ passing game was just too much for the Indians to handle.
Fairview’s 2024 1st Team All-Ohio QB William Zeedyk had a strong performance tonight, both in the air and on the ground.
Not only did he throw for 253 yards, 3 TDs, and 1 INT, but he also led the team in rushing, with 65 yards on 12 attempts, and 2 more TDs.
The Indians’ QB Kahle Albright also had a solid performance in a losing effort, as he led his own team in passing and rushing. Albright finished with 111 rushing yards on 20 attempts, while also finding the end zone three times.
The Indians didn’t look to get into their passing game too often, with Albright finishing with only 84 yards on 15 attempts with an INT.
The first quarter started with a quick three-and-out for the Indians, followed by a 6-play, 64-yard touchdown drive by Fairview, resulting in the Apaches taking a quick 6-0 lead, due to a missed PAT.
The Indians didn’t back down, though, as they put together a solid drive of their own. The drive included four first downs, with one of them coming from a fourth-down conversion, where Albright hit Thad Reckner on a slant across the middle of the field.
The drive would result in another fourth-down conversion attempt, but Albright was picked off right outside the Apaches’ end zone, giving Fairview the ball on their own 10-yard line.
The interception did seem to help the Indians, allowing them to take advantage of their field positioning, as they would force a Fairview three-and-out. The Apaches’ punt only made it to the 26-yard line, due to having to punt out of their own endzone.
Now having a great field position to start their drive, the Indians took only six plays to score, when Albright rushed in on a fourth and goal, tying the game for Wauseon. The PAT by Collin Mennetti was good, giving the Indians a 7-6 lead early in the second quarter.
The Apaches and Indians would both follow with a three-and-out, as both defenses started to settle in and focus on their assignments.
Fairview’s first-half woes continued with a third straight three-and-out series, with the Indians seemingly figuring out the Apaches’ game plan, preventing them from gaining any positive yardage in multiple series.
Wauseon’s offense built off the momentum their defense had created, as the series started with a first-down connection between Albright and Xzavier Molina.
A holding penalty followed, making it first and 20, but Albright would pick up the first down with his feet on the next play, setting the Indians up for first and goal.
A’Zarrion Hicks would finish off the drive with a 4-yard rushing touchdown, and he finished with just 15 yards on 9 attempts for the night. The Indians led 14-6 midway through the second.
Fairview’s final drive of the first half only saw them move the chains one time on a pass from Zeedyk to Logan Olinger, followed by three straight incomplete passes, as the Indians’ defense seemed to have the Apaches’ number.
The Indians would run out the clock and go into halftime with a 14-6 lead, but it felt as though they had all the momentum.
Halftime adjustments clearly paid off, as both offenses exploded out of the locker room ready to light up the scoreboard.
Fairview started their drive on their own 35, thanks to a kicking out of bounds penalty from the Indians. Zeedyk went 4/5 on the drive, with his one incomplete pass being an overthrown ball to a wide-open receiver in the end zone.
He made up for it, though, as he executed a screen pass with Olinger for a touchdown, helping the offense find their groove after a lackluster first half. They converted a two-point conversion to tie the game at 14 apiece.
The game wouldn’t stay tied for long, as the Indians capitalized on a Fairview turnover, when Kaden Kennedy muffed a punt and the Indians’ Otis Flowers fell on the ball, giving Wauseon a fresh set of downs on the Apaches’ 28.
Two straight rushes from Albright would end up with him in the back of the end zone for his second TD of the night, helping the Indians regain the lead, 21-14.
Fairview looked to immediately fire back, as Zeedyk began to take over for the Apaches, both in the air and on the ground, exploiting any weakness in the Indians’ defense.
The drive would result in a 27-yard touchdown pass from Zeedyk to Gavin Meade, but they failed to convert the 2-point try and fell behind 21-20.
Knowing they needed to flip the momentum against the red-hot Indians’ offense, the Apaches executed an onside kick, retaining the ball and keeping Albright and company off the field.
But just like that, the Indians’ defense would come up big with an interception from Logan Peaslee, setting Wauseon up at midfield.
The Indians again capitalized on the Fairview turnover, as Albright would rush in for his third touchdown of the game, extending the lead to 28-20 in the early minutes of the fourth quarter.
As expected, the Apaches just refused to go away. Zeedyk first connected with #9 for a 57-yard completion, which he then followed by throwing a ball to Huffman in the back of the end zone for a TD.
Zeedyk would then run in for the 2-point conversion, tying the game back up at 28-28 with less than 8 minutes to go.
For the first time in the entire second half, Fairview held the Indians to a three-and-out, giving them the ball back with plenty of time to put a drive together, and they did just that.
A big pass interference call on the drive helped the Apaches by gaining great field positioning. Although the credit has to go to Zeedyk, as he forced multiple missed tackles en route to a 22-yard touchdown run, giving Fairview its first lead since 6-0 in the first quarter.
The Indians were held to a second straight three-and-out series, as the Fairview defense refused to give the Indians an inch. There were only three minutes left in the game at this point, so Wauseon needed a three-and-out, or the game was over.
It was a hard-fought series, but Fairview would convert on fourth and one on a run from, you guessed it, Zeedyk.
This sealed the 34-28 victory for the Apaches, as both teams fought hard, providing a thriller on opening weekend for all the football fans to enjoy.
UP NEXT: August 29 – Wauseon (0-1) @ Bellevue (1-0) 7pm
FHS WHS
First Downs 21 18
Rushes-Yards 22-102 41-172
Recep-Yards 17-253 8-84
Passing Yards 253 84
Comp-Attempts 17-29-1 8-15-1
Penalties-Yards 1-1 1-1
3rd Down Conv. 2-9 1-10
4th Down Conv. 1-1 3-10
FG Made-Att 0-0 0-0
Time of Poss. 15:51 29:40
FHS 6 0 14 14 – 34
WHS 0 14 7 7 – 28
FV – Zeedyk 1-Yard Rushing TD (Kick Failed)
W – Albright 1-Yard Rushing TD (C. Mennetti Kick)
W – Hicks 6-Yard Rushing TD (C. Mennetti Kick)
FV – Olinger Pass From Zeedyk (Zeedyk 2PT)
W – Albright 7-Yard Rushing TD (C. Mennetti Kick)
FV – Meade 27-Yard Pass From Zeedyk (Zeedyk 2PT Failed)
W – Albright 3-Yard Rushing TD (C. Mennetti Kick)
FV – Huffman 28-Yard Pass From Zeedyk (Zeedyk 2PT)
FV – Zeedyk 22-Yard Rushing TD (Zeedyk 2PT Failed)