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TOUCHDOWN CATCH … Archbold’s Jayden Schulze gets behind the Wauseon defense to haul in a 51-yard touchdown pass in the third quarter. VIEW 964 PHOTOS OF THIS CONTEST ONLINE FOR FREE AT WWW.THEVILLAGEREPORTER.COM. (PHOTOS BY RICH HARDING, STAFF)
Archbold 36 Wauseon 35
ARCHBOLD-David Dominique has gained a reputation of being a risk taker in his time as the head coach at Archbold. He added to that last Friday when Archbold executed a two-point conversion late in the game to take the lead and ultimately knock off Wauseon 36-35 to claim the NWOAL championship.
The visitors from Wauseon started fast on the strength of their passing game. Following an opening drive by Archbold that resulted in a missed field goal, Wauseon took the ball and went on a 95-yard drive that ended with Connar Penrod hitting Koleton DeGroff on a 10-yard screen pass to make it 7-0.
The next drive for Wauseon started on their own seven-yard line but the result was the same. This time Penrod threw a fade to DeGroff who hauled it in down the right sideline for a 30-yard score to increase the Wauseon lead to 14-0 with 2:40 to go in the first quarter.
After the teams exchanged turnover on downs, the Indians defense got in the act when Teren Garcia stepped in front of a pass by Archbold quarterback DJ Newman and returned it 49 yards for a touchdown to make it a 21-0 game.
Archbold would finally get on the scoreboard with 5:47 left in the half on a Newman to Carson Dominique touchdown pass to make it 21-7. The Bluestreaks defense turned in their first big play of the night on the next Wauseon possession as Penrod was picked off by Noah Gomez to set Archbold up in great field position.
The Indians defense would return the favor on the next play though as Newman’s pass to the end zone was intercepted by Wauseon defensive back Jonas Tester to turn Archbold away. Archbold ended the half with a nine-play drive that ended with Gomez breaking several tackles on a 17-yard touchdown run to cut the Wauseon lead to 21-14 at halftime.
The third quarter saw both offenses catch fire as Wauseon’s first possession of the second half resulted in Penrod hitting Jude Armstrong on a quick slant for a 27-yard touchdown to make it 28-14. Archbold responded with a quick scoring drive of their own as Newman went down the middle of the field to Jaden Schulze for a 51-yard score to cut the Wauseon lead back to seven at 28-21.
The Indians would come right back down the field and when Penrod found Armstrong on a 17-yard score it was now 35-21. The back and forth battle continued as it was the Bluestreaks turn to find the end zone which they would thanks to a 12-yard touchdown run by Gomez to make 35-28 in favor of Wauseon heading to the fourth quarter.
After trading punts, Archbold put together a seven play, 75-yard drive with the last 36 yards coming from Newman as he broke several tackles on a touchdown run up the middle to make it 35-34 with 3:54 left in the game. That was when Dominique rolled the dice.
After a Wauseon timeout, the Bluestreaks would go for two points and executed a double reverse pass with wide receiver Antonio Cruz throwing to fellow wideout Brandon Taylor in the front corner of the end zone to give Archbold a 36-35 lead, their first of the game.
The final drive by the Indians saw them get the ball inside the Archbold 25-yard line as they used several runs by Penrod and a pass to Tester to move the ball down the field. Facing a fourth down and eight, the Bluestreaks defensive line forced Penrod to scramble and his desperation pass over the middle fell incomplete.
Both teams’ offenses were firing on all cylinders as the Indians accumulated 465 yards of offense while Archbold finished with 423 yards. For Archbold, Newman was 22/33 passing for 307 yards and rushed for another 85 yards and three total touchdowns.
Schulze led the Archbold receivers with four catches for 101 yards and a touchdown while Antonio Cruz had five receptions for 65 yards and Dominique had five catches for 48 yards. Penrod finished the game 18/37 for 330 yards, four touchdowns, and he rushed for 108 yards on 17 carries. Armstrong caught five for 117 yards and two scores while Tester had seven receptions for 102 yards.
Wauseon will open the playoffs this week at home against Clyde in Division IV while Archbold will host Gibsonburg in Division VI.
SCORE BY QUARTERS
Wauseon 14 7 14 0 35
Archbold 0 14 14 8 36