(PHOTOS BY JACOB KESSLER / THE VILLAGE REPORTER)
ONE-ON-ONE MOVE … Archbold’s Morgan Harris looks to evade a Bryan defensive back after a first quarter reception. VIEW 207 PHOTOS OF THIS CONTEST FOR FREE AT WWW.THEVILLAGEREPORTER.COM
By: Jesse Davis
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
jesse@thevillagereporter.com
ARCHBOLD – The Bluestreaks ended their season with a 6-4 record after defeating the Bryan Golden Bears 45-10 in Archbold on Friday night.
Archbold took the kickoff and looked like they would go three and out after a loss of yards on a pitch to sophomore Ryder Ryan and an eight-yard pass to sophomore Morgan Harris was followed by an incomplete pass to bring up fourth and five, but a flag for a late hit on senior quarterback Kurt Krueger kept them alive and pushed them into Golden Bears territory.
Another flag, this time on the Bluestreaks for false start, pushed them back again, with a run by Ryan and a 9-yard pass to senior Broden Piercefield not enough to gain the first down, but another flag for roughing the passer again kept the drive going.
A pair of runs by Ryan brought Archbold to the one-yard line, and after a one-yard loss and incomplete pass to Piercefield in the end zone, senior Evan Wendt caught a pass for a Bluestreaks touchdown. Junior Rudy Rodger put one through the uprights to bring it to 7-0.
Bryan (1-9, 1-6 NWOAL) brought it back to their own 35 on the kickoff and seemed to gain momentum with an immediate first down on a 10-yard run by junior Cade Carlin, but freshman quarterback Rhett McGill threw an interception caught by Harris on the following play to turn it over on the Golden Bears 44-yard line.
Sophomore Jarett Rufenacht took the hike for a draw to gain three, and a pair of runs by Ryan and sophomore Aranjer Krieger gave the Bluestreaks a first down on the 30.
An incomplete pass attempt to freshman Wyatt Gericke in the end zone was followed up with a Ryan run for no yards, but Piercefield laid out to catch a 25-yard pass on the following play to bring the first down and put Archbold in striking distance.
A pitch to Ryan brought a touchdown, and a Rodger return to the tee put the score at 14-0 with just under five minutes left in the first quarter.
A pair of carries by Carlin weren’t enough for a first down, and after McGill was tackled behind the line of scrimmage by sophomore Parker Bixler, Bryan was forced to punt it away.
Unfortunately for the Bluestreaks, the ball bounced off one of their players and was recovered by junior Connor Hogan to keep the Golden Bears drive alive.
A trio of runs by senior Dameon Wolfe and a pair by Carlin brought a pair of first downs to end the first quarter and carries by Carlin and Wolfe along with a pass to sophomore Jacob Uran brought a third to start the second. The Bryan offense stuttered on the next set of downs, with junior Aaden Wallace dropping a pass on fourth and six to turn it over at the Archbold 16-yard line.
The Bluestreaks started their next drive strong with a pair of downs including another draw by Rufenacht and several carries by Ryan, but another Rufenacht draw was followed by a bad handoff by Krueger that was dropped and recovered by Bryan at the Archbold 39-yard line.
Carlin made up for a four-yard loss by catching a 23-yard pass two plays later to gain a first down, where another carry by him and one by Wolfe brought it to the six and a first-and-goal.
A failed run and incomplete pass to Carlin were followed by an overthrown pass to Wallace in the end zone forced a field goal kick by sophomore Jacob Uran to bring the score to 14-3.
A trio of incomplete Archbold passes brought up fourth and 10 and a punt by the Bluestreaks, but sophomore Caleb Heckel managed to recover the ball on the punt to keep the drive going at the Bryan 49-yard line.
Rufenacht ran another draw and made it roughly 30 yards, but a holding flag brought it back to the Archbold 46 for first and 15.
A third-and-nine pass to Piercefield caught at the 37 was aided by another penalty, this time against Bryan for grabbing Piercefield’s facemask pushed it to the 22 and another first down.
The Bluestreaks caught their own penalty on the following play for holding, moving them back to the 32-yard line for first and 20.
A pass to Wendt at the 23 was immediately followed by an Archbold timeout with 19 seconds of play left in the half.
AVOIDING THE PASS RUSH … Bryan quarterback Rhett McGill dodges the Archbold pass rush on a first half play.
An incomplete pass to the end zone and a successful lateral to Wendt brought up first and goal with five seconds left, and after another incomplete pass, Rodger kicked a field goal to put the Bluestreaks up 17-3 to end the half.
Bryan started the second half motivated, gaining ground via a run by Carlin, lateral to sophomore Anthony Weber, pass to Carlin, run by Wolfe, and what was intended to be a pass held by McGill under pressure to gain three first downs and push it to the Archbold 32-yard line.
The Bluestreaks forced a four-and-out on the following set of downs, but the punt bounced off Archbold freshman Brady Culler, and Weber recovered and made it into the end zone for a touchdown. The point after by senior Kade Oberlin put the score at 17-10.
The Golden Bears forced an Archbold four-and-out and the Bluestreaks returned the favor, but on the Bryan punt, Uran missed the snap and was tackled after recovering the ball to turn it over on the 12-yard line.
Archbold seized the opportunity with a draw from Rufenacht, who carried it in and aided by another extra point by Rodger, extended their lead to 24-10.
Another Bryan three-and-out – this time with a successful punt – was followed by a run and a fake handoff turned pass to Ryan brought a first down.
A trio of plays featuring senior Tristan Wyse, Rufenacht, and Gericke, was enough to earn another first down and close out the third quarter.
Carlin dropped the ball on the kickoff and recovered in time to be tackled at the eight-yard line, and a loss of one on the next play followed by an incomplete pass brought up third and 11.
Wolfe caught a pass on the next play, but not enough for a first down and the Golden Bears were again forced to punt.
Rufenacht took over as quarterback for the next drive, running two draws, handing off to Wyse and Ryan, and pitching one to Ryan, to bring up second and goal just inches from the end zone.
Another draw broke the plane, and the point after by freshman Quinn Sauder pushed the Bluestreaks lead to 38-10.
After a successful kickoff return, McGill dropped the snap and picked it up in time to get hit and fumble, with Archbold recovering at the Bryan 17-yard line.
Freshman Maddox Pinter took over as quarterback for the Bluestreaks drive, which began with an offsides flag against the Golden Bears.
A pitch to freshman Jesse Schumacher brought up first and goal at the four-yard line, and Schumacher carried it on the next play to score a touchdown, with Sauder’s kick extending the lead to 45-10.
Archbold, the No. 12 seed in Division V Region 18, will open the playoffs on the road at No. 5 Eastwood on Friday night.
BRYAN 0 3 7 0 – 10
ARCHBOLD 14 3 7 21 – 45