NWOAL ROAD WIN … Wauseon receiver Wyatt Smith runs after a catch in the first half. (PHOTO BY JACOB KESSLER / THE VILLAGE REPORTER)
By: Joe Blystone
METAMORA (September 15, 2023) – Remember in “Friday Night Lights” when Boobie Clark’s uncle was pumping him up to college coaches? “He can run. He can catch. He can kick…..”
Well, Wauseon’s Tyson Rodriguez did his best Boobie Clark imitation, intercepting a pass to set up the Indians first score, then chalking up every Wauseon point himself in a 24-3 win over Evergreen.
On the fourth play of the game, Rodriguez picked off Bryce Bolger’s pass to set up the Indians at the Viking 32.
On the second play, Rodriguez laid out on Trey Parsons’ pass down the left sideline, hauled in a 34-yard scoring catch, then added the extra point to put the Indians up 7-0 less than two minutes into the first.
A facemask penalty helped Evergreen into field goal range later in the period, where Alex Mossing converted from 34 yards away to chop the deficit to 7-3.
That score held until into the second when Parsons under heat on a 4th-and-9 from the Evergreen 30, lofted an aerial into the end that when a Viking defender whiffed on the bat down, Rodriguez came up with the catch and again tacked on the point for a 14-3 margin.
Wauseon then added a third score in the last 90 seconds of the half when Parsons hit Rodriguez on a slant from six yards away to make it 21-3 at the break.
The only score of the second half came toward the end of the third when Rodriguez hit a 33-yard field goal.
Rodriguez’ had 148 yards on six catches, the only people who gained more on the night was the officiating crew who drew the ire of both sides with 128 yards in flags.
Wauseon had 234 yards in offense, just 99 that Rodriguez did not account for. The Vikings held the Indians to 45 yards on the ground in 32 carries. Evergreen had 169 in offense.
Bolger and freshman Brendan Holman were 14-33 for 141 of those yards.
UP NEXT: September 16 – Patrick Henry (5-0, 4-1 NWOAL) at Wauseon (4-1, 2-0 NWOAL); Evergreen (2-3, 0-2 NWOAL) at Archbold (4-1, 1-1 NWOAL).
WHS EHS
First Downs 14 10
Rushing Yards 32-45 17-28
Passing Yards 197 141
Passing 12-28-0 14-33-1
Total Yards 242 169
Fumbles-Lost 0-0 2-2
Penalties 10-84 5-44
WAUSEON 7 14 3 0 – 24
EVERGREEN 3 0 0 0 – 3
W- Rodriguez 34-yard pass from Parsons (Rodriguez kick)
E – Mossing 35-yard FG
W – Rodriguez 30-yard pass from Parsons (Rodriguez kick)
W – Rodriguez 6-yard pass from Parsons (Rodriguez kick)
W – Rodriguez 33-yard FG
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING: Wauseon – Friend 23-30; Evergreen – Mossing 9-30; PASSING: Wauseon – Parsons 12-28-0; Evergreen – Holman 9-19-0-81, Bolger 5-14-1-60; RECEIVING: Wauseon – Rodrguez 6-148; Evergreen – Robertson 4-55, Vance 4-44
Joe can be reached at publisher@thevillagereporter.com