Queen Sariah Yackee and her court were hoping for no rain. Not only did royalty get their wish, but the Wauseon Indians made their night even sweeter with a 40-0 win over the Patrick Henry Patriots.
Wauseon wasted little time showing that they were there for business. On their initial possession that covered 60 yards in seven plays, Zac Robinson covered the final 32 of those yards to pay dirt. Josh Whitcomb added the point, and the Indians were up 7-0 with 9:29 remaining. It was the winning combination of Robinson to Jacob Newlove that helped the drive along as well. Robinson found Newlove with two straight receptions totaling 25 yards.
Patrick Henry’s offense was up against perhaps the best defense in the league. The NWOAL’s leading ground gainer through five games, Donny Johnson who had amassed 508 yards, was turned every which way but lose. Johnson was held to just 42 yards in 18 carries. The senior leadership Anthony Werder Noah Castle, Peyten Shadbolt, Nate Suntken, Derek Rupp allowed the Patriots rusher just 31 yards on 28 carries and total offense of 93 yards.
Meanwhile, while the Patriots were feeling the wrath, the Indians offense took full advantage as their second possession resulted in another score. This drive, a nine-play 58 yard march, was complete with three Robinson passes. Two to Zach Johnson totaling 18 yards, and a short dump off pass to Newlove for five yards. Robinson found the end zone again from one yard out. The extra point was missed and the Indians were up 13-0 with 5:08 left to play in the opening quarter.
Again, there was no room for the Patrick Henry Offense to run as their drive resulted in a punt.
Wauseon’s third possession of the night started strong as Robinson found his tight end Noah Castle for a 16 yard pick up. But the Patriots’ defense was able to stop the drive as the first quarter ended.
Sounding like a broken record, the Patriots were again three plays and out to start the second quarter. Mason Creager, turning into an exciting punt returner, negated a nice Patriots punt by returning it 37 yards giving the Indians offense great field position at the Patrick Henry 20 yard line. It took Wauseon just five plays to cover the distance. Robinson found Castle for a seven-yard touchdown pass. The two-point conversion failed and the lead expanded to 19-0 with 6:09 left in the half.
The Patriots put together their longest drive of the half on their next possession. After eight plays, however, the drive stalled. Another nice punt return from Creager for 19 yards put the ball on the Wauseon 42 for another crack by the offense. What followed was Wauseon’s first three-and-out of the game. Suntken’s punt gave the Patriots possession at their own 18 yard line. After gaining a net of one yard, Patrick Henry was forced into another punt. Taking the ball over at the Patriot 49, Robinson completed passes to Newlove and Castle to help move the ball down to the 3 yard line. Robinson scored on the seventh play of the drive and Wauseon was roiled to a 26-0 lead after Whitcomb split the uprights with :32 left in the second.
The Patriots had an eight-play drive to start the second half action. They managed two first downs on the drive, but as was the story of the night, they were forced into another punt. Again Creager helped to put the Indians in good field position. This time the junior speedster returned the ball 34 yards to the Patriots 45.
The Indians needed just five plays to cover the 45 yards. Robinson found Creager for two straight pass receptions for 13 yards. Then on a third and seven from the Patriots 23, Robinson broke free and scored his fifth straight touchdown of the night to make it a 33-0 lead with Whitcomb’s extra point with 6:40 remaining in the third stanza. The lead led teams to follow the new OHSAA rule of a running clock the remainder of the game.
The Indians’ defense added points to the scoreboard on Patrick Henry’s next offensive series. Senior Peyten Shadbolt made his homecoming game special picking off a Mitch Bonner pass and returning the ball for a ‘pic six’. That drove the score to the final tally of 40-0 with 4:18 left to play.
From beginning to end Wauseon ran away with the statistical race. Robinson was 15 of 21 passes for 155 yards and 1 touchdown. The senior signal caller was also the leading rusher with 56 yards on 14 carries and 4 touchdowns.
Wauseon’s offense ran 59 to PH’s 39. Total offense was 265 to 93 in favor of the Indians.
Now the focus of the Indians turns to the Delta Panther. Wauseon will travel to the home of the Panthers Friday for the clash of the titans. Both teams enter the game tied for the league lead with overall records of 6-0.