Sports
Xtra Points: Wahama, Trimble Look To Keep Rolling
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Waterford hits the road this week to face a tough Wahama squad in Mason, W.Va. The White Falcons look to reestablish themselves as the class of the TVC-Hocking after losing to Trimble in week 2, while the Wildcats hope to snap their current three-game losing streak.
Wahama has shown an ability to dominate up front on offense throughout the season.
Transfer quarterback Hunter Bradley has eased into his role this year, moving the White Falcons’ balanced offense along. Wahama has put up 181 points so far this year — 174 in its three wins.
One key to look for Friday night will be Wahama’s ground attack, as Colton Neal and Kane Roush take the field by storm each week. Roush, a 2012 First Team All-State selection, is the feature back in the offense. Standing at 5-foot-10, 175 pounds, he has the ability to seek out holes and shake off defenders. The White Falcons’ veteran offensive line takes pride in making way for their playmakers in the backfield.
Waterford fields some smaller players on defense. In order to handle Neal and Roush, 140-pound Wildcat middle linebacker Austin Lang must have a stellar performance. In its last three games, Waterford’s defense struggled to stop the ball. The Wildcats are giving up more than 30 points per game this year. Waterford must bring together its defense in order to stop the Wahama run game and give its offense a chance to keep up.
Wahama is not one sided, however. The squad has only given up 20 points in three TVC-Hocking games this year. The White Falcons have been known as one of the toughest defenses in West Virginia throughout coach Ed Cromley’s tenure. The Wildcat offense will keep an eye out for defensive lineman Zack Killingsworth, known for living up to his name on the field and terrorizing opposing quarterbacks. Waterford’s offense has not scored since putting up 20 points against Miller in week 1, and it faces a tough task in breaking through the Wahama defensive line.
Although Wahama hit a road bump in week 2 against Trimble, Cromley looks only to the next game and encourages his players to do the same. Waterford coach Tom Tucker takes a similar approach and stresses that the team takes things one game at a time. Friday’s matchup sees two teams in the same league with something to prove.
Miller @ Trimble
The undefeated Trimble Tomcats will try to keep their early momentum going Friday, as they host the 1-3 Miller Falcons.
The conference opponents have experienced two very different seasons. Trimble hopes to continue its streak, and Miller looks to improve after an 0-3 start in conference play.
Trimble’s defense this season has been nearly unbreakable. The Tomcats have allowed only one touchdown in four games on the year — a Kane Roush score in their 12-7 week 2 win over Wahama. Miller ranks eighth out of nine teams in the TVC-Hocking in scoring offense at just 13.0 points per game, so Trimble may have an opportunity to further lower its 1.8 points allowed average.
While the defense stands out for Trimble, things are often just as fluid on the offensive side of the ball. The chemistry between quarterback Konner Standley and wide receiver Austin Downs in week 4 alone proved unstoppable. Standley gained 210 passing yards on the night and connected with Downs six times for some big plays. Standley’s versatility as a scrambling quarterback also brings an advantage to the Tomcats. Despite the massive success through the air, the run game is not foreign to Trimble. Experienced Tomcat rusher Jacob Koons serves as a threat that Miller has to keep an eye on.
Miller struggled last season against the Tomcats, losing, 66-0. In order to turn things around, the Falcons must look to their lone win of the season against Millersport for motivation.
Senior quarterback Garrett Sinift has been up-and-down, but has proven at times this season that he can move the ball through the passing game. Sinift is currently completing almost 60 percent of his passes, but he has also tossed multiple interceptions in each loss. Sinift attacks on the ground as well as Miller’s top rusher. So far this season he has gained 287 yards on an average of 5 yards per carry.
All Trimble fans have to do is look to week 2 to justify their high expectations for this year’s team. That win stacked up the Tomcats’ confidence and has kept them rolling through the early part of the season. Trimble may be the toughest team Miller will see all season. The Falcons will need to score early to put pressure on the Tomcats’ offense if they want to hang around in the game.
Avery T. Jennings contributed to this report