Sports
Alexander’s Offense Thrives As Spartans Beat Wellston 31-20 [VIDEO]
By: Sean Neidig
Posted on:
In a battle of two mid-table TVC-Ohio teams, the Alexander Spartans beat the Wellston Golden Rockets 31-20. Both teams came into the game with 2-2 records in what was the TVC-Ohio opener for Wellston.
Both offenses had a field day, with Alexander (3-2, 1-1) racking up 445 total yards and Wellston (2-3, 0-1) amassing 393 of its own.
On Wellston’s first possession of the game, the Golden Rockets put together a nine-play drive that led them deep into Spartan territory before a fumble turned the ball over to Alexander.
Last week, the Golden Rockets had six lost fumbles.
On the ensuing Alexander possession, the Spartans went to the back of the play book. Senior quarterback Brody McGrath threw a 41-yard touchdown to junior Lukas Thompson on a double reverse trick play to put the Spartans up 7-0 with six minutes left in the first quarter.
The Spartans and Golden Rockets then went back and forth, trading scoreless drives until the second quarter when Wellston only needed one play to find the end zone.
Nick Cox scampered 66 yards down the left sideline to put Wellston on the board. Wellston’s two-point conversion was also successful, giving the Golden Rockets an 8-7 lead.
The Spartans were quick to respond, however, marching down the field on a 71-yard touchdown drive which was capped off with a two-yard rushing touchdown, courtesy of senior running back Josh Barnes. The score gave the Spartans a 14-6 lead.
On the Wellston’s following possession, the Golden Rockets were forced to punt, but the snap sailed over the punter’s head. Wellston was able to recover but the Spartans got to start their drive at the Wellston 24-yard line. Howver, Wellston’s defense would stand strong.
Playing corner back, Wellston’s quarterback Braydon Womeldorf intercepted McGrath’s pass at the 13-yard line with 7:30 left until the half. That interception would be McGrath’s only low point of the night, however, and he would finish the game completing 17 of 254 passes for 227 yards and two touchdown passes.
The Golden Rocket’s weren’t able to capitalize on the drive, however, having to punt the ball back to Alexander. Alexander’s ensuing possession yielded only two penalties and no first downs though and they were forced to punt.
The Golden Rockets made the Spartans pay for their failure to capitalize with another quick strike, a 78-yard pass from Womeldorf to sophomore wide receiver Daivon Newell on their first play of the possession. Wellston once again went for the two-point conversion but couldn’t convert, tying the game up at 14. Womeldorf finished the game with 147 passing yards and added 111 yards on the ground.
The Alexander offense then took the field with 1:32 left before the half. The drive started off with a 14-yard scramble by McGrath after avoiding a sack and the Spartans were then able to get some positive gains running the ball and the drive was also aided by two defensive penalties on the Golden Rockets.
After driving down to the Wellston 8-yard line, the Spartans were penalized for an illegal shift that moved the ball to the 13. That would only slow the Spartans down though and McGrath was able to find Thompson again in the middle of the end zone for a score, giving Alexander the 21-14 lead with six seconds to spare.
Thompson would finish the game with seven receptions for 169 yards and two scores.
In the second half, a 44-yard rushing touchdown by junior Wellston running back Forrest Hale and another rushing score from Alexander back Josh Barnes would stand as the half’s only scores.
This game was dubbed the Chris Spielman Gridiron Classic game to help raise money for breast cancer research and was played in honor of Stephen Byus, a former Wellston football player who was killed in Afghanistan on September 16.
The Alexander Spartans will look to continue their winning streak next week at Vinton County while Wellston will look to rebound at River Valley.