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Waterford Wildcats Take Care Of Rival Eagles, Spoil Eastern’s Homecoming Night

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REEDSVILLE, Ohio (WOUB) — The Eastern Eagles looked to defend their home field on homecoming night, however; the Waterford Wildcats had other plans.

Waterford hit the road after dropping two straight at home against the Fort Frye Cadets and in conference powerhouse Trimble Tomcats. They faced off against an Eastern team looking to get back into the win column after coming short in three straight.

After a couple of stiff defensive possessions, the Wildcats struck first. Holden Dailey broke a couple tackles and took off for a 60 yard touchdown rush to put Waterford up 6-0 with 6:49 remaining in the first quarter.

The Wildcats kept the pedal to the metal on the defensive side of the ball forcing their third straight three and out. The offense picked up right where they left off last drive, this time through the air. Quarterback Grant McCutcheon kicked off the drive with a 25 yard completion to Dailey to move deep into Eagle territory. Waterford would capitalize in the red zone as McCutcheon found Jacob Pantelidis for a 20 yard touchdown pass to extend the lead to 13.

The ensuing drive saw Eastern’s first 1st down of the game with just 48 seconds remaining in the quarter. Waterford’s defense smothered the Eagles’ run heavy offense, finding themselves in the backfield on a number of occasions. One first down is all the Eagles could muster before punting away for the fourth time of the game.

Waterford took over and wasted no time getting back into the red zone. Just two plays into their drive, Dailey broke away for another huge run. This time taking it 78 yard to the house to take a commanding 20-0 lead.

Jayden Evans, a senior running back/linebacker for the Eastern Eagles, adjusts his mouthguard before marching down to the field in Reedsville, Ohio, for the homecoming game against the Waterford Wildcats, Friday, Sept. 24, 2021. [Jintak Han | WOUB]
Gavin Murphy, a freshman wide receiver/defensive back for the Eastern Eagles, prepares to march down to the field in Reedsville, Ohio, for the homecoming game against the Waterford Wildcats, Friday, Sept. 24, 2021. [Jintak Han | WOUB]
Ryan Ross (11) and Brayden Smith (4), seniors in the Eastern High School football team, lead the march down to the field below with arms linked for their homecoming game in Reedsville, Ohio, against the Waterford Wildcats, Friday, Sept. 24, 2021. [Jintak Han | WOUB]
Spectators fill the stands at Eastern High School in Reedsville, Ohio, for the school’s homecoming football game against Waterford High School, Friday, Sept. 24, 2021. The stands are located high above the football field, which is at the bottom of a hill. [Jintak Han | WOUB]
Landon Flaerty, a junior tight end/defensive back with the Waterford Wildcats, kneels by an American flag during a pregame huddle at Eastern High School in Reedsville, Ohio, Friday Sept. 24, 2021. [Jintak Han | WOUB]
Connie “Mama” Thompson, 70, of Mason, Ohio, rings a cowbell as the Eastern High School varsity football team marches down to the field below for their homecoming game against the Waterford Wildcats, Friday, Sept. 24, 2021. Thompson’s son, Sam Thompson, a math teacher at the school in Reedsville, Ohio, helps coach the football team, Thompson said. [Jintak Han | WOUB]
The Eastern High School varsity football team enters the field in Reedsville, Ohio, for their homecoming game against the Waterford Wildcats, Friday, Sept. 24, 2021. [Jintak Han | WOUB]
Grant McCutcheon (13), the Waterford Wildcats’ senior quarterback, throws the ball in the first quarter to avoid being sacked by Isaiah Reed (58), a senior lineman with the Eastern Eagles during a football game at Eastern High School in Reedsville, Ohio, Friday, Sept. 24, 2021. [Jintak Han | WOUB]
Jason Smith, an assistant coach for the Eastern High School varsity football team, talks to players during the team’s homecoming game in Reedsville, Ohio, Friday, Sept. 24, 2021. They lost the game against Waterford High School 32-6. [Jintak Han | WOUB]
Brayden Smith (4), a senior wide receiver with the Eastern Eagles, runs the ball as Lane cline (42), a defensive back with the Waterford Wildcats, marks him during a football game at Eastern High School in Reedsville, Ohio, Friday, Sept. 24, 2021. [Jintak Han | WOUB]

The rest of the half was much of the same. Waterford dominated on both sides of the ball and found the end zone one more time before halftime. Dailey completed the hat trick by fighting his way across the pylon for a six yard score and his third of the game to go into the locker room up 26.

The third quarter was a gridlock. The Wildcats continued their relentless defensive attack posting another doughnut on the scoreboard at the end of the third. Meanwhile, Eastern seemed to stiffen their defensive efforts holding Waterford scoreless in the third keeping it to a 26-0 ballgame.

They could only weather the storm for so long before hurricane Dailey struck again. Dailey carried it in from 11 yards for his fourth touchdown of the game to stretch the lead to 32.

A late Eastern touchdown pass from Bradley Yonker to Gavin Murphy spoiled the shutout for the Wildcats to make it a 32-6 final.

Waterford (3-2) will look to continue their momentum as they head to Racine to take on the Southern Tornadoes (3-2).