Waterford spoils perfect start for Eastern Eagles
By: Jack O'Neill, Mitch Mollison
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WATERFORD, Ohio (WOUB) — This week’s Gridiron Glory game of the week lived up to expectations, with Waterford getting a huge win to start conference play. Right from the kickoff these teams played a violent brand of football.Both defenses got aggressive early and plugged the run gaps.
Waterford has had success in the run game this year in large part due to dual-threat quarterback Jake Pantelidis and running back Dylan Taylor.
Early on, Eastern’s defense did not care who was in the backfield and they were able to consistently plug the run gaps and made life difficult for Pantelidis.
After stalling on their first drive, Pantelidis led a big drive for the Wildcats and threw a four-yard strike on the goal line to Landon Flaherty. The Wildcats took a 6-0 lead after the point after was blocked.
Following Waterford’s score, its defense seemed to lighten up just a hair. That’s all that Eastern needed as they drove down the field and capitalized in the red zone as Quarterback Brady Yonker handed it off to junior tail back Rylee Barrett for six.
The very next drive, Pantelidis took over and ran in a 20-yard touchdown down the sideline with help from his outside receiver who threw a phenomenal block which allowed Pantelidis to score untouched.
Not even two minutes later, Pantelidis avoided pressure in the pocket and launched a dime for a 39-yard touchdown to Flaherty again to go up two scores heading into half.
The second half was a tale of the defenses.Both were shutdown and neither offense could get anything going as they were both shutout in the third quarter.
After Waterford had a questionable touchdown waved off, they were able to persevere and found the endzone late in the 4th to take a commanding three score lead.
Eastern put a up a touchdown the following drive, however it was too little too late.