West Jefferson survives against Fort Frye
By: Louis Marko
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BEVERLY, Ohio (WOUB) – The No. 3 West Jefferson Roughriders traveled to face the No. 2 Fort Frye Cadets in a Division VI Region 23 Semifinal clash where the Roughriders came out on top, 34-32.
The Roughriders started the game with an opening kickoff return to midfield. In only two plays, they struck first with a passing touchdown from Austin Buescher to Blake Bogenrife, taking a 7-0 lead in under the first 40 seconds.
After the defense forced a stop, the Roughriders’ offense struck again with a long drive that concluded with a touchdown on fourth-and-goal. This time, Buescher found Evan Switalski, and West Jefferson’s lead increased to 14-0.
However, things would change as the Cadets immediately took advantage of a failed onside kick as Tyce Beardsley put Fort Frye on the board with an electric 54-yard touchdown. The Cadets would make it a one-score game, 14-7.
On the ensuing Roughriders’ drive, they would respond with another effective drive from the air, and it would end with another passing touchdown, this time from 20 yards out on fourth-and-12. This time, Braxton Vance would come up with it as it would be 20-7 after the extra point was no good.
The Cadets responded again with their run game early in the second quarter as their next drive resulted in a 24-yard rushing touchdown by Gavin Rauch. However, the extra point would be blocked, keeping it a 7-point game, 20-13.
But the momentum would keep going for Fort Frye as they would get the ball back by way of an Aydric Wynn interception. The offense capitalized as QB Grady Hesson snuck it in for a touchdown, and it would be tied 20-20 heading into halftime.
Coming out of the half, Fort Frye’s momentum rolled on as they would take the lead with Tyce Beardsley’s second rushing touchdown of the night, this time from 4 yards out. However, the snap for the extra point would be botched, and their lead would stay 26-20.
This would come back to bite Fort Frye as West Jefferson would score on its first drive of the half and would take the lead 27-26 at the end of the third quarter. The Roughriders would hang on to win the game 34-32, after an unsuccessful 2-point attempt from the Cadets to tie it would be no good.
The Fort Frye Cadets end their season going 9-2 overall, while the West Jefferson Roughriders improve to 11-1 and advance to the Division VI Region 23 Final against the fifth-seeded Colonel Crawford.