Sports
Unioto Wants a Better Shot Against Zane Trace
By: Nathan Buccilla
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Zane Trace travels to Unioto this Friday night for a much-anticipated Scioto Valley Conference match up between two powerhouse teams.
In recent years, there hasn’t been very much intrigue surrounding this game as Zane Trace has won nine of the last 10 games, with the only loss coming in 2012. However, this year should be a close one.
The two teams have had very similar years this far in the season. Both teams have only one loss and both lost to the same opponent, Waverly. Unioto lost by 14 points and Zane Trace was beaten by 13. They have also both played McClain and won easily, Unioto by 36 and Zane Trace by 40. Each team was close to a shutout, but both gave up a touchdown in the final quarter once the score was out of reach.
The similarities don’t stop there.
Both teams utilize a strong run game to wear out their opponents. Unioto averages 196 yards on the ground and Zane Trace 264 yards. Both quarterbacks are very mobile and are a big part of each team’s rushing attack.
Ty Shanton for Zane Trace averages 86 yards on the ground a game and Unioto’s Gabe Fisher runs for nearly 60 yards a game. Shanton has scored a touchdown on the ground in every game this year and is a better runner than Fisher, but Fisher has him beat in the passing game throwing for 440 yards and two touchdowns on the season compared to Shanton’s 361 yards and one touchdown.
Unioto’s combination in the backfield of Dalton Poole and JaMarcus Carroll is lethal. They’ve combined to rush for 390 yards and a whopping eight touchdowns this year. Zane Trace utilizes its prolific rusher Etheridge Games to move the chains. He’s rushed for over 100 yards in every game this year, except for last week’s game against Westfall in which he left in the 2nd quarter due to an injury. He had 11 rushes for 61 yards before his exit.
Defense has been a crucial part of each team’s success so far this season. Both teams have forced 15 turnovers this year and get to the quarterback at least three times a game. Unioto surrenders 16 points per game and Zane Trace allows just less than 13 points per game and also has posted two shutouts in four games.
Combine defense with two offenses that both score over 30 points a game, and football fans are in for a real treat this Friday as the winner of this game could very well end up winning the SVC. This game could come down to whichever team is able to make one more big play, or has the ball last.