Portsmouth rush attack proves too much for the Tigers to handle
By: Andrew Carr
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PORTSMOUTH, Ohio (WOUB) – The Waverly Tigers, who ride a two-game winning streak, travel to face the Portsmouth West Senators, who look to start off their conference play with a win, and a win they would have. Off the backs of the two tailbacks, Anthony Bishop and Westyn Ratcliff, to a 28-0 victory.
The Senators offense was clicking for most of the night, but not early to start this one, as Portsmouth West punts on their first drive. Waverly, looking to get on the board, first marches down to the eleven-yard line of the Senators but misses the field goal wide left to keep it a zero-zero tie early.
The Senators on their next drive start off hot as running back Westyn Ratcliff rips a huge 43-yard rush to get into the red zone of the Tigers. A few plays later, his quarterback Carter Keyser calls his own number and eats a hit for the six-yard score. The point-after was wide, and the score would remain 6-0.
After back-to-back turn overs on downs, Waverly’s punt is tipped at the line and only goes for 10 yards, setting up the Senators in prime Tiger real estate. That field position was quickly paid off as Bishop somehow found his way through an ambush of Tigers for a 37-yard house call. The Senators would choose to go for two and would get in on the ground as Bishop accounts for all eight points on the drive. 14-0 Portsmouth West ahead.
Following a pair of punts, Waverly looks like they are going to get on the board with a score right before half; they go for the field goal from about 20 yards out, but it goes off the left upright, keeping it 14-0 in favor of the Senators at halftime.
To start the second half, Waverly forces a punt and has a great drive going as quarterback Gunnar Myers powers his Tiger offense into the red zone with his legs. The Senators step up to force fourth down and get the top as Myers’ pass is over the head of his target as the Tigers offense is 0/3 in the red zone.
Portsmouth West responds to the long drive given up by their defense with a quick drive by the offense. Anthony Bishop with a 30-yard rush to get to midfield, and a few plays later his running mate Ratcliff cashes in from 23 yards out, making it 20-0 late into the third quarter after the extra point was blocked at the line of scrimmage.
Waverly needing to get points on the scoreboard fast look for a chunk passing play, but Myers pass is intercepted by Portsmouth’s Zane Evans and returned to 20 yards midfield. Portsmouth, even with the good field position, do not cash in for points. As they punt putting the Tigers on their own goal line where they are stuffed and forced to punt as well.
Portsmouth with a long, methodical drive burning six minutes off the clock score on an Bishop 15-yard touchdown to make it 26-0. Bishop’s two-point conversion would make it 28-0 with 4:24 left.
As bad news gets worse for Waverly, the kickoff is fumbled, and the Senators recover it, and they would proceed to run the clock out and cap off their first conference victory of the season.
Next week, Portsmouth West will head on the road to Minford, who is currently 3-2 on the season. As for Waverly, they head back to home turf to play a winless Oak Hill team.