WAYNE – Following a series of five consecutive ranked opponents, the Wayne High football team honored their seniors by putting up nearly 50 points in their final regular season home outing.
From Bob Cunningham Field on the campus of Wayne State College, #10 (OWH) Wayne High hosted unranked O’Neill Friday night.
Wayne High built a 34-0 halftime lead and held on for the 49-14 victory to snap a two-game losing streak. WHS is now 5-3 while O’Neill suffered their sixth straight loss and are now 1-7.
Wayne High’s defense forced three straight punts and scored early and often from senior quarterback Tanner Walling. Walling ran in from seven-yards on the opening drive (7:35 left in first); connected with junior wide receiver Alex Phelps on an eight-yard score in the final 13 seconds of the first quarter and also hooked up with Phelps from 58 yards early in the second (7:39 left till half). Senior Yair Alcantara knocked through three extra-points to put Wayne High ahead 21-0 halfway through the second quarter.
Following a fumble recovery by junior linebacker Daniel Judd, junior running back Eli Barner scored his first of two rushing touchdowns from 10 yards (5:43 left until half).
Then after an interception from senior defensive back Brandon Bartos, Wayne High scored once more on a Walling to Phelps TD from 18-yards (extra-point blocked).
WHS led 34-0 at the break.
After Walling threw for an interception to open the second half, the Wayne defense forced a turnover on downs to get the ball right back. Barner concluded the scoring drive on a three-yard run with 1:21 left in the third.
Fourth quarter scoring came from O’Neill on a one-yard rushing TD from freshman Pryor Matthews (2 pt. conversion good) with 4:42 left in game. Also, following a punt that traveled backwards, sophomore Dominic Hamilton recovered the ball and ran in on about at 10-yard score with 2:49 left in the game (2 pt. conversion no good).
Wayne High still held a commanding 41-14 lead and even tacked on one more score from a yard out by sophomore Garrett Schultz. Fellow sophomore Drue Davis ran in the two-point conversion with 1:31 remaining in the fourth as the Blue Devils won 49-14.
1st 2nd Half 3rd 4th Final:
0 0 0 0 14 14 – O’Neill
14 20 34 7 8 49 – Wayne
#10 Wayne High will next visit #4 Pierce to close out their regular season on Friday, October 22. The Bluejays suffered a 24-6 road loss at Battle Creek Friday night to fall to 6-2.
Friday area results:
Wakefield 62, Hartington-Newcastle 52 – Big Red Country ‘KTCH’ 104.9 and waynedailynews.com
Allen 50, Emerson-Hubbard 14
Stanton 56, Guardian Angels Central Catholic 29
Hartington Cedar Catholic 48, Ponca 14
Lutheran High Northeast 46, Laurel-Concord-Coleridge 14
Norfolk Catholic 41, Crofton 13
@ Norfolk: Grand Island VS Norfolk
Battle Creek 24, Pierce 6
Wausa 69, Randolph 6
@ Winside: Wynot VS Winside
West Point-Beemer 49, North Bend Central 28
Wisner-Pilger 74, Madison 8
