Trevon McCarter attempts to catch the ball in the end zone. Photo by Jarrison Steiner. More pictures at westbendnews.net
Woodlan has high expectations this season as last year they went to semi-state in the tournaments. Heritage has not been bad this year either. They had a powerful win last Friday and looked very good in the first quarter of this game. The team started strong with a touchdown on the first Warrior possession. Woodlan quickly scored another touchdown but at the same time the Warriors could not earn the points after on either attempts.
Jack Rhoades and Trevon McCarter each ran for over 100 yards and host Woodlan rolled to a 45-10 win over rival Heritage in the Allen County Athletic Conference football opener for both schools Friday night.
Woodlan jumped in front early, getting a one-yard plunge for a score by Jordan Delagrange along with an eight-yard scoring strike from quarterback Justin Durkes to Josh Gerig in taking a 12-0 advantage after one stanza.
However, Heritage rallied in the second quarter.
The Patriots got on the scoreboard in the second quarter when Destin Johnson rumbled five yards for a touchdown. Johnathan McNeal also added a 35-yard field goal as Heritage trimmed its deficit to 12-10 at the end of the first half.
While the ground game was dominant, it was the second quarter effort that broke open a 12-10 halftime lead.
With less than a minute on the clock before halftime Heritage QB Walter Knapke was injured from a tackle. It was later found he will be out for the rest of the season from a broken ankle.
McCarter opened the second half scoring on a 37-yard scamper that helped Woodlan widen its advantage to 20-10. The Warriors struck again later in the stanza when Rhoades rumbled 85 yards for a touchdown to put Woodlan on top 26-10 at the end of three quarters.
The Warriors were never threatened in the fourth quarter, getting a 60-yard fumble return for a score by Malik Murray along with a 44-yard run for a touchdown by McCarter. Rylee Schindler also found the end zone with a five-yard touchdown run that set the final 45-10 margin.
Rhoades finished the night with 184 yards and a score on 16 carries while McCarter added 109 yards and a pair of scores on five attempts. The Warriors finished the night with 369 yards on the ground in improving to 3-0 on the young season.
Durkes finished the night 11 of 19 passing for 88 yards with one touchdown. Donald Guerrant led the Warrior receivers with four catches for 48 yards while while McCarter posted three receptions for 13 yards.
Delagrange paced the Warrior defense, which limited Heritage to 120 yards in total offense, with a dozen tackles while Amarion Hicks and Seb Speith added nine stops. Guerrant and Dontae Williams chipped in eight and seven tackles respectively.
Woodlan returns to ACAC action on Friday as the Warriors visit Bluffton (1-2, 0-1).
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