Paulding Powers Past Wayne Trace in County Clash, 39–7

GROVER HILL — In a hard-fought county rivalry matchup on Friday night, the Paulding Panthers dominated both sides of the ball to defeat the Wayne Trace Raiders 39–7.

Paulding came out strong, putting up 14 points in the first quarter and never looked back, adding 7 more in the second, 6 in the third, and 12 in the final quarter. Wayne Trace’s only score came in the second quarter, and the Raiders struggled to find offensive rhythm the rest of the night.

Wayne Trace quarterback Colt Hunt completed 9 of 17 passes for 222 yards and 4 touchdowns. Despite the impressive yardage, the Raiders couldn’t get the run game going, finishing with just 72 rushing yards on 22 attempts.

Senior receiver Blake Rhonehouse had a standout performance, pulling in 5 receptions for 109 yards and a touchdown. Jordan Manz and Jalen Manz each added two catches, with Jalen hauling in a 38-yard touchdown grab.

Wayne Trace’s only score came on one of Hunt’s four touchdown passes, but the rest were thwarted by tough Panther defense and offensive inconsistencies.

Despite the lopsided score, Jalen Manz turned in a monster performance on defense, racking up 23 tackles, including 3 tackles for loss, and an interception. His brother Jordan Manz added 11 tackles and 2 tackles for loss.

Avery Cooper (10 tackles), Miguel Martinez (8 tackles), and Nick Baughman (8 tackles, 1 fumble recovery) were also key contributors in a gritty defensive effort that saw plenty of field time due to Paulding’s extended possessions.

Total Yards: Paulding 294, Wayne Trace 145

First Downs: Paulding 14, Wayne Trace 7

Total Plays: Paulding 39, Wayne Trace 54

Fumbles Lost: Wayne Trace 2, Paulding 0

Penalties: Wayne Trace 8 for 55 yards