JV FOOTBALL: KEATHLEY POWERS ATHENS TO 48-14 WIN OVER WAVERLY (24 PHOTOS) (2021-11-08)
Valley Sports ReportWAVERLY "" Kolsen Keathley rushed for 305 yards and four TDs to lead Athens to a 48-14 win over Waverly here Monday night in non-league junior varsity football action.
After Dylan Towner pounced on a fumble to end Waverly's first possession, Keathley scored from 48 yards out on his first touch of the game to give Athens a 6-0 lead with 9:26 remaining in the first quarter.
After an exchange of possessions, Waverly took over at its own 6-yard line. A penalty pushed the ball back to the 3, and Waverly faced a third-and-10 right off the bat, but QB Seth Noto connected with Braedon Nichols on an 11-yard pass to move the chains.
Kayleb Bechy then carried the ball on six consecutive plays for 21 yards to move the ball to the Waverly 38.
On second-and-10, Noto scampered for 11 yards, then Payton Fravel gained eight yards to move the ball into Athens territory at the 44.
Noto then connected with Bechy on a 21-yard completion to the Athens 23. Two plays later, Fravel pulled down an 18-yard TD pass from Noto in the corner of the end zone on the first play of the second quarter to cap a 17-play, 94-yard drive that chewed up six minute, and 57 seconds of the clock.
Fravel scored on a conversion run to give Waverly an 8-6 lead with 11:54 remaining in the first half.
After a punt by Athens, Waverly turned the ball over on down at the Wildcat 37.
Keathley ripped off a 26-yard run, then, after an offside call against Waverly, capped the two-play drive with a 32-yard TD run with 4:57 left in the half. Gage Stull tacked on the conversion to give Athens a 14-8 lead.
Bechy, who carried the ball 38 times for 159 yards, ripped off a 29-yard run on the first play of Waverly's next possession, but the drive - thanks in large part to a QB sack by Noah Fricker - stalled on downs at the Athens 39 with 2:04 left in the half.
Three plays later, Wayne Allen stripped Stull of the ball to give the Wolverines the ball back at midfield.
Athens seemed poised to extend its lead on its first possession of the second half after Josh Martin broke loose on a 40-yard run on a reverse, but the Wildcats fumbled the ball away at the Waverly 31.
The Wildcat defense got the ball right back after forcing a three-and-out, and the Athens offense put together a seven-play, 69-yard drive to extend its lead.
Keathley ripped off a 20-yard run on third-and-8 early in the possession, and moments later fullback Noah Fricker busted loose on a 39-yard run up the middle to the Waverly 8. Two plays later, Keathley scored on an 8-yard run with 5:15 remaining in the third quarter. Fricker added the conversion run to make it 22-8.
Martin ended Waverly's next possession with a QB sack and fumble recovery at the Wildcat 43.
After an incomplete pass, Keathley busted loose on a 57-yard TD run with 3:19 remaining in the third quarter. Stull's pass to Xavier Watson for the conversion made it 30-8.
Waverly answered on its ensuing possession, putting together a six-play, 59-yard scoring drive, which was aided by a 15-yard face mask call against the Wildcats.
Bechy carried the ball on all six plays for 44 yards. HIs last four carries covered 9, 9 , 11, and 10 yards for the score.
Athens then recovered an onside kick at the Waverly 45, and needed just four plays to score. The drive started with a 26-yard run by Keathley, and Stull's 4-yard TD pass to Watson capped the drive to make it 26-14 with 11:55 remaining in the game.
Keathley ended Waverly's next possession with an interception, which he returned to the Wolverine 21. Four plays later, Stull scored on a 2-yard run to make it 42-14.
Ethan Elliott ended Waverly's next possession with an interception, and Watson, who was in at QB, capped the scoring with a 15-yard run around end.
Noto completed 7 of 11 passes for 103 yards, one TD, and two interceptions. Fravel, who also rushed for 25 yards, led Waverly with four receptions for 67 yards, and Bechy had two catches for 25 yards.
""""""""""""
IN PHOTO 1: Athens' Kolsen Keathley. ... PHOTOS BY DAVID ALLIGER - TRAVELING PORTRAITS.
Print Friendly Version
