SECTION IV FOOTBALL: WAVERLY CLOSES REGULAR SEASON WITH 33-8 WIN OVER ONEONTA (2025-10-31)

Valley Sports Report
WAVERLY — Waverly scored three TDs in 5 1/2 minutes late in the second quarter to take a 33-0 lead en route to a 33-8 non-league Section IV football win over Oneonta in the regular-season finale here Friday night at Memorial Stadium.

Waverly scored on five of its first seven possessions in the second half, and stopped themselves on the other two with a fumble deep in Oneonta territory, and a rash of penalties in the Yellowjacket red zone.

The Wolverines recovered an Oneonta onside kickoff to start the game with the ball at their own 48.

After an illegal procedure penalty on its attempt to run the first play from scrimmage, junior QB Ben Shaw connected on consecutive passes to senior Daltton Davis for 6 and 32 yards to quickly move the ball to the Oneonta 19.

Shaw was sacked for a 7-yard loss on the next play, but senior Cooper Robinson broke a tackle on the next play and raced 26 yards for a TD. Senior Hogan Shaw tacked on the extra point to make it 7-0 with 10:22 remaining in the first quarter.

Four plays later, the Wolverines had the ball back on the Oneonta 40 when Ben Shaw, sophomore Drayton DeKay, and Davis stopped a jet sweep for a 1-yard loss on fourth-and-4.

Waverly fumbled the ball away four plays later at the Oneonta 21, but the Wolverines needed just three plays to get the ball back on an interception by junior Rhylee Stotler at the Oneonta 44.

Junior Bryce LaForest did all the damage for the Wolverines in a six-play scoring drive. He ran five times for 42 yards, including a 23-yard run to start the possession, and caught a swing pass for 7 yards.

LaForest capped the drive with a 1-yard TD run with 3:19 left in the first quarter to make it 13-0.

After an Oneonta three-and-out, Waverly took over at its own 40.

On the first play, Ben Shaw connected with junior Matthias Welles for a 37-yard gain, but it was nullified by an illegal formation call.

Junior Rylen Larson ripped off runs of 7, 6 and 5 yards to move the ball into Oneonta territory, and Ben Shaw hooked up with Welles for a 13-yard gain to the Yellowjacket 34.

After a 23-yard connection from Ben Shaw to Davis, Welles snared an apparent 11-yard TD pass from Shaw, but it was nullified by a penalty to move the ball back to the 16.

Moments later, another 11-yard completion to Welles was wiped out by a Waverly penalty. The Wolverines turned the ball over on downs at the Oneonta 13 with 9:17 remaining in the half.

The story of the next eight minutes was Waverly's defense, short Oneonta punts, the kicking leg of Hogan Shaw, and three Wolverine TDs.

After a three-and-out, Waverly took over at the Oneonta 33 following a 20-yard punt.

Robinson, who ran for 14 yards on the previous play, ripped off a 20-yard TD run on Waverly's third play to make it 19-0 with 6:55 remaining in the half.

Hogan Shaw hit the ensuing kickoff into the Yellowjacket end zone to pin Onoeonta at its own 20.

A mishandled snap, and a QB sack left Oneonta in a third-and-20 predicament at its own 10. A quick out gained just 1 yard, and a 30-yard Yellowjacket punt gave the Wolverines the ball back at the Oneonta 41.

LaForest took a hand-off on the first play, and bolted 41 yards up the middle for a TD. Hogan Shaw's PAT kick made it 26-0 with 4:49 remaining in the half.

Two plays after another Hogan Shaw kickoff for a touchback, Robinson and senior Troy Beeman converged on an Oneonta receiver near the sideline and forced a fumble, which Davis recovered at the Yellowjacket 15.

Five plays later, Welles scored on a 1-yard TD run. Hogan Shaw's PAT made it 33-09 with 1:20 remaining in the half.

The Yellowjackets returned the ensuing kickoff to midfield. After two plays netted zero yards, Oneonta had run 20 offensive plays for minus-3 yards and no first downs.

On third-and-10, Oneonta ripped off a 20-yard run for its initial first down of the game, then hit on a 30-yard TD pass with 10 seconds remaining. The conversion was good to trim the deficit to 33-8.

The Wolverines had 288 yards in total offense in the first half, while Oneonta had 47.

Oneonta, which had just 7 rushing yards in the first half, finished the game with 122 on 40 carries, and also picked up 10 more first downs.

Waverly finished the game with 277 rushing yards, led by LaForest, who had 11 carries for 124 yards and two TDs, and Robinson, who had 119 yards, and two TDs on 13 carries. Larson tacked on 33 yards on seven carries.

Ben Shaw, who completed his first six passes, was 8 of 1 for 85 yards, with Davis leading the way with four catches for 70 yards.

Waverly, now 8-1, will host Norwich Friday in the semifinals of the Section IV, Class B playoffs.

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