By TIM BIRNEYValley Sports Report
WAVERLY — Senior Joey Tomasso threw four TD passes to four different receivers, and added a long TD run to lead Waverly to a 45-8 win over Elmira here Friday night in a Section IV non-divisional football contest at Memorial Stadium.
While Waverly piled up 476 yards in total offense (510 if it hadn’t been for two errant shotgun snaps that resulted in negative-34 yards), it was the defense that longtime coach Jason Miller touted after the win.
"I thought our defense played outstanding," said Miller. "I thought the outside linebackers — Carter George, Payton Fravel, and Kolsen Keathley — played really good.
"The defensive ends did their jobs … we were just solid up front," noted Miller. "Ben (Shaw) and Nate (Peters) played good (at inside linebackers).
"(Elmira) hurt us a little bit with that inside G-O play, but we slowed them down, and that was the difference," added Miller. "The QB (Evan Gavin) stung us a couple times, especially on the touchdown run, but we were able to contain him for the most part."
The Wolverines defense forced four turnovers — two interceptions and two fumbles, allowed just two completed passes for 6 yards, and limited the Express’ ground game to 234 yards on 44 carries.
Miller didn’t confine his compliments to the defense, however.
"I thought we played an outstanding game," he said. "Special teams was outstanding.
"Offensively, we were really, really sharp tonight throwing the ball and catching the ball … and we had a lot of yardage after the catch, and that’s what we want to do," noted Miller. "We want to spread defenses out."
Miller noted the Express played man-to-man coverage, and that’s something he likes to see.
"They played man-to-man and that creates mismatches," he said. "It also creates opportunities for us to get the ball into the hands of our playmakers 5 or 10 yards down the field, and let them get the ball down the field."
Tomasso, who completed his first seven passes of the game, was 19 of 24 for 319 yards, and four TDs.
Senior Jay Pipher led the Wolverines with eight catches for 151 yards, and one TD, while junior Xavier Watson had four grabs for 71 yards, and one TD, senior Jake VanHouten had three catches for 22 yards, and one TD, and junior Kolsen Keathley had two receptions for 38 yards, and one TD.
Tomasso also led Waverly in rushing with 73 yards and a TD on seven carries, and junior Payton Fravel, who also had one catch for 29 yards, added 68 yards and one TD on six carries.
The Wolverines attempted an onside kick to open the game, but it bounced out-of-bounds, and the Express set up shop at the Waverly 47 on its opening possession. Four plays later, the Waverly defense stopped them on downs at the 43.
Waverly’s momentum didn’t last long, however, as Elmira pounced on a high shotgun snap at the Wolverine 37 two plays later.
Waverly’s defense had an answer when junior Nate Peters intercepted an Evan Garvin pass at the Wolverine 25, and returned it 22 yards to the Waverly 47.
Four plays later, on fourth-and-seven, Tomasso launched a pass toward the end zone, where Watson made a leaping catch over an Express defender at the Elmira 3, and scooted into the end zone for a TD. Sophomore Hogan Shaw’s PAT kick made it 7-0 with 6:18 remaining in the first quarter.
After forcing the Express into a three-and-out, Tomasso and his crew went back to work, and quickly drove from the 50 to the Express 13, thanks to four straight complete passes. However, a QB sack put the Wolverine drive off-track, and the drive stalled at the Elmira 21.
Shaw split the uprights with a 39-yard field goal to give the Wolverines a 10-0 with 1:46 remaining in the first quarter.
Elmira answered with a seven-play, 69-yard drive, culminating with a 28-yard TD run by Garvin with 10:33 remaining in the first half. Julian Colon’s run for conversion closed the gap to 10-8.
The rest of the game was all Wolverines.
After a pair of incompletions on Waverly’s ensuing possession, Tomasso scampered 11 yards on third-and-10 for a first down. It was a precursor of things to come as he busted loose on a 69-yard TD run two plays later. Shaw’s PAT kick made it 17-8 with 9:12 left in the first half.
The Express picked up three first downs on its next possession, but a botched hand-off resulted in a fumble, and Watson pounced on it at the Waverly 36.
After five consecutive completions, including three to Pipher for 43 yards, moved the ball to the Elmira 8, Tomasso was sacked for a 4-yard loss.
A 9-yard pass to VanHouten moved the ball to the 3, and a nifty grab in the back of the end zone by VanHouten on a perfectly-thrown ball extended the Wolverine lead to 24-8 with 3:55 remaining in the first half.
After a quick first down, Elmira was forced to punt on its next possession, and Waverly took over at 49.
A 24-yard completion to Pipher, set up a 27-yard TD strike to Keathley — Tomasso’s ninth consecutive completion — to make it 31-8 with 2:05 remaining in the half.
The Express successfully executed an onside kick to open the second half, but a Watson interception on a fourth-down play ended the possession.
Four plays later, on fourth-and-2, Tomasso found Pipher in the seam for a 63-yard TD catch. Shaw’s fifth PAT kick made it 38-8 with 8:20 remaining in the third quarter.
The Express did have another scoring opportunity when they moved the ball into the Waverly red zone, but missed a 35-yard field goal attempt in the opening minute of the fourth quarter.
Waverly then marched 80 yards on 12 plays, with Fravel doing the majority of the work with four carries for 54 yards, including a 36-yard scamper, and a 9-yard TD run with 4:28 remaining in the contest. Shaw, who was 5-for-5 on extra points, provided the final margin.
Waverly, now 3-1, returns to action Friday at Chenango Forks Friday night in a key Section IV, Division IV match-up.
"This is the game," said Miller. "The great thing about playing Tioga and Elmira is the blocking schemes are relatively the same (as Chenango Forks) — they are kicking out, and walling off. We’re getting pretty good at defending that.
"It’s a big division game, it means a lot," noted Miller. "It doesn’t mean home-field advantage anymore, but it does mean playing the fourth-seed, instead of the second or third.
"A win would mean we control our destiny, and that’s what we want to do," he added.
Waverly, the reigning Section IV, Class C champ, beat Forks in the title game last season.
"We’re playing for a home playoff game in the semifinals, so there’s a lot of incentive there," said Miller. "But you don’t really need any extra incentive when you’re playing Forks.
"Chenango Forks is still the best program in the state," added Miller. "Until you knock them off consecutively, and people don’t think it’s a fluke … that’s our motivation."
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IN PHOTO 1: Waverly’s Joey Tomasso. … PHOTOS BY TIM BIRNEY.
