BY TIM TAYLORValley Sports Report
WAVERLY — Waverly scored on every possession of the first half en route to a 48-13 victory over Johnson City in Section IV flag football action at Memorial Stadium here Wednesday evening.
“I thought we played pretty good on both sides of the ball in the first half,” coach David Shaw said. “I think we continued to share the wealth on offense and get multiple kids involved, and it just feels like the kids are really buying into the team concept.”
Brilynn Belles threw five touchdown passes to four different receivers to lead the scoring onslaught.
It started on the Wolverines’ opening drive when she connected with Maci Wheeler for a 3-yard score at 7:28 of the first quarter. The duo hooked up on the PAT pass to make it 7-0.
Belles found Lauryn Welles open for a 6-yard score with 1:43 left in the period, then tossed the pigskin to Mackenzie Olmsted for the PAT and a 14-0 advantage.
Waverly pushed its lead to 21-0 at 11:53 of the second quarter when Lecksie Douglas threw to Kara Cole from 21 yards out and Olmsted grabbed the PAT toss.
Olmsted pulled in a 7-yard TD pass from Belles at 7:33. The PAT attempt failed, but the Wolverines had built a 27-0 cushion.
On the first play of Johnson City’s next possession, Olmsted would intercept Megan Rought at the Wildcat 35, setting up the home team’s fifth TD of the game.
“I think we're flying around on defense and I’m just pretty happy with the way they played.”
Belles and Elizabeth Robinson hooked up for the final two TDs of the first half.
The first came from two yards out at 5:56. The other was an 11-yard pass at 1:25. Belles threw to Welles for the PATs, the second being of the two-point variety to make it 42-0 at halftime.
The Wildcats would get on the scoreboard in the second half as Rought scored on a quarterback keeper at 5:49 of the third quarter. The PAT attempt was unsuccessful, making it 42-6.
Rought would find Nevaeh Gould open with a 14-yard TD pass with 47 seconds remaining in the period, then keep the rock and run for the PAT to make the score 42-13.
The Waverly defense tightened up in the fourth quarter, which saw the Wolverines’ Meeyah Wheeler intercept Rought and return it for a 20-yard “pick six” with 3:11 left in the game.
While the reserves may bend in the second half, building the big leads in the early stages of games gives Waverly a chance to gain valuable experience and that's a big plus when it comes to learning the game.
“We talk about it all the time that those girls are the ones that are giving us a look in practice and, and making us better, and it's, it's nice that they get an opportunity to go in and show what they can do,” Shaw said.
“You always find somebody that shows up in those situations and we had a couple girls that I thought really played well in the second half. Their starters were still in and I thought we competed, and we moved the ball, and it was certainly better than the last time those girls got in there. It's just, it's good for the program.”
The Wolverines finished with 285 yards offense with 187 coming through the air.
Belles was 20-for-23 for 114, Douglas threw two passes, completing both for 45 yards, and Ava Fassett went 4-for-6 for 28 yards.
Olmsted had five receptions for 33 yards, Welles and Maci Wheeler had four catches apiece for 26 and 16 yards, respectively, and Elli Cole and Robinson grabbed three balls each for 50 and 21 yards, respectively. Gianna Rylott caught two passes for 16 yards, Emma Williams grabbed a pair for 13 yards and Douglas snagged a pir for 12 yards.
Belles rushed one time for 34 yards and Olmstead ran twice for 29 more. Gianna Zieniuk carried the pigskin three times for 17 yards and Sierra Lunsford toted the rock once for another 10. Rylott, Maci and Meeya Wheeler, Claire Clemens, Divinity Fischer and Adriana Purvis had one carry each for a combined 18 yards.
Defensively, Zieniuk and Meeya Wheeler had seven flag pulls apiece with Wheeler picking up three sacks for minus-16 yards and Zieniuk adding a pass deflection.
Claire Clonch had two pulls with a sack for an 8-yard loss, Fischer contributed three pulls and Welles tacked on two pulls.
Cole, Wheeler, Douglas, Belles, Clemens, Purvis, Lunsford, Robinson and Mariah Buchanan recorded one pull each.
Douglas had an 18-yard punt return and Olmsted added an 8-yard return.
Waverly (5-1) heads to Windsor Friday evening.
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PHOTOS BY TIM TAYLOR.
