Washington emerges from the mud with win
PERRYOPOLIS – Not even Frazier’s muddy field could slow down Washington’s high-powered offense Friday night in Interstate Conference action.
Well, the tough playing conditions couldn’t even stop the Prexies’ defense or special teams, either.
Washington had a touchdown in all three phases of the game in the first half and rolled to a 42-0 victory against the Commodores.
Since their 66-31 loss to Charleroi in Week 1, the Prexies (2-1, 5-1) have won four straight games and have held a 196-25 scoring advantage.
“The field conditions were the field conditions,” Washington coach Mike Bosnic said. “Both teams had to play in it. During pregame, I think this was one of the muddiest fields I ever coached. It’s up there. But you have to embrace that and I told the kids to be smart with the ball. I also told them to have fun, because most of the time you don’t get to play in the mud.”
With the muddy conditions, Washington’s quarterback Zack Swartz didn’t have his usual breakout game, but was effective in the pocket, throwing for 121 yards on 9 of 11 passing with a pair of scoring tosses. Swartz also added 25 yards on the ground.
Dylan Asbury rushed for 68 yards on eight carries and two touchdowns for the visitors, and Dan Ethridge added 79 yards on the ground.
“I liked the way we ran the ball,” Bosnic said. “We were physical up front and I thought our backs were able to find the holes. I think overall we got better tonight.”
The Commodores (1-3, 2-4) were held to 55 total yards on offense and only picked up four first downs in the contest.
“We were a little banged up coming in and that’s a good football team over,” Frazier coach Mike Steeber said. “We had a rough start and we couldn’t get our offense going. You have to play a perfect game when you play Washington. On offense, they had a dynamic quarterback and their running backs are pretty tough. Their line is pretty special, too.”
After Frazier was forced to punt on their opening drive, Washington got on the board via their special teams.
Zahmere Robinson blocked the punt, and then after several players from both teams had a chance to pick up the ball, Robinson got it and rumbled in for a 12-yard touchdown return.
A two-point pass from Swartz to Robinson pushed the lead to 8-0 with 8:24 left in the first.
The Commodores fumbled on their next drive and, three plays later, Asbury made it 14-0 with a 24-yard sprint to the end zone.
Swartz flicked a 30-yard shovel pass to Dan Walker for a score then added a two-point conversion pass to Isaiah Walton for a 22-0 lead at the end of the opening 12 minutes.
Frazier mounted its best drive of the game and picked up two first downs, but Walker picked off a halfback pass and returned it for a 93-yard touchdown and a 28-0 lead for the Prexies.
“We dominated on defense,” Bosnic said. “We won the early downs and forced them into some third and longs. They are a running football team and wants to get ahead of the sticks. We forced them into some uncomfortable situations and that pick in the second quarter was big.”
After forcing another three-and-out, Washington tacked on the final points of the first half with a 3-yard touchdown run by Asbury and a two-point conversion pass to Robinson from Swartz.
With the running clock in effect to start the second half, the Prexies capped their opening drive of the third quarter when Swartz found Walton with an 8-yard scoring toss.
Washington hosts Carmichaels next Friday and it’s the first matchup for Bosnic against his former team that he roamed the sidelines for in the 2000’s.
“We are working every day to get better,” Bosnic said. “We can’t have any letdowns and we have to treat every opponent the same. If we play smart, protect the ball and get that balance on offense every week, I’m going to like our chances.”