Fast start sparks Wash High to rout
Mark Marietta/For the Observer-Reporter
Not to be denied, Washington’s Michael Allen extends the ball over the goal line, putting the Prexies up 41-0 over Waynesburg before the first half of Friday’s game concluded.
Mark Marietta/For the Observer-Reporter
Brandon Patterson pulls in a Davoun Fuse pass in the back corner of the end zone during a game this season against Waynesburg. The Prexies will likely grab a playoff berth if they defeat Frazier tonight.
On the second play from scrimmage, Washington's Michael Allen sprints to the end zone and opens a barrage of scoring from the Prexies over Wayneburg Central in the September 18 game at Washington.
Mark Marietta/For the Observer-Reporter
Tayshawn Levy outruns Waynesburg Central’s Colby Pauley to score the Prexies’ second touchdown in Friday night’s victory over the Raiders at Wash High Stadium.
Mark Marietta/For the Observer-Reporter
Washington’s Vandell Page steps free of Waynesburg defenders and scores the Prexies’ fourth touchdown of the first half of Friday’s game at Washington.
Washington's Zach Doman lifts running back Tayshawn Levy to celebrate the first quarter touchdown Levy had just scored in to 55-0 victory over Waynesburg on September 18 at Washington.
After Washington dropped its opening week matchup to McGuffey, the Prexies aimed for a win to stay in the Century Conference playoff race.
The Prexies knew they had to make a statement Friday against Waynesburg, and did so emphatically. Washington led 14-0 before Waynesburg even had an offensive possession and scored touchdowns on five of six first-half offensive drives as it rolled to a 55-0 win.
“I feel like we have a lot of talent. We are pretty inexperienced, and we are working to get better every day,” said Washington head coach Mike Bosnic. “We got a lot of guys that can mature into being really good football players. We are really excited.”
On the opening kick, Washington (1-1, 1-1) opted to do a pooch kick that it recovered on Waynesburg’s 32-yard line to start with the ball despite deferring. Two plays later, Michael Allen ripped off a 25-yard run to put the Prexies up 6-0. After missing the extra point, Washington kicked off downfield this time, but Waynesburg muffed the catch and the Raiders’ returner ended up getting tackled in the end zone for a safety to put Washington up 8-0.
From there, Washington immediately got the ball back, this time at the Waynesburg 33-yard line after a strong return. A few plays later, quarterback Davoun Fuse dropped a 23-yard pass in the back of the end zone to Brandon Patterson to take a 14-0 lead only 4:15 into the game and before the Waynesburg offense had a chance to touch the ball.
Then, on the first offensive play the Raiders had, senior quarterback Darnell Johnson tried to fight for a few extra yards at the end of a nine-yard run and ended up injured. He was replaced by junior Nate Kirby for the remainder of the contest.
“Nate Kirby stepped in and played a great game for us both offensively and defensively,” said Waynesburg head coach Chad Coss. “When our starting quarterback goes out – we lost the wind in our sails from the get-go when we didn’t get the opening kickoff, and it was just downhill from that.”
For the rest of the first half, Waynesburg only had one drive that wasn’t a three-and-out. Meanwhile, Washington’s offense had one turnover-on-downs, but had scores on every other drive in the half. Tayshawn Levy had a 30-yard touchdown run and a 57-yard punt return for a score, Vandell Page scored from four yards and Fuse threw his second touchdown pass of the night to Allen to give the Prexies a 42-0 halftime advantage.
Washington added two more scores in the second half, the final one coming on a 43-yard run by Elijah Odom.
Waynesburg had a long drive at the end of the game, taking the ball all the way to Washington’s 25-yard line before eventually turning the ball over on downs. Freshman Breydon Woods, who had 20 carries on the night for the Raiders, was the biggest bright spot on that drive, gaining 34 yards.
“We are young, we’re real young,” said Coss. “Up front we have a little experience, but pretty much everywhere else we have new kids on the team. We’re getting better every day, but we have a lot of work to do.”
Washington had 27 rushes for 244 yards and five touchdowns. Fuse did not play in the second half but went 4-for-10 for 101 yards and two touchdowns.
“I think we just have to keep working on the basics-being able to throw the ball and establish the passing game, limit turnovers, limit bad snaps, fumbles, and things like that,” said Bosnic.