Plymouth Slips Past Wawasee 17-14
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
PLYMOUTH -ÊLast week was big for Wawasee football as the Warriors celebrated a win over Northwood and learned coach Joe Rietveld was named the Indianapolis Colts High School Coach of the Week.
Although Warrior football hasn't had much to celebrate in recent years, the Warriors found themselves going to Plymouth Friday night with a 4-1 record and a top 20 ranking in the most recent 4A poll.
Like Wawasee, Plymouth had a big win last week, dusting off Elkhart Memorial 38-30. Both teams stood with a 2-1 record in the conference and both knew after the Warsaw - Goshen match-up on this same night that the winner of this game would stand in a tie for second in the NLC with championship hopes still alive.
That second-place honor went to the Rockies as they slipped away with a 17-14 win in a game that was certainly a tale of two halves.
It was all Rockies in the first half as the host team scored on their first two possessions, taking a 14-0 lead early in the second quarter.
Wawasee didn't have an answer for the Plymouth option as the Rockies exploded for 187 yards rushing in the first quarter alone. The stalwart in that attack was their quarterback, Ryan Clinton, who had 11 first-half carries for 122 yards.
Whatever adjustments Wawasee coach Rietveld made at halftime and whatever he told his players, seemed to work as the second half belonged to Wawasee.
The Warriors took the opening kickoff and marched 60 yards in five plays for a touchdown. It was fourth-and-three when sophomore running back Jordan Swain carried the ball 38 yards for the score. The Warriors failed to execute on the PAT but they were within eight points, 14-6.
The Rockies returned the kickoff to the 50-yard line and the Warrior defense forced a fourth-down-and short situation. However, the Warriors were caught off guard by a fake punt that Plymouth took for 20 yards.
Three plays later the Rockies faced a fourth down and converted a 27-yard field goal to make their lead 17-6.
Wawasee came right back and moved the ball into the endzone in four plays to cut Plymouth's advantage to 17-12.
That Warrior drive began at the 44-yard line with a 16-yard pass from Kory Lantz to James Stucky. After a run from Swain and a short pass to Drew Evans, Lantz again found Evans, this time for 32 yards and a touchdown.
The Warriors held Plymouth on the next possession, but a long punt from the Rockies forced the Warriors to take over at their own 1-yard line.
Wawasee marched down field behind Lantz's passing and Swain's legs. The Warriors moved the ball 92 yards and had a first-and-goal at the 7 when Plymouth's defense held the Warriors on the next three plays.
When Lantz's pass to Drew Evans fell incomplete on fourth-and-goal, it was up to the Plymouth offense to run out the last 1:39 of the game and secure the win.
With 12 seconds remaining and facing a fourth down, Clinton ran out the clock as he backtracked to the end zone allowing a safety and the final score of 17-14.
"Our kids really played hard," said Rietveld. "We adjusted well at halftime but just didn't get it done in the end."
The Warriors' record now stands at 4-2 and 2-2 in the Northern Lakes Conference.
The Warriors face Warsaw, Elkhart Memorial, and Goshen in their last three games.
PLYMOUTH 17, WAWASEE 14
W P
Total offense 291 306
Rushing 26-136 50-234
Comp-Att.-INT 13-26-1 6-10-0
Passing yards 155 72
Wawasee leaders
Jordan Swain - 17 carries for 81 yards and 1 TD
Kory Lantz - 11 carries for 55 yds;
(passing) 13 for 26- 155 yards, 1 INT [[In-content Ad]]
PLYMOUTH -ÊLast week was big for Wawasee football as the Warriors celebrated a win over Northwood and learned coach Joe Rietveld was named the Indianapolis Colts High School Coach of the Week.
Although Warrior football hasn't had much to celebrate in recent years, the Warriors found themselves going to Plymouth Friday night with a 4-1 record and a top 20 ranking in the most recent 4A poll.
Like Wawasee, Plymouth had a big win last week, dusting off Elkhart Memorial 38-30. Both teams stood with a 2-1 record in the conference and both knew after the Warsaw - Goshen match-up on this same night that the winner of this game would stand in a tie for second in the NLC with championship hopes still alive.
That second-place honor went to the Rockies as they slipped away with a 17-14 win in a game that was certainly a tale of two halves.
It was all Rockies in the first half as the host team scored on their first two possessions, taking a 14-0 lead early in the second quarter.
Wawasee didn't have an answer for the Plymouth option as the Rockies exploded for 187 yards rushing in the first quarter alone. The stalwart in that attack was their quarterback, Ryan Clinton, who had 11 first-half carries for 122 yards.
Whatever adjustments Wawasee coach Rietveld made at halftime and whatever he told his players, seemed to work as the second half belonged to Wawasee.
The Warriors took the opening kickoff and marched 60 yards in five plays for a touchdown. It was fourth-and-three when sophomore running back Jordan Swain carried the ball 38 yards for the score. The Warriors failed to execute on the PAT but they were within eight points, 14-6.
The Rockies returned the kickoff to the 50-yard line and the Warrior defense forced a fourth-down-and short situation. However, the Warriors were caught off guard by a fake punt that Plymouth took for 20 yards.
Three plays later the Rockies faced a fourth down and converted a 27-yard field goal to make their lead 17-6.
Wawasee came right back and moved the ball into the endzone in four plays to cut Plymouth's advantage to 17-12.
That Warrior drive began at the 44-yard line with a 16-yard pass from Kory Lantz to James Stucky. After a run from Swain and a short pass to Drew Evans, Lantz again found Evans, this time for 32 yards and a touchdown.
The Warriors held Plymouth on the next possession, but a long punt from the Rockies forced the Warriors to take over at their own 1-yard line.
Wawasee marched down field behind Lantz's passing and Swain's legs. The Warriors moved the ball 92 yards and had a first-and-goal at the 7 when Plymouth's defense held the Warriors on the next three plays.
When Lantz's pass to Drew Evans fell incomplete on fourth-and-goal, it was up to the Plymouth offense to run out the last 1:39 of the game and secure the win.
With 12 seconds remaining and facing a fourth down, Clinton ran out the clock as he backtracked to the end zone allowing a safety and the final score of 17-14.
"Our kids really played hard," said Rietveld. "We adjusted well at halftime but just didn't get it done in the end."
The Warriors' record now stands at 4-2 and 2-2 in the Northern Lakes Conference.
The Warriors face Warsaw, Elkhart Memorial, and Goshen in their last three games.
PLYMOUTH 17, WAWASEE 14
W P
Total offense 291 306
Rushing 26-136 50-234
Comp-Att.-INT 13-26-1 6-10-0
Passing yards 155 72
Wawasee leaders
Jordan Swain - 17 carries for 81 yards and 1 TD
Kory Lantz - 11 carries for 55 yds;
(passing) 13 for 26- 155 yards, 1 INT [[In-content Ad]]