Raiders Find Their Way To A Win
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
SYRACUSE - When the Northridge football team fell behind Wawasee 14-0 only two minutes into the second quarter, Raider players and coaches did not panic.
Here's why: "We have a saying," Northridge coach Frank Amato said. "'I can, because I'll find a way.'
"We found a way tonight."
Northridge found a way Friday to score 28 unanswered points to beat Wawasee 28-14.
"I told them to enjoy this one on the bus ride home, enjoy it when they open the paper in the morning," Amato said. "I think I'll even enjoy this one on my trip home to South Bend. Come Monday, all I'll think about is Plymouth and their 4-4. Next week, we're 0-0 again."
The Warriors scored their 14 points the old-fashioned way. They EARNED them, as the old guy on the Smith-Barney commercials used to say.
They opened the game with the football and put together a 17-play drive to take a 7-0 lead when quarterback Adam Brown scored from three yards out.
Northridge followed by going three and out.
The second time Wawasee's offense touched the ball, the Warriors went on a 10-play drive that ended with another touchdown. Brown threw an 11-yard touchdown pass to Jeremy High to up the Wawasee lead to 14-0 with 10 minutes left before halftime.
The Warriors held a 14-7 lead when the play that both coaches said changed the game occurred.
With 1:30 left in the the first half, Northridge defensive back Jason Miller picked off a Brown pass that he returned 30 yards to Wawasee's 20-yard line. Three plays later, Northridge tied the game at 14 on one of Kyle Havlik's three touchdown runs.
Asked afterward what the key play of the game was, Amato said: "Jason Miller's interception. We came back to make it 14-7, just like last year. Last year we got to that point but didn't take advantage.
"This year we got the interception and took advantage."
Wawasee coach Joe Rietveld agreed. "It was probably the interception," he said. "It gave them a short field and points."
Wawasee opened the game by running 27 offensive plays to Northridge's three. But when halftime arrived, the Warriors were back where they started, in a tie, just 14-14 instead of 0-0.
Wawasee got to 14 on two long drives. Northridge got to 14 on one big play, a mistake by Wawasee.
Wawasee had 156 yards at halftime; Northridge had 58.
"We had only 17 defensive plays in the first half," Rietveld said, "and they scored 14 points."
The second half was the reverse of the first half. Wawasee's ground game controlled the clock in the first half; the Raiders and their vaunted option offense controlled the second half.
Quarterback Jody Weldy put Northridge ahead 21-14 when he scored on a 35-yard run with 4:45 left in the third quarter. Havlik scored his third touchdown to make the score 28-14 with 4:50 left in the fourth.
Northridge tallied 155 yards in the second half; Wawasee tallied 86.
The Warriors have allowed 26, 39 and now 28 points in three games.
"Our defense has not been good all year," Rietveld. "It's been a concern of mine since April - that's when I took the job."
The Warriors were dealt a blow when starting tailback Ryan Mikel left the game after three carries in the second half. Mikel, who had 20 carries for 89 yards, injured his left shoulder and did not return. Asked about Mikel's availability for next week, Rietveld said, "I doubt he'll be back."
Wawasee trailed 21-14 when Mikel was hurt in the third quarter.
"We kept the ball out of their hands in the second half," Amato said. "It was extremely important for us to control the ball, because I had something like eight guys going both ways. They are an explosive offensive team, even with Mikel out."
Wawasee dropped to 1-2 overall and 0-1 in the NLC. Northridge, which has allowed only seven points in the second half all season, improved to 2-1 overall and 1-0 in the NLC.
"This was a pretty tough loss," Rietveld said. When you go into a game you think you have a chance to win. If you play the Green Bay Packers and lose, that's something else.
"Don't get me wrong, we didn't think we'd go and roll the football out there and win, but we thought we were pretty evenly matched."
NORTHRIDGE 28 WAWASEE 14
Northridge 0 14 7 7 - 28
Wawasee 7 7 0 0 - 14
W N
First downs 14 11
Rushes-yards 46-187 45-181
Passing yards 55 32
Comp.-Att.-Int. 4-14-1 2-2-0
Total offense 242 213
Fumbles-lost 0-0 3-0
Punts-avg. 3-31.3 4-35.3
Penalties-yds. 4-50 1-3
First Quarter
W - Adam Brown 3 run (Jeremy High kick) 7-0 WAW, 4:27
Second Quarter
W - High 11 pass from Brown (High kick) 14-0 WAW, 10:50
N -ÊKyle Havlik 1 run (Donny Klotz kick) 14-7 WAW, 6:44
N -ÊHavlik 1 run (Klotz kick) 14-14 WAW, 0:57
Third Quarter
N -ÊJody Weldy 35 run (Klotz kick) 21-14 NOR, 4:45
Fourth Quarter
N - Havlik 2 run (Klotz kick) 28-14 NOR, 4:50
INDIVIDUAL LEADERS
Rushing - Wawasee: Rustin Mikel 20-89, Brown 13-26, Jimmy Meyer 10-47, Aaron Drumm 3-25. Northridge: Weldy 21-75, Klotz 12-60, Havlik 11-24, Ben Stoffel 1-22.
Receiving - Wawasee: Miguel Roa 3-38, High 1-11. Northridge: Bobby Raatz 2-32.
Passing - Wawasee: Brown 4-14-0 55. Northridge: Weldy 2-2-0 32. [[In-content Ad]]
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SYRACUSE - When the Northridge football team fell behind Wawasee 14-0 only two minutes into the second quarter, Raider players and coaches did not panic.
Here's why: "We have a saying," Northridge coach Frank Amato said. "'I can, because I'll find a way.'
"We found a way tonight."
Northridge found a way Friday to score 28 unanswered points to beat Wawasee 28-14.
"I told them to enjoy this one on the bus ride home, enjoy it when they open the paper in the morning," Amato said. "I think I'll even enjoy this one on my trip home to South Bend. Come Monday, all I'll think about is Plymouth and their 4-4. Next week, we're 0-0 again."
The Warriors scored their 14 points the old-fashioned way. They EARNED them, as the old guy on the Smith-Barney commercials used to say.
They opened the game with the football and put together a 17-play drive to take a 7-0 lead when quarterback Adam Brown scored from three yards out.
Northridge followed by going three and out.
The second time Wawasee's offense touched the ball, the Warriors went on a 10-play drive that ended with another touchdown. Brown threw an 11-yard touchdown pass to Jeremy High to up the Wawasee lead to 14-0 with 10 minutes left before halftime.
The Warriors held a 14-7 lead when the play that both coaches said changed the game occurred.
With 1:30 left in the the first half, Northridge defensive back Jason Miller picked off a Brown pass that he returned 30 yards to Wawasee's 20-yard line. Three plays later, Northridge tied the game at 14 on one of Kyle Havlik's three touchdown runs.
Asked afterward what the key play of the game was, Amato said: "Jason Miller's interception. We came back to make it 14-7, just like last year. Last year we got to that point but didn't take advantage.
"This year we got the interception and took advantage."
Wawasee coach Joe Rietveld agreed. "It was probably the interception," he said. "It gave them a short field and points."
Wawasee opened the game by running 27 offensive plays to Northridge's three. But when halftime arrived, the Warriors were back where they started, in a tie, just 14-14 instead of 0-0.
Wawasee got to 14 on two long drives. Northridge got to 14 on one big play, a mistake by Wawasee.
Wawasee had 156 yards at halftime; Northridge had 58.
"We had only 17 defensive plays in the first half," Rietveld said, "and they scored 14 points."
The second half was the reverse of the first half. Wawasee's ground game controlled the clock in the first half; the Raiders and their vaunted option offense controlled the second half.
Quarterback Jody Weldy put Northridge ahead 21-14 when he scored on a 35-yard run with 4:45 left in the third quarter. Havlik scored his third touchdown to make the score 28-14 with 4:50 left in the fourth.
Northridge tallied 155 yards in the second half; Wawasee tallied 86.
The Warriors have allowed 26, 39 and now 28 points in three games.
"Our defense has not been good all year," Rietveld. "It's been a concern of mine since April - that's when I took the job."
The Warriors were dealt a blow when starting tailback Ryan Mikel left the game after three carries in the second half. Mikel, who had 20 carries for 89 yards, injured his left shoulder and did not return. Asked about Mikel's availability for next week, Rietveld said, "I doubt he'll be back."
Wawasee trailed 21-14 when Mikel was hurt in the third quarter.
"We kept the ball out of their hands in the second half," Amato said. "It was extremely important for us to control the ball, because I had something like eight guys going both ways. They are an explosive offensive team, even with Mikel out."
Wawasee dropped to 1-2 overall and 0-1 in the NLC. Northridge, which has allowed only seven points in the second half all season, improved to 2-1 overall and 1-0 in the NLC.
"This was a pretty tough loss," Rietveld said. When you go into a game you think you have a chance to win. If you play the Green Bay Packers and lose, that's something else.
"Don't get me wrong, we didn't think we'd go and roll the football out there and win, but we thought we were pretty evenly matched."
NORTHRIDGE 28 WAWASEE 14
Northridge 0 14 7 7 - 28
Wawasee 7 7 0 0 - 14
W N
First downs 14 11
Rushes-yards 46-187 45-181
Passing yards 55 32
Comp.-Att.-Int. 4-14-1 2-2-0
Total offense 242 213
Fumbles-lost 0-0 3-0
Punts-avg. 3-31.3 4-35.3
Penalties-yds. 4-50 1-3
First Quarter
W - Adam Brown 3 run (Jeremy High kick) 7-0 WAW, 4:27
Second Quarter
W - High 11 pass from Brown (High kick) 14-0 WAW, 10:50
N -ÊKyle Havlik 1 run (Donny Klotz kick) 14-7 WAW, 6:44
N -ÊHavlik 1 run (Klotz kick) 14-14 WAW, 0:57
Third Quarter
N -ÊJody Weldy 35 run (Klotz kick) 21-14 NOR, 4:45
Fourth Quarter
N - Havlik 2 run (Klotz kick) 28-14 NOR, 4:50
INDIVIDUAL LEADERS
Rushing - Wawasee: Rustin Mikel 20-89, Brown 13-26, Jimmy Meyer 10-47, Aaron Drumm 3-25. Northridge: Weldy 21-75, Klotz 12-60, Havlik 11-24, Ben Stoffel 1-22.
Receiving - Wawasee: Miguel Roa 3-38, High 1-11. Northridge: Bobby Raatz 2-32.
Passing - Wawasee: Brown 4-14-0 55. Northridge: Weldy 2-2-0 32. [[In-content Ad]]