Wawasee Wins NLC Opener In 2OTSYRACUSE – Wawasee and Northridge took turns grinding away Friday at Warrior Field. Playing a game of field possession, the Warriors and Raiders were tied 7-7 after 48 minutes of regulation. In the second overtime, Northridge missed an extra point and Wawasee came away with a 21-20 win in the Northern Lakes Conference opener for both squads. “It was two like teams with two like mentalities,” Wawasee coach Josh Ekovich said after his squad moved to 3-0 overall and 1-0 in the NLC. “Sometimes, you’ve got to get lucky and that’s what happened.” On a night Wawasee quarterback Tyler Smith carried 24 times for 137 yards, it was his 1-yard sneak on third down, plus an extra point by Ryan Edington, that put the hosts ahead 21-14. Northridge, which gained 118 ground yards and 148 through the air (triggered by quarterback Nick Hooley), quickly responded with a 10-yard run by Mason Troyer. But the extra-point try sailed low and the Warriors went to 3-0, with all three victories coming on their home field. “Our defense played opportunistic at times,” Ekovich said after seeing his team get timely sacks, including one in the second half by Gavin Barker. Wawasee pounced on three Raider fumbles, including one that led to the Warriors’ first touchdown – a 30-yard run by Smith in the second quarter. “Our offense took advantage and we got some yards,” Ekovich said. “If we can continue to do that and play good defense, we’ll be OK.” Wawasee, coming off a big rushing game in a 48-7 romp against West Noble, tried establish the run early against Northridge behind the front five of Elisha Tipping at center, Alex Castro and Hunter Hlutke at guards and Trevor Harter and Bryce Woody at tackles. The Warriors had 86 ground yards in the first half against a strong Raider defense. With Smith connecting for three key passes in the second half, including a 15-yard scoring strike to Jacob Hand in the first half, the Warriors came a little closer to establishing a passing game. “Throwing the ball a little bit is something we’re going to have to be able to do,” Ekovich said. “We didn’t establish the run the way I like, but yards are yards. We’ll take it how we can get it.” The Raiders drew first blood, taking a 7-0 lead at the 4:42 mark of the second quarter on a 3-yard touchdown run by Tug Modlin and Camm Nickell’s extra point. Modlin’s dash wrapped up a 95-yard scoring drive that featured eight totes and 49 yards for Modlin. The two squads combined for 12 punts and 18 penalties. The win – this time achieved in green jersey tops instead of the black ones donned against West Noble – was the first against former Wawasee head coach Tom Wogomon. The Raiders topped the Warriors in each of past three seasons under Wogomon, who led Wawasee from 2007-12. Wawasee visits Concord Friday and Northridge plays host to Plymouth.
Second Quarter N – Tug Modlin 3 run (Camm Nickell kick) 7-0 W — Tyler Smith 30 run (Ryan Edington kick) 7-7 First Overtime N — Kyle Carson 4 pass from Nick Hooley (Nickell kick) 14-7 W — Jacob Hand 15 pass from Smith (Edington kick) 14-14 Second Overtime W — Smith 1 run (Edington kick) 14-21. N — Mason Troyer 10 run (kick failed) 20-21.
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS Rushing – Northridge, Tug Modlin 20-90, Mason Troyer 13-56, Conner Graber 5-26, Nick Hooley 4–(–)27; Wawasee, Tyler Smith 24-137, Cole Vanlue 2-17, Michael Katzer 5-13, Paul Mendoza 4-11, Alec Rosbrugh 4-2. Passing – Northridge, Hooley 10-20-148, 1 TD, 0 Int; Wawasee, Smith 8-14-87, 1 TD, 0 Int. Receiving – Northridge, Tyler Scott 3-57, Troyer 1-43, Kyle Carson 2-21, Zack Welker 1-12, Cullen Cover 2-12, Seth Allen 1-3; Wawasee, Vanlue 2-49, Rosbrugh 2-20, Jacob Hand 1-15, Ryan Kuhn 1-8, Mendoza 1-7.
