VAN METER — Friday’s non-district battle between Woodward-Granger and Van Meter was a tightly contested affair for more than half of regulation, with the host Bulldogs eventually able to gain separation and post a 31-3 victory.
W-G (1-1) was within 7-3 on a Matt Hansen 28-yard field goal, but were unable to stop quarterback Blake Fryar and tailback Carson Rhodes, both of whom have vexed the Hawks for several seasons.
Fryar finished 12-of-24 for 116 yards and a touchdown passing while adding 25 yards and a score on eight rushes.
Sam Thompson caught a 20-yard TD from Fryar and had a 59-yard score on J.J. Durflinger’s flea flicker pass. Thompson finished with four grabs for 92 total yards and the two scores.
Durflinger had three catches for 57 yards, while reserve quarterback Anthony Potthoff was 2-for-2 for three yards passing.
Rhodes carried 22 times for 152 yards and one TD, with Potthoff (4-35) and Ian Abrhamson (7-13) also toting the pigskin as Van Meter gained 225 yards on 41 rushes.
W-G was held to 60 ground yards on 33 carries, with Payton Tague (15-30) and Austin Scharlau (12-29) leading the way.
Brendan Bird hit on 8-of-16 passes for 101 yards and was intercepted twice.
Scharlau led the Hawk defense with 11 tackles, with Cole Carmen and Bryce Achenbach adding 8.5 stops apiece. J.P. Nixon had an interception and Logan Canova a fumble recovery for W-G.
Cameron Smolik had 8.5 tackles (four for negative yards) to pace the Van Meter defense, which received two interceptions from Cade Costlow and a fumble recovery from Kasey O’Brien.
Sam Bardwell connected on four PAT kicks for the hosts and booted a 21-yard field goal as well.
W-G returns home Friday to face Woodward Academy, with the Hawks the home team at Uthe Field. The Academy is coming off a 52-14 home loss to Panorama after dropping a 40-32 overtime decision to Ogden Aug. 25. Game time is 7 p.m.
