WOODWARD — Friday’s non-district battle in Woodward featured a pair of 2-0 teams nicknamed Hawks, both seeking to prove they were worthy of being 3-0.
“I told the guys that tonight we will find out if we are a good team or not,” W-G head coach George Ashman said. “We knew going in we would be tested and we were ready.”
Woodward-Granger proved to be the worthier squad, rallying from an 8-0 halftime deficit to tie the game in third quarter before Matt Hansen’s 31-yard field goal with just over seven minutes to play provided the difference in an 11-8 victory.
South Hamilton entered the game averaging over 200 rushing yards per game with their trapping, short-option offense. Because the Hawk attack mirrored that used by Madrid — who W-G defeated, 55-29, in week one — the host Hawks felt they were well-prepared.
The guests were held to only 73 yards on the ground on 30 carries, with quarterback Cole Berg connecting on just 3-of-5 passes for 9 total yards. Strong play up the middle by Jackson Newland and Gabe Yingst, and stingy perimeter defense by Reese Jamison, Bryce Achenbach and Pacey Moats helped strangle the South Hamilton attack.
Numerous players made key plays for the Hawk defense, which several times turned the visiting Hawks away on downs.[wpedon id=”85410″ align=”left”]
It turned out that the worst enemy for the hosts were themselves, as W-G lost three of their six fumbles and threw two interceptions — one at the four-yard line as it appeared they were marching for a score.
South Hamilton gave the ball over on downs inside their W-G five-yard line in the second quarter, but found redemption when W-G quarterback Keith Braunschweig had the ball ripped away from him in end zone. Jeremiah Smith landed on the pigskin for the defensive touchdown, with Sam Lewis running in the conversion for an 8-0 lead with 9:13 on the second quarter clock.
Braunschweig pried the ball away from a South Hamilton runner and raced 16 yards for an apparent score later in the frame, but a holding call on the return pushed the ball back to the 27, and the hosts were unable to cash in the turnover.
“I told the guys at halftime that they had given up only 45 yards and that they were beating themselves,” Ashman said. “We talked about playing hard and that if we kept our heads in the game we would be OK.”
Achenbach made several acrobatic catches in the game, and his twisting grab in tight coverage for a 34-yard gain helped the Hawks move deep into visitor territory late in the third quarter.[wpedon id=”85410″ align=”left”]
Facing a third-and-six from the 14, Achenbach took a reverse for a first down. Braunschweig fumbled the next snap, but picked up the ball and dove to the three, from where Gabe Yingst bulled over on the next play. Yingst then powered back up the middle for the tying two-point conversion with 56 seconds left in the stanza.
Tate Lettow began to make his influence felt in the W-G ground game. He had carried the ball just three times for 12 total yards in the first half, but rushed 18 times for 93 yards after the intermission as the W-G offensive line slowly wore down the opposition.
Cade Polich added two key runs as well as the hosts moved within striking range early in the fourth quarter. Facing fourth-and-five from the 14, Ashman opted to try a field goal, calling for left-footed junior Matt Hansen, the Hawk center.
Polich’s snap to holder Achenbach was perfect, and Hansen had at least 15 extra yards on the 31-yard attempt, the ball sailing straight between the uprights for an 11-8 lead with 7:21 to play.
The teams traded possessions, with the guests eventually turning the ball over deep in their own territory on downs, allowing the hosts to take the beloved “victory” formation and run out the clock.
Braunschweig was picked off twice but connected on 10-of-16 passes for 159 yards. Achenbach had catches of 24, 36 and 34 yards — the last two setting up both W-G scores — as part of an eight-catch, 128-yard output. Cale Pritchett pulled in one pass for 22 yards, with Moats catching one ball for nine yards.
Lettow’s 105 yards on 21 carries led the W-G ground attack, with Yingst adding 33 yards on 11 runs and Polich 36 yards on five totes. Achenbach ran twice for 12 yards, with Braunschweig credited for two yards on five carries.
Achenbach had seven tackles and Pritchett six, with Jamison making 5.5 stops, Lettow 4.5 and Moats 3.5.
All statistics used are unofficial.
W-G will now face their toughest test of the season, a visit to Van Meter, before returning home to face Interstate-35 when District 7 play begins September 21. The Bulldogs (3-0) ripped Madrid, 53-0, in their week three contest.
“When we looked at the schedule we wanted to be 3-0 going into (the) Van Meter (game) and we are,” Ashman said. “We will go down their and play hard — we have nothing to lose, and all the pressure will be on them.”
