TVC-Ohio: Meigs (3-3, 0-1) @ Nelsonville-York (4-2, 1-0)

[NYBuckeye96]

Great win for the Buckeyes!

[NYBuckeye96]

http://www.athensmessenger.com/sports/l ... 03286.html

Buckeyes bottle up Marauders

Posted: Saturday, October 9, 2010 3:09 am

By JASON ARKLEY Messenger staff writer | 0 comments

NELSONVILLE — Nathan Dean wasn’t perfect.

But he was pretty darn close, and helped his team stay unblemished in league play.

Dean, Nelsonville-York’s junior quarterback, hit 11 of 15 passes for 190 yards to lead the Buckeyes in a 44-7 rout over visiting Meigs Friday night at Boston Field in a Tri-Valley Conference Ohio Division match-up.

The Buckeyes (5-2, 2-0 TVC) are always considered one of the more physical teams in the area, and often grind down the opposition with an effective ground game. But Dean is giving Nelsonville-York a more balanced look this season, and his on-point passing helped the Buckeyes overwhelm the Marauders (3-4, 0-2 TVC) with an offense that was clicking on all cylinders.

Nelsonville-York racked up 402 total yards and scored each of the first seven times the Buckeyes got the ball. NY never had to punt, converted its first six third-down tries and basically did whatever it wanted offensively.

“That was probably the best game we’ve had this season,” said Dean, who threw for one touchdown, kicked kicked three extra-points, tossed a two-point conversion pass and added a 36-yard field goal. “The chemistry we have right now is awesome.”

Daniel Kline hauled in three passes for 83 yards and a score as six different Buckeyes notched receptions. And Nelsonville-York was just as effective and balanced on the ground as well. Justin Cunningham had two scores and 113 yards on 14 carries, while Dustin Young (63 yards, touchdown) and Isaiah Andrews (25 yards, two touchdowns) chipped in as well.

“Nate composed himself real well, and our offensive line did a nice job of protecting him,” said N-Y head coach Dave Boston. “Our receivers made catches, the backs stepped in and did nice things.

“When those things all happen, good things follow.”

Meigs couldn’t slow down the offense, but appeared ready to make a game of it late in the first half. Trailing 20-0, the Marauders finally dented the scoreboard when Charlie Barrett capped off an 11-play drive with a 3-yard touchdown run.

The score, with just 32.6 seconds left in the half, drew Meigs to within 20-7. The only problem was the Marauders left too much time on the clock.

A short kickoff gave the Buckeyes the ball near midfield. Facing a third-and-one, Dean found Jacob Perkins for a short gain that moved the chains.

But instead of calling a timeout, N-Y rushed back to the line of scrimmage. With the clock now running, and under 15 seconds, Dean took the snap and then faked a spike. Dean then dropped back a step and found Kline running free down the left sideline for a 45-yard touchdown bomb. Kline scored with just 2.9 tics left on the first half clock.

“We got our whole offense in on the call,” Dean said. “Before the third down we made sure everyone knew what we were going to do, and we executed it well.”

The fake is just one of the new wrinkles the Buckeyes have incorporated this season because Dean has proven capable. Dean was not as much of a playmaker last season as a first-year starter as a sophomore.

“There’s been a lot of maturity and growth in a year,” Boston said. “We feel really confident about what he brought to the table this year.

“He believes in himself, believes in his receivers and he gets the job done.”

The Marauders were done after the big pass play. Nelsonville-York opened the second half with a 60-yard touchdown drive capped by Cunningham’s weaving 23-yard scamper to paydirt. The Buckeyes made it 41-7 when Andrews scored on a 1-yard plunge with just 36.5 seconds left in the third.

Dean finished the scoring when he nailed a 36-yard field goal on the Buckeyes’ seventh possession for a 44-7 lead with 9:53 remaining.

Jeffrey Roush had 42 rushing yards, and Barrett added 45 for the Maruaders. Quarterback Cameron Bolin was 2 of 7 for 21 yards, and Meigs finished with 123 total yards on 43 plays.

The Buckeyes were methodical in the beginning. Cunningham scored on 3-yard run midway through the first for a 7-0 lead, then Andrews found paydirt on a two-yard dive to make it 14-0. Young scored on a 10-yard rumble early in the second to make it 20-0. The three drives encompassed 207 yards and took a combined 24 plays.

“We won a big ballgame tonight and we’re excited about that, and now it’s time to get ready for Vinton County,” Boston said.

Nelsonville-York will travel to McArthur next week, but then finishes the season with important home games against Alexander and Athens. Both the Spartans and Bulldogs stand at 2-0 in league play.