Game Report: Wheelersburg 15 Middletown Madison 10

[LICKING COUNTY FAN]

Last night in Chillicothe at the Obadiah Harris Family Athletic Complex, Wheelersburg and the explosive offense did battle with Middletown Madison and its high octane one-dimensional running offense. I do not think many felt this game would turn into the defensive struggle it turned out to be, but that is what happened and this was a dogfight all game lone.

In the first half I had Madison unofficially having the ball six times, running 34 plays and gaining 65-yards. For the Pirates they had the ball five times, running 27 plays, gaining 25 yards, including 13 passes. Neither team could get any momentum going and a lot of that was because of penalties. In the second have unofficially I had Madison running 28 plays, gaining 12 yards, with the Pirates running 37 plays, gaining 11 yards.

On the night Madison completed just one of seven passes, with three of them being picked off by the Pirates. For the Pirates they connected on just 11-21 passes, with one TD and two picks. Again all of that is unofficial. I have always felt no matter how powerful a running team is, once they are forced to pass bad things will happen at that was the case tonight.

Just :17 into the game Madison would show off their powerful running game, when Tyler Baumgartner big run and a first down, but the drive stalled from there after totaling just nine yards on seven plays as penalties took a tool on the drive.

The Pirates got a Trent Salyers to Cole Lowery pass to pick up 12-yards and a first down, with 8:50 left in the quarter.
Salyers would be sacked by Max Evans, at the 6:37 mark to bring up a 4th and eighteen for the Pirates.

Defense and penalties ruled the opening quarter and with 3:19 left, facing a 3rd and nineteen Madison stayed with the ground attack and the result was Mason Whiteman being stuffed for a two-yard loss by Nic Parsley and a punt followed.

The final :33 seconds of the quarter would see Salyers being stopped for a short loss and then Salyers was sacked for a 4-yard loss by Cole Pelgen.

The 2nd quarter like the first was dominated by defense and more penalties, but late in the quarter we would have the games first score.
With 3:14 left Salyers would be stopped for a four-yard loss, when he was tackled by Pelgen once again. Then with 2:34 left Salyers would be picked off by Whiteman. Whiteman looks really good on the defensive side of the ball and he runs the Madison offense very well.

With 18.9 seconds left Whiteman was stopped after gaining just one-yard by Sylas Akers, putting Madison into a 2nd and goal from the Pirates 5-yard-line. From there the Mohawks quarterback, Mason Whiteman plowed in from a yard out to make this a 6-0 game. The point after kick was hit by #21 (Not on the maxpreps roster) to make this a 7-0 game, with :4 seconds left in the half.

Just :50 seconds into the third quarter Salyers had his pass tipped and then picked off by #20(Not on the max preps roster) giving the Mohawks a first and goal at the Pirates 7-yard-line. The Pirates defense would hold the Mohawks to minus 4-yards on the first three plays of the drive, forcing a field goal try from #21, that was good to make this a 10-o Mohawk lead, with 9:33 left on the clock.

The Pirates would turn the ball over again, with 8:44 left on the clock when Case Dyer was fighting for extra yards, fumbled the ball and making the recovery for Madison was #30(Not on the max preps roster)

With 8:30 left in the quarter Whiteman would be brought down by CJ Hall , for a 2-yard loss and then with 7:23 left Whiteman would throw the ball right to the Pirates Sylas Akers, who easily made the pick. The Mohawks defense would again shut down the Pirates offense and get the ball back to their own offense.

With 3:26 left in the slow moving quarter The Mohawks put the ball on the ground and coming out of the pile with it was the Pirates/ I did not see who made the recovery and neither did those around me. The P.A. guy could not be heard from the,loud cheering from the Pirates large crowd.

The Pirated offense only gained 7-yards on the ensuing drive, but they did get a 22-yard field goal from Jalen Miller , making this a 10-3 game, with 1:50 left in the quarter. In the three times I have watched the Pirates this season, it seems that when Miller just kicks the ball and not try to kill it, he is very good, but when he does the trying to kill the ball thing he becomes like most high school kickers.

The fourth quarter would be owned by the Pirates as they just seem to wear out the Mohawks, who were nowhere as deep as the Pirates.
Let me be very clear, the domination was not because of lack of effort, those Mohawks kids gave 100% every play. Another large factor in the quarter, after all was said and done was, when a running team is forced to pass, more times than not they are in trouble.

The game had 11:31 left in it, when a bad snap on the punt caused Whiteman to take off running and he was tackled on his own 21-yard-line far short of the first down marker and giving the ball back to the Pirates sleeping offense.

On the ensuing drive third play Salyers found #16 Justin Salyers for a touchdown to make this a 10-9 game, with 10:34 left. The point after kick was missed leaving this a one-point game.

With 7:44 left Salyers would find Tanner Holden for a long gain down to the Mohawks 3-yard-line. From there it would be #32 Jay Holsinger using the work of the big guys up front to make this a 15-10 game. A two pint run was stopped short by the Mohawks.

In the final 5:07 of this one Madison would be stopped short on a fake punt attempt, when Whiteman was held short of the first down marker. Then there would be two picks by the Pirates.The first by Tanner Holden, who looked more like the receiver, he is,then the defensive back he was playing. Do not get me wrong the 6-6 manster plays both very well. The final pick came with 7>5 seconds left in the game and was made by #4 Cole Lowery, to secure the win for the Pirates.

VERY UNOFFICIAL STATS
MOHAWKS
62 PLAYS
77 YARDS
PASSING 1-7 3 INT'S

PIRATES
64 PLAYS
136 YARDS
PASSING 11-21 1 TD 2 INT'S

[LICKING COUNTY FAN]

Link to pics

https://www.facebook.com/DavidLewisBurn ... 834&type=3

[Level1dartchampion]

Great report , considering how tough it was with the piles of players on each and every play.
Madison should wear there other uniforms couldnt make out the numbers well. Exciting game when most didnt think so. Nice pics of the whole game and after the final play. Nothing better than watching a close exciting football game with friends and fans from all over the area.

[LICKING COUNTY FAN]

Thanks for your help.