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Do IT this week: Layering
Wadsworth undefeated after thriller in overtime
By Tom Gaffney
Beacon Journal sportswriter
Published on Friday, Sep 07, 2007
MEDINA: Depending on your perspective or affiliation, either Wadsworth won a game it easily could have lost or Medina lost a game it easily could have won.
Let the debate begin and, believe it, there will never be a definitive answer.
The Grizzlies and Bees exchanged hits, exchanged big plays, exchanged the lead and exchanged the momentum.
The ebb and flow was the real story as Wadsworth (3-0), despite faltering late in regulation, got an overtime touchdown from senior tailback Dru Jones to edge Medina 30-24 Thursday night before a crowd estimated at 5,000 at Ken Dukes Stadium.
''It was black and white, back and forth,'' said Jones, who finished with 102 yards on 19 carries. ''We were on. They were on. The momentum kept going back and forth. To win it like we did . . . it's a big win.''
Medina (1-2), which held a 354-279 edge in total yardage, scored two touchdowns in the final 8 minutes, 34 seconds of regulation to move the score from 24-10 to 24-24.
But in the overtime, Jones scored on a 20-yard run on the Grizzlies' first play. Then the Grizzlies' defense held Medina to negative yardage on its series to end matters.
''It hurts. It hurts,'' said Medina senior wide receiver Daniel Sloat. ''Wadsworth is a good team, but we should have won this game. There is no doubt in any of our minds we should have won.''
Two big plays were momentum shifters for the Grizzlies.
In the third quarter, Wadsworth was leading 14-10, but Medina had the ball on the Grizzlies' 2-yard line, facing fourth-and-inches.
The Bees' runner made the first down, inches from the goal line, but fumbled the ball. Junior linebacker Jake Palidar picked it up on the goal line and returned it 100 yards for a touchdown. So instead of a 17-14 Medina advantage, the Grizzlies led 21-10.
''He tried to cut, and I ripped the ball out,'' Palidar said. ''He was carrying it like a loaf of bread. I got the ball and tried to run as fast as I could.''
Several minutes later, Medina again was looking at favorable field position. Wadsworth had the ball on its 2-yard line, facing second-and-9.
Grizzlies senior quarterback Scott Saylor then found sophomore wide receiver Anthony Schrock for a 78-yard gain that got their team out of trouble and robbed Medina of having a chance for a quality possession of its own.
''Those two plays were huge,'' said Wadsworth coach Greg Dennison. ''Against a good defense like Medina, we knew we needed some big plays and we got them.''
The Grizzlies, who begin Suburban League play next Friday against Highland, showed their vulnerability by failing to cover two kickoffs that Medina picked up and by fumbling a punt that set up a Bees touchdown.
But Medina hurt itself by suffering two key interceptions and losing a touchdown on a penalty. The Bees also had a crucial unsportsmanlike-conduct penalty on Wadsworth's last possession of regulation that prevented them from having one last drive.
Senior tailback John Schweinfurth of the Bees won his personal duel with Jones, Medina County's leading rusher, by running for 174 yards on 31 carries.
Saylor and Schrock scored first-half touchdowns for Wadsworth. Schweinfurth had one for
MEDINA: Depending on your perspective or affiliation, either Wadsworth won a game it easily could have lost or Medina lost a game it easily could have won.
Get the full article here.
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