WILMINGTON – Homecoming festivities for Wilmington High School were dampened by the unbeaten Goshen Warriors, 52-17, Friday night at Alumni Field.
For the fourth time this season, Goshen eclipsed the 50-point barrier, improving its unblemished record to 7-0 overall and 2-0 in the SBAAC American Division.
The win for the Warriors also sets up a big-time showdown this coming week against unbeaten Clinton-Massie. The game will be played at Goshen’s Jim Brown Stadium.
Wilmington has now dropped two straight SBAAC contests and slips to 4-3 on the season.
Wilmington played the contest without the services of two key players, Dylan Beaugard and Brady Evans, both injured in last weeks’ game versus New Richmond. The Hurricane then lost DJ Ames in the second quarter.
The Hurricane was its own worst enemy, turning the ball over five times (losing three fumbles and two interceptions). Goshen made the most of those miscues, converting three WHS turnovers into touchdowns.
The Warriors grabbed a 7-0 lead when quarterback Kyle Proffitt capped a 45-yard drive with a one-yard run at the 8:50 mark of the opening quarter. Placekicker Gerardo Espinosa-Ley’s PAT was successful.
Wilmington came right back with a game-tying score when DJ Ames ran the ball in from eight yards, and Brady Henry’s PAT knotted the score at 7-7 with 5:06 to play.
Wilmington broke the tie with an electrifying 44-yard scamper by Ames, who eluded three Goshen defenders to paydirt, on the first play of the second quarter. Henry’s PAT gave the Hurricane a 14-7 lead.
Sparked by a long kickoff return by Payton Leugers, Goshen came back with a 31-yard field goal by Espinosa-Ley to pull the Warriors within 14-10. But, the Warriors were able to capitalize on another WHS miscue minutes later, as Proffitt carried the ball in from six yards and the PAT gave Goshen a 17-14 lead with 8:41 to go until halftime.
Wilmington evened the score at 17-17 when Henry booted a 33-yard field goal from the left-hashmark with 6:04 to play.
The Warriors methodically moved down field, and fullback Brandon Harrison beat the clock, literally, plunging across the goal line on the final play before the halftime gun. Esponosa-Ley’s PAT gave Goshen a 24-17 head at the intermission.
The second half belonged to the Warriors, as they put 14 points on the board in each of the remaining two quarters.
Wilmington travels to Batavia, facing the Bulldogs, on Friday night.
SUMMARY
Oct 6 2017
@Alumni Field
Goshen 52 Wilmington 17
G 07.17.14.14…..52
W 07.10.00.00…..17
First Quarter
GHS-Proffitt, 1-yard run. PAT kick good by Espinosa-Ley at 8:50
WHS- Ames, 8-yard run. PAT kick good by Henry at 5:06.
Second Quarter
WHS-Ames, 44-yard run. PAT kick good by Henry at 5:06.
GHS-Proffitt, 6-yard run, PAT kick good by Espinosa-Ley at 8:41.
WHS-Henry, 33-yard field goal good at 6:04.
GHS-Harrison-1 yard run. PAT kick by Espinosa-Ley at 0:04.
Third Quarter
GHS-Harrison, 10-yard pass from Proffitt. PAT kick by Espinosa-Ley good at 6:14.
GHS-Strunk, 19-yard run. PAT kick good by Espinosa-Ley at 3:21.
Fourth Quarter
GHS-Logan Frantz, 65-yard fumble recovery. Espinosa-Ley PAT good at 8:16.
GHS-Strunk, 16-yard rush, Espinosa-Ley PAT at 5:30.
