Hurricane overwhelms Astros 62-3

0

LEES CREEK – From the opening drive, Wilmington set the pace in Friday night’s cross-county battle with East Clinton, as the Hurricane swarmed the Astros 62-3.

Wilmington put four consecutive touchdowns on the board, with the only blemish being a penalty which negated one of kicker Brady Henry’s PAT kicks, as the Hurricane steamrolled to a 27-0 first quarter lead.

Dyland Beaugard’s first touchdown of the night, a 38-yard reception from quarterback Brady Evans, capped a seven play, 62-yard drive with the ‘Cane getting on the board at 9:58. Beaugard scampered through Astro defenders from 39 yards out on Wilmington’s next series.

Evans connected with Matt Smith, wide open in the left corner of the end zone, for an eight yard scoring play at the 3:55 mark. After East Clinton failed to get a first down in their next series, Wilmington scored in lightning-like fashion, as DJ Ames set up the next scoring drive, returning the Astro punt to the WHS 46.

In just five plays, Wilmington found the end zone for the fourth time in the quarter as Ames capped off the drive with a 22-yard run, giving WHS the 27-0 advantage with 1:39 remaining in the opening period.

East Clinton moved the football into Wilmington territory with a burst of momentum and a Wilmington facemask penalty gave East Clinton good field position at the WHS 24. Astro signal-caller Brendan Jenkins found reciever Wyatt Floyd in the right corner of the end zone but Floyd was unable to hang on to the ball. East Clinton settled for a 30-yard field goal by Austin Arellano with 8:51 remaining in the first half.

Wilmington took away an East Clinton momentum on the next series when Ames caught a screen pass over the middle and scampered 79 yards to paydirt, with just over 5:00 remaining in the half. Henry’s PAT boot gave Wilmington a 34-3 advantage.

Ames, who had four touchdowns on the night, ran it in from seven yards out with just over 1:00 remaining in the half, and Henry’s PAT sent the Hurricane into the locker room with an insurmountable 41-3 lead.

The second half began with a running clock, and Wilmington put its next score on the board at the 4:29 mrk when Ames took it to the house from six yards out, extending the WHS lead to 48-3 after three.

East Clinton attempted to get on the board with a field goal attempt by Arellano from 43 yards as the fourth quarter began, but the attempt came up short. Wilmington scored twice in the fourth quarter, both on the ground by running back Craig Schiff, on from 10 and the other from the 6.

Wilmington is now 4-1 at the midway point of the season, while the Astros slip to 1-4. In SBAAC action next Friday night, Wilmington travels to New Richmond to face the Lions in an American Division game. East Clinton will be at home, hosting Williamsburg, at Lees Creek in a National Division contest.

SUMMARY

Sept 22 2017

@East Clinton High School

Wilmington 62 East Clinton 3

W 27.14.07.14…..62

E 00.03.00.00…..03

First quarter

W-Dylan Beaugard 38 yard pass from Brady Evans (Brady Henry PAT) 9:58

W-Dylan Beaugard 39 yard run (Brady Henry PAT) 7:06

W-Matt Smith 8 yard pass from Brady Evans (Brady Henry PAT) 3:55

W-DJ Ames 22 yard run (PAT failed) 1:39

Second quarter

E-Austin Arellano 30 yard field goal 8:24

W-DJ Ames 79 yard pass from Brady Evans (Brady Henry PAT) 5:01

W-DJ Ames 7 yard run (Brady Henry PAT) 1:14

Third quarter

W-DJ Ames 6 yard run (Brady Henry PAT) 4:29

Fourth quarter

W-Craig Schiff 10 yard run (Brady Henry PAT) 10:29

W-Craig Schiff 6 yard run (Brady Henry PAT) 1:50

http://www.wnewsj.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2017/09/web1_LOGO-whs-letter-15.jpg

http://www.wnewsj.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2017/09/web1_FB5_tdhurricaneME.jpg

Wilmington’s Jeffery Mansfield (18), Craig Schiff (13) and Parker Gunkel (68) zero in on East Clinton kick returner Kaleb Kingery (18) during Friday night’s game at ECHS.
http://www.wnewsj.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2017/09/web1_FB5_wilmec_triotackleME.jpgWilmington’s Jeffery Mansfield (18), Craig Schiff (13) and Parker Gunkel (68) zero in on East Clinton kick returner Kaleb Kingery (18) during Friday night’s game at ECHS.

By Bill Liermann

WNJ Sports Writer

Bill Liermann covers college and high school sports for the News Journal. Follow him on Twitter @lierjet.

No posts to display