Pioneers punish rival Rebels, 44-7

WAYNE, W.Va. -- Wayne took advantage of excellent field position from start to finish and rolled past rival Tolsia, 44-7, on Homecoming Friday night in front of a full house at Pioneer Field.

"Special teams and solid defense," Pioneers coach Tommy Harmon said. "Usually when you get decent field position and take care of the ball, you'll be in any game you play."


Justin Followay got Wayne (7-0) off and running with a 33-yard punt return to give the home team a first down at the Tolsia 25 on its first possession. Six plays later, Garry Roland scored on a 2-yard run.

On the next possession, Wayne stopped Tolsia on a fourth-and-1 at its 48 and turned that break into a second score. Later in the period, Pioneers punter Dana Lycans sent a kick out at the Tolsia 4. On the next play, linebacker Travis Thompson tackled Rebels back B.J. Evans in the end zone for a safety.

In the second half, the Pioneers, top-rated in West Virginia in Class AA, took advantage of two more short punts and an interception to pull away.

Evans, the top back for the Rebels (4-3), finished with 63 yards on 16 carries.

"We were able to take away what they wanted to do," Harmon said. "We made them run plays they're not comfortable with. But they didn't quit. They played hard the entire game."

Wayne limited Tolsia to 117 total yards -- 69 rushing and 48 passing.

Thanks to the short field, Wayne racked up 390 yards -- 273 rushing and 117 passing. Roland finished with 76 yards on 20 carries and scored four times.

"It was a team effort," Roland said. "We had no big runs. We chopped away at them. This is an exciting game. Players talk a lot. In the end you see who comes out on top."

Thompson, a 5-10 junior, said the defense just did its job.

"We focused on Evans," he said. "I ran through the backfield and just happened to be there (safety). It feels good. We did probably our best both ways this season."

Wayne quarterback Nick Newell completed 6-of-13 passes for 117 yards and one TD. That was a 27-yard strike to sophomore Rodney Endicott in the fourth period to start and finish a one-play drive.

Wayne travels to Poca on Friday.

TOLSIA 0 0 0 7 -- 7
WAYNE 6 10 12 16 -- 44
W -- Roland 2 run (run failed)
W -- Roland 4 run (Newell run)
W -- safety (Evans tackled in end zone)
W -- Hill 9 run (pass failed)
W -- Roland 2 run (run failed)
W -- Roland 2 run (Lycans pass from Newell)
W -- Endicott 27 pass from Newell (Hill run)
T -- Evans 3 run (Evans kick)
T W
First downs 8 20
Total Net Yards 108 358
Rushes-yards 31-69 59-273
Passing yards 48 117
Comp-Att-Int4-13-2 6-13-1
Fumbles-Lost 0-0 1-0
Penalties-Yards 3-35 6-37
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING--Tolsia: Evans 16-63, Banfi 6-9, Perry 3-6, Salmons 3-8, Parsley 3-minus 17. Wayne: Roland 20-76, J. Ferguson 1-3, Lycans 4-45, Meddings 2-10, Newell 8-37, Endicott 1-16, Hill 8-38, J. Thompson 3-16, Runyon 3-1, Shreve 3-7, Gilkerson 4-23, P. Ferguson 1-1.
PASSING--Tolsia: Perry 1-3-1, 4 yards; Evans 2-6-0, 32 yards; Parsley 1-4-1, 12 yards. Wayne: Newell 6-13-1, 117 yards.
RECEIVING--Tolsia: Muncy 1-4, Salmons 2-25, Adkins 1-19. Wayne: P. Ferguson 3-72, Roland 1-15, Endicott 1-27, Lycans 1-3.