Indians win grudge match

FORT DEFIANCE — Despite falling behind 13-0 early, Fort Defiance rode a second-quarter offensive surge to down Wilson 14-13 Friday night.
The Hornets’ gain started in Indian territory after Fort was forced to rekick the ball for booting the opening try out of bounds. After gaining eight yards on the drive, Wilson’s Ben Hopewell came a few yards short of a 52-yard field.
After forcing Fort into a three-and-out, Wilson once again had good field position, but the offense stalled forcing Hopewell to take the field again. Hopewell’s try from 38 yards was just wide of the post leaving the score knotted at zero.
The Indians looked to take advantage of the miss, but James Ulmer was hauled down in the backfield after receiving the pitch for the Indians to set up a third-and-20.
Fort punted again and Wilson once more received the ball on the Indians’ side of the field.
After a completed pass by Jake Bailey and back-to-back rushes by Connery Swift, running back Richard Andrews scampered into the end zone from 14 yards out. After the extra point, the Hornets led 7-0.
“We had some chances early,” Wilson coach Derek McDaniel said. “We probably didn’t take care of some opportunities that should have made it 21-0. We should have had another score.”
Wilson was marching down the field when the second quarter started. Andrews’ 28-yard run put the ball in the red zone for the Hornets. Three more runs for Andrews notched him 13 yards and another touchdown to make the score 13-0.
Ryan Hutsenpiller took the kickoff 99 yards for a touchdown before behind called back on a personal foul when a Fort kickoff team member clocked Hopewell, knocking him out of the game with a concussion.
Even after the penalty, the momentum had swung towards the Indians as they charged down the field, scoring on a Daniel Wright six-yard touchdown run.
Fort intercepted Bailey’s pass on the next possession giving the home team the short field. Eight yards out Fort’s Jake Shreckhise turned the corner, getting hit at the 1-yard line, flipping into the end zone, giving the Indians the lead for good in the second quarter, 14-13.
The entire second half was a game of field position as neither team gave an inch, trying to swing the momentum like in the first half.
“It was an ugly game,” Fort coach Dale Spitzer quoted. “Our execution was not good. Wilson played hard. We were just fortunate to wake up in the second quarter long enough to score 14 points.”
Early on in the third quarter, Bailey fumbled the snap with Zac Grove recovering the ball for the Indians deep in Wilson territory. The defense held as Bailey intercepted the first play from scrimmage to keep the Wilson hopes alive.
“I’m really proud of my kids,” McDaniel added. “We weren’t outplayed tonight. Our kids played hard. The ball’s on the ground a bunch and we only got it two or three times, but that’s just the bounce of the ball.”
Wilson goes to Nelson County Friday while Fort hosts Rockbridge County in a Southern Valley District match up.