Weiser opens with easy win over Bulldogs
Sunday, September 4, 2005 1:35 AM PDT
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| Jessica Keller | Argus Observer
Weiser's Kyle Burch (right) heads upfield as Baker's Travis Mastrude moves in to make the tackle on Friday.
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JESSICA KELLER
ARGUS OBSERVER
WEISER
A solid, well-balanced attack from the ground and air, combined with a strong defense by the Weiser High School football team led to a 40-0 season-opening shutout over the Baker City Bulldogs Friday night.
The Wolverines dominated from both the ground and the air, accumulating 462 total yards for the night, while Baker City put up only 94.
It was Weiser's experience, as opposed to that of Baker City's young, inexperienced team that Wolverine coach John Srholec attributes to his team's win. Weiser returns a fair number of seniors and returners who have starting experience this year, Srholec said.
"So you saw that come out of those guys," he said. "And it never hurts when the ball bounces right."
The Wolverines have some glitches and miscues to iron out before they take the field again against the powerful Vale Vikings this Friday, Srholec said, as Weiser suffered from some missed blocks, bad decisions and a few poor play readings, but overall he was pleased with his team's showing against Baker City.
"You know you're never going to play a perfect game, but we're pleased with the first-game effort," Srholec said.
"They hit, they played hard, hustled and they were hungry," he said of his team's effort.
Srholec was especially pleased from the Wolverine's passing game in the first half. While the majority of Weiser's numbers came from the ground, with 328 yards eaten up, 134 yards were garnered solid passing by senior quarterback Sam Lancaster.
Weiser's first touchdown of the game, on the Wolverines' first, game-opening possession, came after Lancaster connected with senior wide receiver Bobby Hopkins from 16-yards out to put up the Wolverines' first numbers on the board.
Their second touchdown in the game came less than four minutes after a 70-yard drive up field, spurred by a 29-yard pass Lancaster floated to Hopkins which he followed up by a 16-yard quarterback keeper, putting the Wolverines at first-and-goal at the 1-yard line. Running back Bryce Svedin earned the TD on the easy 1-yard play, which was followed by a successful PAT by Lancaster.
The Wolverines built on their comfortable 14-0 on their first possession of the second quarter after they embarked on a 71-yard push that culminated in a 9-yard run by Lancaster.
On Weiser's next possession, Lancaster, who had solid passing for most of the night, threw his only interception for the night after a blocked pass caught by Baker's Shane Stewart, which put the Bull Dogs in excellent field position at the Wolverines' 34-yard line.
The Bulldogs weren't able to enjoy their change in fortune because they fumbled the ball on the very next play, which was recovered by Weiser's Jacob Scharbrough and run back for a 66-yard touchdown fumble return.
Ahead 26-0 after the first half, the Wolverines scored twice more in the second half to earn their shutout, first on a 28-yard pass from Lancaster to Richins in the third quarter, with a successful PAT by Svedin, and again early in the fourth quarter after a 32-yard run by Kyle Burch, with the PAT from David Hiner.
