Raiders blank KO, start 4-0 for first time since 2000
Waynesburg Central quarterback Jacob Stephenson (6) sprints past Keystone Oaks’ Giovontae Hutchinson (4) on the way to a 55-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter Friday night. (Photos by Mark Marietta)
Waynesburg Central defenders capitalize on a Keystone Oaks fumble with Jeffery Blair making the recovery at the 42-yard line during the first quarter of Friday night’s game.
Mark Marietta
Waynesburg Centra running back Breydon Woods (2) breaks loose for a 20-yard touchdown run against Keystone Oaks in the third quarter of Friday night’s game.
Mark Marietta
Waynesburg Central quarterback Jacob Stephenson collides with Keystone Oaks’ Dante More (21) on a nine-yard run for a first down in the fourth quarter Friday night.
Waynesburg Central quarterback Jacob Stephenson (6) launches a nine-yard pass to Emerson Williams in the first quarter against Keystone Oaks Friday night.
WAYNESBURG — Breydon Woods and Jake Stephenson each came away with a souvenir from Waynesburg Central’s football game against Keystone Oaks.
Woods got crowned at halftime as Homecoming King and got a nice hat after the game.
Jake Stephenson was handed the game ball and a gold necklace, which he gets to keep for the week as Player of the Game.
And, oh yeah, the two players scored second-half touchdowns that gave the Raiders a 12-0 victory over Keystone Oaks in a Class AA Century Conference opener.
The win is the fourth straight to start the season and hasn’t been accomplished since 2000.
The real test starts next week when Waynesburg travels to McGuffey then hosts Washington.
“This is the second time I got (the game ball and chain),” said Stephenson, the Raiders’ speedy quarterback. “The last time I got one was after the Carmichaels game.”
Stephenson broke off a 55-yard touchdown run with 9:58 to play to put the game out of reach. He broke over left tackle and outraced everyone to the end zone.
“I hit the seam and bounced out there as fast as I could,” said Stephenson, who ran for an unofficial total of 114 yards. “I didn’t think I was going to get caught.”
Woods scored on a 20-yard burst through the middle of the Keystone Oaks defense, five plays after the Golden Eagles lost 11 yards on a fake punt.
“I saw two linebackers and made them miss,” said Woods, who finished the game with 44 yards rushing. “I heard the student section after I scored. The whole stands were going crazy. The students were going crazy. (Keystone Oaks) really didn’t do anything after that.”
Up to that point, the game was scoreless, thanks to some great defensive plays by the Raiders.
“We have two great defensive coordinators in Dave Sarra and Derek Bochna,” said Waynesburg head coach Aaron Giorgi. “They have been on point every single week with their scheme.
“I know we’re putting up nice offensive numbers but in a game like this where we struggled in the first half, our defense came to life and gave us the spark we needed.”
The first half was a game of almosts. Keystone Oaks almost had two touchdowns if not for the strong play of Waynesburg’s defense.
KO almost had good field position in the second quarter but muffed a Dalton Taylor punt that was recovered by Ethan Kiger for Waynesburg.
Waynesburg almost had a chance for a Taylor field goal with 4.2 seconds left in the quarter, but a penalty for illegal motion pushed the Raiders back.
KO and head coach Steve McCormick had to be kicking themselves because of the missed opportunities. A 13-play drive brought the football to the Waynesburg 6-yard line where Keystone Oaks ran it four time for three yards before turning the ball over at the 2.
“We have to do a better job of executing and that start’s at practice,” said McCormick. “We have to come out Monday and get things corrected.”
Keystone Oaks saw another opportunity go by the wayside when the snap from center eluded quarterback DiMajio Locante and turned into a 14-yard loss.