Safety propels Wahama past stubborn Pocahontas County

By Jim Butta

MASON — When you’ve coached as many football games as Wahama’s Ed Cromley, you’ve seen a lot of momentum-changing plays.

None bigger, however, than when senior defensive end Gabe Roush tripped up Pocahontas County’s Dexter Skidmore in the end zone for a safety that broke a 14-14 tie and propelled the White Falcons to a 26-14 win over the Warriors (8-3) in the first round of the Class A playoffs at Bachtel Stadium.

“No, I don’t think there has been a bigger momentum changer since I’ve been coaching here,” said Cromley, who improved to 96-49 as the Wahama coach. “It certainly changed it (the momentum) back in our favor.”

Wahama (9-2), which advances to take on No. 2 Williamstown next weekend, appeared poised to take the lead with 2 1/2 minutes left in the third quarter.

But Brent Jones’ plunge from the Warriors’ one-yard line came up short on fourth-and-goal and switched the game’s momentum over to Pocahontas.

“I just had a feeling,” Cromley explained about passing up a field goal and going for the touchdown.

“It’s just one of those feelings you get as a coach.”

A feeling which had to be turning in the veteran coach’s stomach following the drive-stopping tackle by the center of the Warriors’ front line.

But one which lasted for less than a minute.

A one-yard run by Kendall Beverage, who scored the Warriors’ first touchdown on a 3-yard dive in the second quarter, placed the visitors in a second-and-nine at the Pocahontas two.

On the ensuing play, Warriors quarterback Lucas Faulknier pitched the ball to the left to Skidmore, who tried to elude the hard-rushing Roush, but was tripped up and fell to the turf in the end zone.

“It (the safety) was big,” Cromley said. “We had a lot of confidence in our defense all day and that’s what allowed us to go for the touchdown earlier.”

Following the ensuing free kick from the Pocahontas 20, Wahama took control at its 26 after a seven-yard return by Kyle Zerkle. An eight-yard run by senior Derek Veazey set up a second-and-two at the 34. But little did the packed crowd in attendance know that the White Falcons would need only one more play to score.

“You know he (Micaiah Branch) is only a sophomore,” Cromley said. “I thought when their two safeties converged on him that they would bring him down.

“But he put it into another gear.”

Another gear is right. Branch, who finished as the game’s leading rusher with 146 yards on 12 carries, broke through the Warriors’ front seven, then outraced two would-be tacklers the final 50 yards for a 66-yard touchdown which gave the hosts a 22-14 lead with 44.3 seconds left in the third quarter.

Veazey, who would close out the game’s scoring with a 25-yard field goal with 4:32 left in the game, added the point after and Wahama never looked back.

— E-mail:

jbutta@newsandsentinel.com

No. 7 Wahama 26, No. 10 Pocahontas County 14

PC (8-3) 0 7 7 0 — 14

W (9-2) 7 7 9 3 — 26

First Quarter

W: Kyle Zerkle 2 run (Derek Veazey kick), 4:16.

Second Quarter

PC: Kendall Beverage 3 run (Michael Callison kick), 7:04.

W: Micaiah Branch 5 run (Veazey kick) 2:02.

Third Quarter

PC: Callison 5 run (Callison kick), 7:00.

W: Safety (Gabe Roush tackles Pocahontas runner in end

zone), 1:32.

W: Branch 66 run (Veazey kick), :44.3.

Fourth Quarter

W: Veazey 25 field goal, 4:32.

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

Rushing — PC: Cyrus Bennett 24-111; W: Micaiah Branch 12-146, Derek Veazey 16-52, Kyle Zerkle 6-42.

Passing — PC: Lucas Faulknier 5-10-2, 57 yards; W: William Zuspan 5-9-1, 51 yards.

Receiving — PC: Michael Callison 4-43; W: Garrett Underwood 2-15, Zerkle 1-26.