Paul Boggs: Pirates blank Nubians in 1st round
Oct. 31—Previous
Wheelersburg defenders Jake Darling (29) and Cody Risner (68) converge to tackle Africentric quarterback Josh Smith (11) during Friday night's Division V Region 19 opening-round football playoff game at Wheelersburg's Ed Miller Stadium.
Courtesy of Terry Stevenson of www.burgsports.com
Wheelersburg wide receiver Devon Lattimore (9) makes a touchdown reception against an Africentric defender during Friday night's Division V Region 19 opening-round football playoff game at Wheelersburg's Ed Miller Stadium.
Courtesy of Terry Stevenson of www.burgsports.com
Wheelersburg senior linebacker Landon Hutchinson (21) tackles Africentric quarterback Josh Smith (11) during Friday night's Division V Region 19 opening-round football playoff game at Wheelersburg's Ed Miller Stadium.
Courtesy of Terry Stevenson of www.burgsports.com
Wheelersburg defenders Jake Darling (29) and Cody Risner (68) converge to tackle Africentric quarterback Josh Smith (11) during Friday night's Division V Region 19 opening-round football playoff game at Wheelersburg's Ed Miller Stadium.
Courtesy of Terry Stevenson of www.burgsports.com
Wheelersburg wide receiver Devon Lattimore (9) makes a touchdown reception against an Africentric defender during Friday night's Division V Region 19 opening-round football playoff game at Wheelersburg's Ed Miller Stadium.
Courtesy of Terry Stevenson of www.burgsports.com
Wheelersburg senior linebacker Landon Hutchinson (21) tackles Africentric quarterback Josh Smith (11) during Friday night's Division V Region 19 opening-round football playoff game at Wheelersburg's Ed Miller Stadium.
Courtesy of Terry Stevenson of www.burgsports.com
Wheelersburg defenders Jake Darling (29) and Cody Risner (68) converge to tackle Africentric quarterback Josh Smith (11) during Friday night's Division V Region 19 opening-round football playoff game at Wheelersburg's Ed Miller Stadium.
Courtesy of Terry Stevenson of www.burgsports.com
Next
* 1
* 2
* 3
WHEELERSBURG — Already with Wheelersburg out in front for a touchdown lead, and only five-and-a-half minutes elapsed on Friday night, "Riverboat" Rob Woodward rolled the proverbial dice —and went for his trademark onside kick attempt.
Evidently, the Pirates and Woodward weren't messing around —and intended to make short work of Columbus Africentric's long trip southward.
That's because the seventh-seeded and host Pirates put up 21 first-quarter points, and posted their fourth shutout of the season while scoring at least 34 points in doing so —as Wheelersburg blanked the 10th-seeded Nubians 34-0 in a Division V Region 19 opening-round playoff game inside an electric Ed Miller Stadium.
It was the first-ever meeting between the Pirates and Nubians of the Columbus City League, as Africentric enjoyed its best football season in its short-lived school history —going 7-4.
But the Nubians were playing the Pirates of Woodward, the 16-year head coach of Wheelersburg — with already the 2017 Division V state championship to his credit.
The Southern Ohio Conference Division II champion Pirates raised their record to 7-3, extended their winning streak to four, captured their sixth victory in their last seven games with those aforementioned four shutouts, and once again pitched a shutout in an opening-round playoff tilt.
Last season, as the sixth seed in Region 19, Wheelersburg blanked Heath 59-0 —as the Bulldogs returned to Scioto County on Friday night, and this time ousted West 27-15 in the opening round.
Heath has its own regional quarterfinal at top-seeded Ironton on Friday night, as the Pirates play host to 15th-seeded and archrival Portsmouth —but more on that in a bit.
Wheelersburg is making its 35th all-time playoff appearance, and with Woodward now 29-13 in playoff games all time, the Pirates have lost — under him — only ONE opening-round OR regional quarterfinal game.
That was to Liberty Union in the 2012 regional quarterfinals, as the Ohio High School Athletic Association expanded the state playoff field to 16 teams per region in 2021.
Speaking of the OHSAA, the running-clock rule was in effect on Friday night for the final 19 minutes.
The Pirates, playing their best football of the season since a 32-16 loss against non-league Harvest Prep a month ago, once again dominated an opponent in ALL three phases.
But the Pirates play like they practice, and Woodward was quick to emphasis that in his postgame interview.
"The preparation this week in practice...I paused a couple of times this week in practice, just sat back and said "Wow", for I would love to see it all come together. Our scout team running and having athletes to give a good look to our skilled position players and playing at a high level and our guys having fun competing against them," said the coach. "When you're in week 11, and you're having fun out there on the practice field, that's when you know you have things working. Our guys had a blast this week, and we're excited for another week of football."
The Pirates' preparation indeed met their opportunity against Africentric.
"Really pleased with the job our kids did in all three phases," added Woodward. "Outstanding job by our guys."
Starting with the defense, the Pirates stymied the Nubians to 54 total yards —including only 20 rushing on 23 attempts.
The Nubians punted six times including four three-and-out possessions —with their first two sandwiched between Wheelersburg scoring its 21 first-quarter points.
Africentric then fumbled the ensuing kickoff after the Pirates made it 28-0 only two-and-a-half minutes into the third, and finally before the final three-and-out —midway through the fourth quarter —Creed Warren intercepted Josh Smith and returned the ball 26 yards.
Xavier Mowery made the recovery on the kickoff.
The Nubians notched four first downs, including three in the opening half, and although they crossed midfield three times, Africentric never advanced beyond the Pirate 33-yard line.
Woodward couldn't expect any more out of his defensive unit.
"I thought our defense was outstanding. I thought we flew to the football well, I thought our defensive line really got into them and was physical up front, created a lot of opportunities for our linebackers to get in there and make some tackles. Then they stretched our secondary and tried to throw deep early a couple of times, but our guys were right where we needed to be," he said. "We forced those three-and-outs that we always talk about. Just by coming up and making the tackles where we needed to."
The Pirates forced a three-and-out on Africentric's opening possession, and aided by a Kenyon Evans return of 14 yards to the 47, they drove 53 yards in eight plays and three minutes and 50 seconds —scoring on a Jake Darling one-yard dive at the six-and-a-half minute mark.
As it turned out, Wheelersburg wouldn't need any more points for the win, but Woodward made sure the Nubians never remotely even got the chance.
Cooper Heimbach, who made four-of-four extra-point kicks and added second-half field goals of 22 and 29 yards, hit the onside with the 7-0 Pirate lead —as the onside attempt is indeed a Woodward-Wheelersburg staple.
The Pirates pounced on the pigskin at midfield, then five plays and two minutes and 43 seconds later, were in the end zone again.
This time, from the Nubian 24, sophomore quarterback Braylon Rucker completed a beautiful and timely touch pass to senior Devon Lattimore —who made the reception almost one-handed over an Africentric defender.
For Rucker, he completed 12-of-21 passes for 114 yards —with 54 yards and five receptions going to Lattimore, who has excelled this season after transferring from Portsmouth.
Case in point, after another three-and-out, Lattimore had a 24-yard punt return —getting the Pirates away from their own 10-yard line.
Three plays later, from 59 yards out to be exact and with 32 seconds left in the opening stanza, Rucker raced up the middle almost untouched —and scored to make it 21-0 with Heimbach's third extra point.
While Warren didn't score on Friday night, he did easily lead all rushers — with 111 yards on 15 carries, along with 33 yards on four receptions.
Rucker rushed seven times for 69 yards, as Woodward said special teams and offense worked arm-in-arm, hand-in-hand —and even feet-in-feet.
"Our punt return team caught every punt which was catchable, and got good yardage for us. We're always looking for five to 10 yards of extra yardage, but the catch on the punt is the biggest thing. It really set us up for such good field position, and our offense capitalized on it. Then our kickoff team created some opportunities for us, the onside kick and recovering a loose ball on another," said Woodward. "We're always looking for opportunities to help our kids be successful, and they executed it. Braylon Rucker managed the game very well, getting the ball out to different athletes and making some great throws. The touchdown to Devon (Lattimore) was a great throw and difficult catch and then Braylon has great speed, ran right up the middle there with confidence and was able to outrun everybody (for touchdown). Our offensive line continues to be dominant. They (Nubians) were very athletic, but our line opened up holes for Creed (Warren) and Braylon (Rucker) and Jake (Darling). I thought we did a good job of mixing in the run and the pass, and taking shots where they gave us opportunities. Then Cooper (Heimbach) was right there stepping up again and hitting extra points and field goals."
Heimbach had the Pirates' final seven points —the two second-half field goals and his fourth extra point, which followed the Pirates' final touchdown.
Wheelersburg received the second-half kickoff, drove 65 yards in seven plays with Warren breaking free for a 37-yard gain, and Landon Hutchinson hitting paydirt from seven yards out in the 'wildcat' quarterback look.
The Pirates punted just once, ran twice as many plays from scrimmage (60-30), netted 19 first downs, and rushed for 266 yards on 39 attempts.
Speaking of running the football, the Pirates encounter their longtime rival neighbor — the 6-5 Portsmouth Trojans — in a Region 19 quarterfinal on Friday night.
The visiting Trojans knocked off the second-seeded Fairland Dragons 50-38, as they rushed for 500 yards on 60 carries.
Chase Heiland, the junior running back, went off for 376 of those 500 yards on 43 rushes — with four touchdowns.
But for Woodward, when asked about his Pirates playing the Trojans for the first time since 2016 as the annual week-three series stopped, he simply smiled with glee about landing a week-12 home bout.
Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. —at what will be an overflow and enthusiastic Ed Miller Stadium.
"It's week 12 at Ed Miller Stadium, so I couldn't be happier for our seniors," said Woodward. "They've gone through the gauntlet, and now have the opportunity to play at home for a second playoff game. Should be just a rockin' atmosphere on Friday night. We haven't played Portsmouth for a few years, but this is a great opportunity for us to get out and showcase for another week. We're going to control what we can control, continue to develop ourselves and attack what comes at us. Our guys will be ready to go."
* * *
Africentric 0 0 0 0 — 0
Wheelersburg 21 0 10 3— 34
W — Jake Darling, 1-yard run (Cooper Heimbach kick), 6:31, 1st (7-0 W)
W — Devon Lattimore, 24-yard pass from Braylon Rucker (Cooper Heimbach kick), 3:48, 1st (14-0 W)
W — Braylon Rucker, 59-yard run (Cooper Heimbach kick), :32, 1st (21-0 W)
W — Landon Hutchinson, 7-yard run (Cooper Heimbach kick), 9:31, 3rd (28-0 W)
W — Cooper Heimbach, 22-yard field goal, 7:00, 3rd (31-0 W)
W — Cooper Heimbach, 29-yard field goal, 1:42, 4th (34-0 W)
Team Statistics
A W
First downs 4 19
Scrimmage plays 30 60
Rushes-yards 23-20 39-266
Passing yards 34 114
Total yards 54 380
Cmp-Att-Int. 2-7-1 12-21-1
Fumbles-lost 1-1 2-0
Penalties-yards 3-15 10-78
Punts-Ave. 6-29 1-46
----
Individual Leaders
RUSHING —Africentric: Charles Jennings-Griffin 7-20, Mekhi Johnson 4-10, Caleb Anthony 4-4, Josh Smith 8-(-14); Wheelersburg: Creed Warren 15-111, Braylon Rucker 7-69 TD, Kenyon Evans 3-22, Jake Darling 4-8 TD, Cameron Conn 2-16, Riley Cunningham 2-12, Brycen Longfellow 1-11, Landon Hutchinson 1-7 TD, Elijah Brown 1-6, Ison Emnett 1-3, Devon Lattimore 1-3, Hunter Bivens 1-(-2)
PASSING — Africentric: Josh Smith 2-7-1-34; Wheelersburg: Braylon Rucker 12-21-1-114 TD
RECEIVING— Africentric: Derron Gray 1-23, Mekhi Johnson 1-11; Wheelersburg: Devon Lattimore 5-54 TD, Creed Warren 4-33, Landon McGraw 2-17, Kolton Salyers 1-10
Reach Paul Boggs at (740) 353-3101 ext. 1926, by email at pboggs@aimmediamidwest.com, or on X @paulboggssports © 2023 Portsmouth Daily Times, all rights reserved
