Wolverines Headed To State Playoffs
By EDDY GIFFORD
Sports Writer
Photo by Eddy Gifford – The Wolverines’ Jace Anderson races for the end zone Friday night. He had two touchdown runs to lead the team to a 26-22 win over the Gordon Central Warriors. Dade County now await the announcement of who they will face in the first round of the state playoffs. See next week’s Sentinel for details.
The Dade County Wolverine football team hosted Gordon Central last Friday night in a key region match up with a playoff spot on the line. If the Wolverines won, they’d make the playoffs under the new setup this year.
The teams are determined by a rating system that includes strength of schedule, wins, etc. All the private schools in the 1A and 2A will have their own state playoff, so all those teams who played region schedules will come out of the mix, opening up more spots for public schools.
The Warriors took the opening kick and quickly moved the ball down field and into the end zone for the game’s first points with 9:12 remaining in the first quarter. The extra point was good, and Gordon Central took the early lead, 7-0.
On the Wolverines first possession, they moved the ball down the field and Bryson Shrader ran in from four yards out for Dade’s first touchdown of the night with seven minutes remaining in the first quarter. The extra point kick was no good and the Warriors led 7-6.
The Wolverine defense stepped up on the Warriors’ next possession and forced a punt that was downed at the eight-yard line. With 2:27 remaining in the first quarter, Dade completed a 92-yard drive when Shrader ran his second touchdown of the night. The extra point kick was good, and the Wolverines took the lead 13-7.
On the final play of the first quarter, Gordon Central connected on a touchdown pass and the extra point kick was good giving them the lead at the end of the first half, 14-13.
After the wild first quarter, the game settled down. The second quarter was filled with punts, both defenses took control of the game, and at the end of the first half, the Warriors held the lead, 14-13.
The third quarter started the way the first half ended with the two teams exchanging punts twice before Dade County managed to put together a drive that ended with a Jace Anderson 20-yard touchdown run to give the Wolverines their first lead of the game. The two-point conversion try was no good but they led 19-14.
The Warriors answered after a big kickoff return gave the great field possession, and with 2:07 remaining in the third quarter, they regained the lead, 22-19.
Early in the fourth quarter, the Wolverines put together another touchdown drive, and with 9:48 remaining in the game, Anderson got his second touchdown of the night. The extra point kick was good to put them on top, 26-22.
The remainder of the game was controlled by the defense, and Dade came away with a big 26-22 win and a spot in the state playoffs.
Anderson had a big night for the Wolverines with 21 carries for 166 yards and two touchdowns, while Shrader also scored two touchdowns, ran for 51 yards, and threw for 92 yards.
Evan Avans led the defense with eight tackles, one tackle for loss; Carter Christiansen had six tackles, three pass breakups; Anderson had five tackles, two assists; Ryker Stanley five tackles, one tackle for loss; Nate Hurst five tackles, one tackle for loss, one quarterback sack, and two quarterback pressures; Aidan Kerns had four tackles, two assists.
It is now a waiting game for the Wolverines. Due to the hurricanes earlier in the season, the GHSA moved the end of the season back one week to give those schools who were affected an extra week to finish the season. Therefore, the Wolverines will not know whom or where they will play until after Friday night.
Be sure to check next week’s Sentinel for the time and place of the playoff game and good luck Wolverines!
