High school football: Wadsworth defense steps up in win over Massillon Jackson

JACKSON TWP. — The Wadsworth football team set the tone early, then overcame penalties and a late surge by Massillon Jackson to come away with a 19-17 non-league victory at Robert Fife Stadium on Friday night. The Grizzlies were physical and aggressive on both sides of the ball to improve to 3-0 before Suburban League National Conference play begins Thursday against Solon. The win had Wadsworth flying high as it began the roughly 35-minute bus ride home from Jackson Memorial Middle School. "This is the most happy I've ever been in my life," said Braydan Todd, who was a force defensively and in the running game, where he gained 56 yards on 13 carries. "This is like the Super Bowl to me. We had a lot go against us, but me and my boys battled through it. It was a war tonight. Jackson was unbelievable, their effort was amazing. It's football and the grittier, more physical football team wins. "We were the more physical team tonight, so we got it done." Todd's backfield running mate, Jude Haller, made sure to introduce the Polar Bears to Wadsworth's brand of football late in the first quarter when he bulldozed his way through a series of tacklers near the line of scrimmage before racing for a 32-yard touchdown and 6-0 lead. After Jackson (1-2) cut to 19-17 with 2:54 remaining, Haller finished the game with a 13-yard run on third-and-7 from the Wadsworth 49-yard that began with a stiff-arm that drove a defender into the turf. Haller's final run of a 114-yard, 16-carry night allowed the Grizzlies to burn the remaining clock. "Two-minute drill, the play calling goes out the window a little bit," Haller said. "We didn't need to score, just get the clock down. We forced it down their throats to secure the win." There were plenty of big moments, especially by the defense. Braden Sterpka kicked off his strong night on Jackson's first drive by tackling running back Chase Maurer (22 carries, 109 yards) for a 2-yard loss on third-and-4 to force a 39-yard field goal attempt by Joseph Biviano that sailed wide left. That stop set up Haller's score. Jackson's next two possessions ended in punts, but in the middle of the second quarter the Polar Bears drove down to the Wadsworth 9-yard line, where 6-foot-3, 270-pound Andrew Tetzel made his presence felt. Tetzel stuffed Maurer on third-and-2 from the 8 for a 1-yard loss and then stood up quarterback Carter Muhleman at the line of scrimmage on fourth down. "We're not the biggest and we're not the strongest, but the brotherhood is where it's at," Tetzel said. "We're fighting for each other, not for ourselves." After Muhleman found Will Sterling for an 11-yard touchdown to cut Wadsworth's lead to 12-7, the Grizzlies' Reid Close made a big play to close the half when he intercepted receiver Ben Blauner on a reverse pass. That pick came after a 37-yard run for a score by Muhleman was waived off by a holding call. Wadsworth quarterback Brysen Hall started to heat up early in the second quarter when he hit Jay'len King for a 60-yard touchdown and a 12-0 lead. After the first extra point was short, the Grizzlies looked to go for two after King's touchdown, but delay of game was called. Hall hit Alex Porter for the conversion, but that was waived off for a holding penalty, setting up a 34-yard extra point kick that was off the mark. Hall was most effective in the third quarter, when he completed 9-of-12 passes, including a touchdown to Porter. Hall's only blemish was his first interception of the season, a ball that bounced off a receiver's hands and into the arms of Blauner. Hall was 19-for-29 for 225 yards, two touchdowns and one interception overall. "I feel really good," he said. "That was a battle. Jackson was a really good football team. I'm so proud of our team. It was a lot of hard work to finish it out as winners." The Polar Bears cut it to 19-10 on a 33-yard field goal by Biviano with 1:59 left in the third quarter and 19-17 on a 5-yard scramble by Muhleman with 2:54 left in the game. Jackson had chances to make things more difficult on the Grizzlies but saw a number of passes dropped by receivers and others that went out of bounds. Contact John Urchek at jurchek@medina-gazette.com. Wadsworth 19, Jackson 17 WADSWORTH 6 6 7 0 — 19 JACKSON 0 7 3 7 — 17 First W — Jude Haller 32 run (kick failed), 3:14. Second W — Jay'len King 60 pass from Brysen Hall (kick failed), 9:11. J — Will Sterling 11 pass from Carter Muhleman (Joseph Biviano kick), 1:15. Third W — Alex Porter 8 pass from Hall (Ben Naedeau kick), 7:28. J — Biviano 33 field goal, 1:59. Fourth J —Muhleman 5 run (Biviano kick), 2:54. &emsp;&emsp;W J First downs 21 15 Rushing 42/185 34/156 Rushing average 4.4 4.6 Passing&emsp;&emsp;19/29 7/18 Passing yards 240 86 Total offense 71/425 52/242 Punting 4/29.7 5/33.8 Penalties&emsp;&emsp;9/74 6/50 Fumbles &emsp;&emsp;1/0 1/0 RUSHING: Wadsworth — Haller 16-114, Braydan Todd 13-56, Hall 7-32, Gavin Miller 1-3, Noah Ries 1-(-2), Team 4-(-18). Jackson — Chase Maurer 22-109, Muhleman 11-47, Michah Regimbal 1-0. PASSING: Wadsworth — Hall 19-29-225-1. Jackson — Muhleman 7-17-86-0, Ben Blauner 0-1-0-1. RECEIVING: Wadsworth — King 7-128, Porter 5-58, Kolbey Ostervich 3-17, Noah Nixon 1-17, Haller 2-9, Reid Close 1-11. Jackson — Blauner 3-48, Regimbal 1-13, Sterling 1-11, Quinn Snyder 1-10, Lucas Yoder 1-4.