CUYAHOGA FALLS: The undefeated Woodridge football team faced a deficit Friday night for the first time this season.
It didn’t last long.
Woodridge tightened up on defense and made several big plays on offense and special teams en route to a 45-13 PTC Metro victory over visiting Norton.
The Panthers (4-5, 3-3) took the lead on their fourth offensive play when senior Nick Farmer rushed for a 57-yard touchdown with 10:05 to go in the first quarter. Sophomore Kyler Romig kicked the extra point to make it 7-0.
Woodridge (9-0, 6-0) proceeded to score on all of its six possessions in the first half to take a 38-7 lead into the break. Junior Mason Lydic tossed three touchdowns, brothers King Alcardon Sanders and King Alfred Sanders each rushed for a touchdown and senior Sharif Howard kicked a field goal.
“In our huddle, I told the kids that was the first time a team has come out and gone down the field and scored on us in the opening drive,” Woodridge coach Jeff Decker said. “There was no panic in the kids. It was just, ‘Coach, what happened?’ We talked it out and we found out what happened. We had some missed reads, and because of that a couple of guys went the wrong way.
“We made some adjustments and the rest of the game showed that.”
Lydic connected with senior Jacob Margroff on touchdown passes of 5 yards at 7:56 and 48 yards at 2:06 in the first quarter. Junior King Alcardon Sanders rushed for a 5-yard score at 5:45 and senior King Alfred Sanders rushed for a 9-yard score at 4:48.
Lydic and Howard hooked up for a 77-yard touchdown pass with 4:45 left in the second quarter, and senior Kyle Lamson made his fifth PAT kick. Howard capped the Bulldogs’ big first half with a 33-yard field goal with 20 seconds on the clock.
“All year long I think we have done a real good job of taking what the defense has given us,” Decker said. “If they try to take away the run, we can go to the pass. If they try to do something that makes passing difficult or if the weather conditions are tough, then we run the ball. I am happy that our offense can adapt to whatever we are seeing by a defense.”
King Alfred Sanders rushed for his second touchdown of the evening when he scampered 20 yards to the end zone with 8:54 left in the third quarter. Farmer (26 carries, 140 yards) concluded the scoring with a 9-yard touchdown run with 3:14 left in the fourth quarter.
“We never really panicked at all,” Woodridge senior linebacker Jacob Malley said. “We just bounced back and played hard.”
Lydic completed 6-of-10 passes for 159 yards. King Alfred Sanders rushed for 109 yards on 16 carries, and credited the play of his offensive line — Lamson, senior Dontae Craft, senior Kasey Kelleher, junior Austin Hindley, sophomore Brentyn Burden-Burns and junior Robbie Taylor.
“Those six guys are monsters,” Woodridge offensive coordinator Jeremy Maxa said.
Woodridge’s David Graham recovered a fumble, King Alcardon Sanders snagged an interception and Colten Christ and Spencer Robinson were also active on defense.
Woodridge, which clinched a playoff spot in Division IV according to joeeitel.com, will seek its second 10-0 regular season in a row when it hosts Springfield on Oct. 28.
Michael Beaven can be reached at 330-996-3829 or mbeaven@thebeaconjournal.com. Read the #ABJVarsity high school blog at www.ohio.com/preps. Follow him on Twitter at www.twitter.com/MBeavenABJ.