By RICK SPRUNGER
It was Senior Night at Southern Wells Friday night.
And while the Raiders came up short by a 49-8 score against a strong South Adams team ranked No. 9 in Class A, they held their own in spots.
They outrushed South Adams for the game, 161 yards to 135.
And they picked up nine first downs to a mere 11 for the Starfires.
“That is the best we’ve executed in the first half the whole season,” smiled Southern Wells coach Mike Roeder after the game.
“That’s the best we’ve executed against the other team’s [first-stringers].
“I am really proud of our guys.
“I told them before the game, ‘Let’s give these guys a game.’”
And with that, Southern Wells took the game right to the heavily favored Starfires.
South Adams received the opening kickoff and drove to the Southern Wells 27 before being stopped by the inspired Raiders on a Bryar Gearheart interception in the end zone on fourth and 12.
And although South Adams nonetheless took a quick lead on Silas Loshe’s 37-yard interception return for a touchdown moments later, the Raiders had shown that they were not about to lie down for the No. 9 team in the state.
“We put in a few wrinkles, and I guess they worked,” said Roeder.
“We’re continuing to get peeks at what this program could look like down the road.”
For his part, South Adams coach Grant Moser admitted to being “pretty upset” with his team’s failure to crack the end zone in its first series.
“We were sloppy at times,” he continued.
“But also, Southern Wells is bigger than we are on the line, and they were able to use that size difference to their advantage.”
South Adams was able to break it open late in the first quarter and in the second behind the play of junior quarterback Owen Wanner.
Wanner kept the ball for a 43-yard touchdown run in the first period, then rifled three touchdown passes in the second, hitting Brady Beall for scoring tosses from 37 and 17 yards, the latter on a fourth-and-goal play, and then finding Isaac Dees from 31 yards out with 0:25 left in the first half to make the score 43-0 at the break.
Southern Wells got its lone touchdown on a 37-yard run by Gearheart on the last meaningful play of the game and added the two-point conversion when Brayden Jackson fell on a fumble in the end zone.
Roeder had plenty to say about his three graduating seniors.
“Jenson Nusbaumer has played quarterback all season,” started Roeder.
“He’s done an admirable job and has been someone we can depend on.
“Colin Green is one of the smartest linemen I’ve ever coached.
“He broke his hand in Week One, came back in Week Four, I think, and has played the rest of the season with a cast on his hand. I don’t think people realize how difficult that is to do.
“Gage Roberts was a lineman when he was a freshman, but he said, ‘Coach, I think I can run the football.’
“And he’s been our leading rusher this season.
“He’s not flashy; he’s just a good, hard-nosed throwback of a fullback, and I like that.”
Southern Wells will host Northfield in first-round sectional action next week.
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SOUTH ADAMS 49, SOUTHERN WELLS 8, at Southern Wells
South Adams 14 29 6 0 – 49
Southern Wells 0 0 0 8 – 8
First Quarter
SA-Silas Loshe 37 interception return (Brady Beall pass from Owen Wanner), 8:56.
SA-Wanner 43 run (run failed), 5:05.
Second Quarter
SA-Maverick Summersett 25 run (Hunter Kongar kick), 10:53.
SA-Beall 37 pass from Wanner (Kongar kick), 5:54.
SA-Beall 17 pass from Wanner (Kongar kick), 3:16.
SA-Safety, Gage Roberts tackled in end zone, 1:13.
SA-Isaac Dee 31 pass from Wanner (kick failed), 0:25.
Third Quarter
SA-Kongar 10 run (kick blocked), 3:21.
Fourth Quarter
SW-Bryar Gearheart 37 run (Brayden Jackson recover fumble in end zone), 0:18.
Team Statistics
SA SW
First Downs 11 9
Rushes-Yards 22-137 50-161
Passing Yards 135 0
Passing (C-A-I) 7-17-1 0-2-1
Penalties-Yards 2-20 6-50
Fumbles-Lost 0-0 3-1
Punts-Average 1-41.0 4-12.5
Time of Possession 18:02 29:58
Indidvidual Statistics
Rushing: South Adams-Maverick Summersett 12-62, Manny Juarez 4-(-11), Colton Bollenbacher 3-26, Owen Wanner 1-43, Hunter Kongar 1-10, Ethan Schwartz 1-1, Calden Neuenschwander 1-1, Hayden Brown 1-(-2). Southern Wells-Bryar Gearheart 23-55, Gage Roberts 13-55, Case Boxell 5-13, Kaiden Schmidt 4-42, Owen King 1-8, Jenson Nusbaumer 1-(-7).
Passing: South Adams-Owen Wanner 7-17-1 135. Southern Wells-Jenson Nusbaumer 1-3-1 (-2).
Receiving: South Adams-Brady Beall 4-50, Isaac Dee 2-61, Silas Loshe 2-22. Southern Wells-None.
