Wayne whips Hilliard Davidson, state finals next
By Marc Pendleton | Saturday, November 27, 2010, 11:24 PM, Dayton Daily News
DAYTON - Like the rest of his teammates, all Wayne’s Seth Stuart wanted was to make the high school football playoffs. But that was no certainty.
“We were on the bubble, but we squeezed in,” said the senior wideout.
“We said we just needed to get in and we’ll do damage.”
The Warriors have done more than that. What began as a finger-biting journey and a barely qualifying No. 8 seed has blossomed into a state title berth. That’s what Wayne earned with a convincing 28-14 doubling of defending Division I state champ Hilliard Davidson on Saturday night at Welcome Stadium in a D-I state semifinal.
Wayne (11-3) will meet Lakewood St. Edward (14-0) in next Saturday’s state final at Canton’s Fawcett Stadium. St. Ed beat Toledo Whitmer 23-13 in the other semi at Massillon.
Wayne was incredibly efficient in dismantling what was regarded as stout and superior defensive team in Davidson. The Warriors ran at will behind senior Anthone Taylor — 26 carries, 182 yards — and got a splendid effort from quarterback Braxton Miller — 12 of 16 passing for 134 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions.
Even more impressive, Wayne scored on all four of its first-half possessions and led 28-7 at halftime over shell-shocked HD.
An exclusive running team, Davidson had attempted just four playoff passes through three games — one was a spike — and was at a loss facing such a big deficit.
“I knew if we did what we were coached to do that we would put up the points fast,” Taylor said.
“I told everybody that we need to score every possession we got.”
Taylor did just that, ripping off an untouched 14-yard TD run in the first quarter.
Wayne scorched HD with 21 second-quarter points that featured a short Miller scoring run and Miller tosses to Jordan Morgan and Marcus Bonner.
“For these kids to pull through and pull together and get this thing, wow,” said Wayne coach Jay Minton, shivering from a water dousing after the game.
DAYTON - Like the rest of his teammates, all Wayne’s Seth Stuart wanted was to make the high school football playoffs. But that was no certainty.
“We were on the bubble, but we squeezed in,” said the senior wideout.
“We said we just needed to get in and we’ll do damage.”
The Warriors have done more than that. What began as a finger-biting journey and a barely qualifying No. 8 seed has blossomed into a state title berth. That’s what Wayne earned with a convincing 28-14 doubling of defending Division I state champ Hilliard Davidson on Saturday night at Welcome Stadium in a D-I state semifinal.
Wayne (11-3) will meet Lakewood St. Edward (14-0) in next Saturday’s state final at Canton’s Fawcett Stadium. St. Ed beat Toledo Whitmer 23-13 in the other semi at Massillon.
Wayne was incredibly efficient in dismantling what was regarded as stout and superior defensive team in Davidson. The Warriors ran at will behind senior Anthone Taylor — 26 carries, 182 yards — and got a splendid effort from quarterback Braxton Miller — 12 of 16 passing for 134 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions.
Even more impressive, Wayne scored on all four of its first-half possessions and led 28-7 at halftime over shell-shocked HD.
An exclusive running team, Davidson had attempted just four playoff passes through three games — one was a spike — and was at a loss facing such a big deficit.
“I knew if we did what we were coached to do that we would put up the points fast,” Taylor said.
“I told everybody that we need to score every possession we got.”
Taylor did just that, ripping off an untouched 14-yard TD run in the first quarter.
Wayne scorched HD with 21 second-quarter points that featured a short Miller scoring run and Miller tosses to Jordan Morgan and Marcus Bonner.
“For these kids to pull through and pull together and get this thing, wow,” said Wayne coach Jay Minton, shivering from a water dousing after the game.