Seniors hold on for Powderpuff victory

CINDY WOOD/independent feature writer

The 17-year senior win streak is intact after a slippery, and sloppy, 2011 Powderpuff game at Eggerss Stadium Wednesday evening.

The junior girls put up a good fight in a game that wasn’t decided until the final two minutes. In the end, though, the senior girls prevailed once again, 36-30, despite some undeniably questionable calls from the refs, who were constantly harassed by the game’s announcer.

The juniors made their presence known early, when on the second play of the game, Justus Connor swept around the left side of the field and ran 76 yards to pay dirt. A little trickery followed on the two-point conversion and the junior girls went up 8-0 just 15 seconds into the game.

The senior girls answered on the next drive on their third play of the series when Molly Gamble juked out several junior defenders on her way to a 54-yard sprint into the end zone. Sydney Riethman showed her all-state track status, and swept around the right side for the two-point conversion, knotting the game at 8.

After a few defensive adjustments from coach Roland Alvarez, the senior defense came alive, pushing the junior girls deeper back before stopping them on downs. The seniors then put together a 3-play, 67-yard drive. Senior Tiffany Pierce, who would leave the game in the final quarter due to an injury, wreaked havoc on the juniors throughout the game, and scored her first points of the night after a double reverse hand-off in the backfield. A bad snap on the two-point conversion made the score 14-8 with seven minutes to go in the first.

The juniors, after regrouping on the sidelines, would answer again. Connor pushed the juniors down the field with several impressive runs, and Rachael Scheidt would cap the scoring drive off with a 73-yard run down the left side of the field. The two-point conversion was good, and the juniors once again took the lead 16-14 heading into the second quarter.

With seniors on offense, Joce Fokker stepped up to the plate with a big interception and 26-yard return, but the momentum stopped there and the seniors took over on downs. Riethman scored next for the seniors with a 30-yard touchdown run. The two-point conversion on a quarterback sneak was good, and the seniors went up 22-16.

After several three-and-outs, the junior girls put together a four-play, 79-yard scoring drive, highlighted by Morgan Lammers’ 60-yard touchdown run, and the score was tied after a failed two-point conversion.

The first half ended and the highlight of the evening, the mock homecoming, showcased some of Van Wert’s High School’s most attractive “girls.”  “Tristy” (Trey) Stemen took top honors and was crowned homecoming queen on the 50-yard line at halftime.

The third quarter saw the seniors score again after an impressive 76-yard drive that ate up eight minutes of the clock. The drive was capped by a 42-yard run from Pierce, putting the seniors up 36-22 after a successful two-point conversion.

Scheidt answered four minutes later on a 72-yard run, bringing the juniors well within reach. Scheidt was called on again for the two-point conversion, and, after a fake up the middle sold well by the juniors, sneaked around the left side to bring the junior within six points, 36-30, with just over nine minutes to go in the game.

Both defenses stepped it up during the next few drives to prevent any further scoring.

The juniors had an opportunity to tie the game after stopping the seniors on downs, but a botched handoff attempt sealed the deal and the seniors began celebrating.

For the juniors, Skylar Wood had eight tackles on the night, and Haley Sperry had seven. For the seniors, Miranda Rickard came up with several key defensive stops, and Devon Closson had four tackles.

Senior Audi Longstreth was pleased with the victory, albeit a close one. “It was way too close of a game, that’s for sure,” Longstreth said. “But the best team won, and that’s all that matters.”

Riethman, who scored eight points in the senior victory, agreed. “That was a little too close in my opinion, and I think there were definitely some bad calls from the refs in there,” she said.

Regardless of the rough and tumble plays, Riethman said things will get back to normal soon at Van Wert High School. “It will be a little rough between us all the first couple of days, but by the time the dance gets here, and we’re all nice and clean, we will all be back to being friends,” she added with a laugh.