By: Joe Shouse, Sports Writer
HAVILAND – Antwerp showed their lofty top-5 state ranking was no fluke last Friday. The Archers set the tone early in their conference clash against Wayne Trace to outlast the Raiders 28-6. With the win the Archers keep their record unblemished at 7-0 and 4-0 in GMC play. Wayne Trace stands at 2-5 and 1-2 in conference action.
On their opening drive the blue and white marched 67-yards on an eight-play scoring drive. Antwerp quarterback Carson Altimus mixed it up using a duo of receivers in Landon Brewer and Parker Moore while keeping the ball on the ground with Reid Lichty. Altimus capped off the scoring drive with a 17-yard gallop into the end zone. The Ty Jackson extra-point was good for a quick 7-0 Archer lead with 8:37 remaining in the first quarter.
The turnover bug bit the Raiders in the second period when sophomore QB Cole Morehead was intercepted by Brewer. The Archers turned the crucial Raider mistake into another score. An 84-yard drive on just seven plays including a 52-yard connection from Altimus to Moore followed by a four-yard touchdown scamper from Lichty to put the undefeated Archers in control 13-0.
The Archers were not finished putting points on the board in the first half. Needing just seven plays the Archers ate up 70-yards of real estate with Altimus putting the exclamation mark on the drive with a 24-yard arial to Moore and the Archers enjoying a 21-0 halftime margin.
After the break, down by three scores, the Raiders came out ready to challenge. The red, white and blue used nearly ten minutes of the third quarter orchestrating a 20-play drive covering 71 yards. Kyle Slade would put the Raiders on the board on a two-yard run at the 2:47 mark. With the score the Raiders were down 21-6.
The Archers would respond with their final score late in the game thanks to their defense. Wayne Trace, with the ball and facing a fourth-down attempt came up empty, turning the ball over to Antwerp. From the Raider’s 11-yard line the Archers were in the driver’s seat for another score. The Archers used two plays – a one-yard run from Lichty and a 10-yard run from Altimus – to light up the score board for Head Coach Jason Hale’s crew 28-6.
For the winners, Altimus finished the night with 256 passing yards completing 20-30 to go along with 70-yards rushing. Moore collected eight receptions for 137 yards with Brewer coming up with 92 yards on eight grabs.
Wayne Trace was paced by Kyle Stoller hitting on 11-17 passing for 106 yards. Dylan Hildebrand collected 37 yards on five catches with Slade doing the work on the ground with 103 rushing yards on 21 carries.
