By: Joe Shouse, Sports Writer
PAULDING – The final regular season football game for area teams was played last Friday. Bringing the season to a close in the Green Meadows Conference would be county and conference rival Paulding hosting Wayne Trace. For the Raiders a tournament berth (Division VI, Region 22) had been secured and for the Panthers were looking to go out on a high note with an upset win. The Raiders would have their way shutting out their county nemesis 24-0 to keep their winning streak over Paulding alive at twelve in a row. Paulding had not defeated the red, white, and blue since 2010. With the win the Raiders have won their last three games while recording their only shut-out of the 2022 campaign.
All the scoring in the contest was done in the second quarter as well as the last 12-minutes of play. In the second frame the Raiders found the end zone by keeping the ball on the ground. Their first points came on a Kyle Slade 13-yard scamper followed by a Cale Winans extra point for a 7-0 Raider advantage. Unable to move the ball the Panthers stalled on their possession allowing the Raiders another score. The red, white, and blue got a three-yard burst into the end zone from Jared Pierce and following another Winans extra point Wayne Trace was in control 14-0. No scoring took place in the third period and the Raiders entered the final quarter still clinging to a 14-0 lead.
Mid way through the fourth quarter Raider quarterback Kyle Stoller found success through the air when he hooked up with receiver Jude Stoller for a 33-yard touchdown completion. Winans was good on his third extra point attempt and the Raiders enjoyed a 21-0 lead. Winans would continued to do his job and just prior to the game coming to a close the Raider kicker delivered a 23-yard field goal to close out the scoring and giving the Raiders the win.
For the Raiders who totaled 337-yards of offense, 219-yards came through the air while on the ground the red, white, and blue added 118-yards of real estate. Kyle Stoller was 11-19 passing for 203 -yards with Cale Winans getting in on the act with 16-yards on 2-3. Dylan Hildebrand was the top Raider receiver with 103-yards on just four grabs. In the rushing department Derrek Dangler finished with 40-yards on three attempts with team mates Jarred Pierce and Kyle Stoller each with 28-yards.
For the Ranthers, they finished with 157 yards of offense with 87 coming from the rush and 66 in the air. Dawson Lamb led the way for Paulding with 17 carries and 84-yards while Jesse Shaffer added 44-yards on nine attempts. In passing, QB Colton Hunt completed 7-15 for 40 yards with Brayden Sanders making three grabs for 30 yards. Larkin Yates totaled nine yards on two catches.
The Green Meadows Conference standings end with Antwerp winning their first crown in school history. The Archers closed out their season undefeated at 10-0, 7-0 in GMC play followed by: 2. Ayersville 5-2, 7-3 and Tinora 5-2, 7-3; 4. Edgerton 7-3, 4-3 and Wayne Trace 4-3, 5-5; 6. Hicksville 2-5, 2-8; 7. Paulding 1-6, 1-9, and 8. Fairview 0-7, 0-10.
Seniors playing their last game for the maroon and white include: Brayden Sanders, Nash Saylor, Dawson Lamb, Gavin King, Vincente Cantu, Johnathan Adkins and Larkin Yates.
