For the week of Sept 25 - Oct 1, 2002

Defense passes the test, Wolverines win 22-0

Pilots become first WR shutout victim in four years

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The defense rested, but only after posting Wood River’s first football shutout in four years Friday night in Glenns Ferry.

Challenged for the first time by a passing offense, the Wood River High School varsity football team responded with an alert and tough defensive effort against the Pilot air attack.

Wood River (1-2) scored twice in the first half and posted a 22-0 non-conference triumph. It was Wood River’s first shutout win in 30 games dating back to 1998.

Coach John Blackman said, "The defense did a great job. Glenns Ferry was inside our 10-yard-line three times and came up empty. Our pass coverage was excellent."

Senior linebacker Kellen Chatterton roamed sideline-to-sideline for a team-high 10 tackles. Senior Christian Blackman had two sacks. And senior corner Chad Hayward (7 tackles) enjoyed his best game with in-your-face coverage and timely knockdowns.

Blackman said, "Chad did a great job in coverage. And so did our other cornerback Matt Conover, who covered their best receiver, Zach Simons."

Glenns Ferry (2-2), last year’s State 2A runner-up, completed only 13 of 31 passes for just 92 yards. Most were short pass completions and none were longer than 20 yards. Wood River intercepted two passes and broke up seven passes with close coverage.

Besides defense, what Wood River needed to snap a seven-game, two-season losing skid were early scores on offense.

The game was only 90 seconds old when Wood River scored the only TD it needed.

After Zach Bloomfield’s interception and 12-yard return, Wood River ran power, power and trap 43 yards to paydirt.

Dylan Welcome cut back for 13 yards, Joe Paisley went around the left side for 16 more and Chatterton busted up the middle for a 14-yard TD run—his first of two TD runs.

Glenns Ferry moved the ball well but the Pilots shot themselves in the foot with penalties—when Wood River wasn’t knocking down their passes.

Conover batted away a pass intended for Simons at the goal line to stop the first Pilot threat at the Wolverine 21.

On its next possession, Glenns Ferry moved to the Wolverine 1-yard-line before a crucial 11-yard sack by Christian Blackman and Tyler Brown pushed the Pilots back. Good tackles by Blackman, Tyson Reynoso and Scott Sanders made it fourth-and-goal at the 14, and a 30-yard field goal attempt sailed wide.

Wood River, having preserved its 6-0 lead, went to work behind the running of junior Matt Pruett. Pruett had back-to-back 23-yard and 29-yard carries, setting up the second Wolverine touchdown.

"Matt had a good night running the ball," said Blackman.

It was fourth-and-10 when senior QB Conover found Paisley crossing the middle for a 25-yard TD pass and a 12-0 lead. Welcome ran the two-pointer for a 14-0 Wood River cushion at the half.

The score might have 20-0 at half-time, but a 44-yard Welcome touchdown run was called back by an illegal block.

Glenns Ferry threatened on its first drive of the third quarter, but Chatterton snuffed out a screen pass for a six-yard loss and Conover intercepted a fourth-and-16 aerial at the Wolverine 24.

Wood River embarked on a five-play, 90-yard scoring drive. Conover hit Bloomfield in the flat for 13 yards, Pruett took an inside handoff for 13 more and Paisley cut upfield at just the right time for a huge 49-yard gainer to the Pilot 15.

Chatterton exploded on a trap for another 14-yard TD run and then provided the block that sent Conover home for the two-point conversion.

Twice more, Glenns Ferry moved deep into Wood River territory, but an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty killed one drive, and a holding penalty followed by a Blackman sack ended another threat.

Glenns Ferry had been averaging 25.3 ppg but the Pilots managed only 112 yards rushing against the Hailey "D." The Wolverines amassed 263 rushing yards and came up with four turnovers on defense.

Doing an excellent job of blocking was the Wood River interior line of center Mark Neville, guards Sanders and David Wood, and tackles Kenny Kelb and Dan Fierman.

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WOLVERINE NOTES—Coach Blackman effectively alternated quarterbacks Conover and junior Brandon Silvia in the second half….Out of 31 Pilot pass attempts, Wood River was whistled for only two pass interference penalties and both were questionable.

Glenns Ferry was the site of an incredible eight-grade football game between the Pilots and Wolverines last Tuesday. Wood River finally won 82-80 in eight overtimes, as Danny Ward led the Hailey scoring brigade….

Wood River improved its advantage to 9-7-1 over Glenns Ferry in 17 meetings since 1960, but it was only the third time in eight games that Wood River has won in Glenns Ferry….The last shutout wins for Wood River were actually back-to-back SCIC league shutouts at Filer 7-0 Oct. 9, 1998 and at Gooding 13-0 one week later….

 

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