GLOUSTER, Ohio — Kane Roush led the Wahama White Falcons to a hard fought 25-12 gridiron win over host Trimble Friday night before an overflow crowd at the Athens County School. The win boosted the Falcons 2012 football slate to 2-0 on the season in addition to giving the Bend Area eleven a 1-0 Tri-Valley Conference record.

Wahama has now claimed 22 straight regular season wins and is undefeated in league action with 17 consecutive victories.

Roush scored on an exciting 51 yard run late in the third quarter to give the Bend Area team an 18-6 lead and finished the evening as the games leading ground gainer with 76 yards in eight carries.

Roush also contributed a pair of pass receptions for 39 yards but more importantly supplied Wahama with excellent field position after two kickoff returns of 55 and 44 yards and a punt return covering 32 yards that led to WHS setting up shop deep in Tomcat territory.

In addition to the heroics of junior running back Roush, senior quarterback Trenton Gibbs enjoyed another tremendous night offensively by completing six of 11 passes for 147 yards and two touchdowns. Gibbs tossed a first quarter 23 yard touchdown strike to Crandale Neal to open the nights scoring activity before adding a 71 yard bomb to Wyatt Zuspan in the final period.

Wahama also received stellar play from its interior line. Trimble ran out a starting front five that averaged 250 yards per man and the small White Falcon contingent captured the battle in the trenches. Junior Zack Killingsworth, Wesley Harrison, Josh Haddox, Tyler Nutter and Lane Sparks all performed admirably in the WHS victory.

The Bend Area team jumped out to an early 6-0 advantage in the opening quarter after taking advantage of an early gamble by the Tomcats. Trimble took the opening kickoff and moved to its own 42 yard line where they faced a fourth and one situation. The Tomcats elected to go for the first down and the interior line of Wahama came up with a huge stop to give the Falcons great field position.

Following a 15 yard run by Roush and a three yard loss Gibbs connected with Roush on a seven yard pass play. Gibbs scrambled to the right on the following play before finding Crandale Neal all alone in the end zone for a 23 yard scoring toss. The PAT was blocked and Wahama led by a 6-0 margin with 8:08 to play in the first quarter.

Penalties hampered WHS throughout the remainder of the half which led to Trimble wrestling the momentum from the White Falcons. The Tomcats took advantage of a 15 yard WHS penalty and drove 41 yards in four plays with Konner Standley tossing a 36 yard pass to Wyatt Deak to set up a two yard Jacob Kish TD burst. The point after kick was blocked and the score remained 6-6 with 3:01 left in the half.

The beginning of the second half saw Roush return the kickoff 55 yards to the Trimble 38 yard line. 11 running plays and nearly seven minutes later Zach Wamsley bulled his way into the end zone from less than a yard out on fourth down to put Wahama in the lead for good. The point after pass was unsuccessful giving the White Falcons a 12-6 lead with 5:17 to play in the third period.

The White Falcons extended its edge to 18-6 later in the quarter when Roush burst free along the near sideline and broke several tackles on his way to a 51 yard touchdown gallop. The extra point run attempt fell short leaving Wahama with an 18-6 advantage.

Late in the period WHS sealed the win when Gibbs connected with a streaking Wyatt Zuspan on a 71 yard TD pass. Zach Wamsley booted the point after to give Wahama a 25-6 edge with 7:44 to play.

Trimble wouldn’t go away however as the Tomcats drove 67 yards in 11 plays with Bryce Smathers concluding the time consuming drive with a 28 yard run with 2:27 remaining in the game. The point after kick hit the upright and bounded away to make the final count 25-12.

The Tomcats ensuing onside kick was successful to give Trimble a glimmer of hope but a high snap from center resulted in a fumble with Benny Youkers pouncing on the loose pigskin to secure the win for the White Falcons.

Wahama totaled 11 first downs and 275 yards in total offense on the night with 128 yards on the ground and 147 through the air. The Bend Area team committed one turnover and was penalized six times for a total of 55 yards.

Defensively the White Falcons received outstanding efforts from its interior line in addition to Zach Wamsley, Zack Killingsworth and Demetrius Serevicz. The Bend Area team limited Trimble to 68 yards on the ground and 118 through the airways for a net total of 186 yards. Wahama grabbed a pair of interceptions with Zuspan and Colton Neal picking off Standley offerings with Youkers falling on a Tomcat fumble for the White Falcons.

Roush paced Wahama on the ground with76 yards in eight carries while Wamsley netted 36 yards in 13 tries. Gibbs was six of 11 through the air for 147 yards and two scores with one of his aerials being picked off. Zuspan caught two passes for 68 yards and a touchdown with Roush also grabbing a pair of passes for 39 yards. Crandale Neal had one catch for 23 yards and a score with Wamsley snaring one pass for 17 yards.

Wahama limited Trimble quarterback Konner Standley to just 20 yards in 21 carries after the junior enjoyed a season opening 180 yard effort last week against Nelsonville York. Bryce Smathers gained 43 yards in eight tries with Standley connecting on nine of 18 passes for 127 yards with two of his aerials being picked off. Wyatt Deak hauled in three passes for 58 yards, Austin Downs two for 33 and Terry Simerly collecting two receptions for 22 yards for the Tomcats.

The White Falcons, after opening on the road for two consecutive weeks, will return to the Bend Area for its 2012 season opener at 7:30 p.m. Friday when the locals welcome Eastern for a TVC Hocking contest.