POINT PLEASANT, W.Va. — Kane Roush scored four touchdowns while running for 208 yards with Zach Wamsley also topping the 100 yard rushing mark for the second straight week with two touchdowns and 128 yards to lead 2nd ranked Wahama to a somewhat surprising 38-0 shutout win over #14 Buffalo Friday evening in the opening round of the Class A football playoffs at Point Pleasant High School.
Roush scored on runs of 20, one, two and 10 yards while Wamsley added touchdown bursts covering 10 and six yards as Wahama improved to 11-0 on the season. The post-season win was the White Falcons’ seventh straight playoff victory and sixth in a row for coach Ed Cromley’s Mason County in playoff encounters on the turf at Point Pleasant High School. WHS now advances to the Class A quarterfinals next weekend against the winner of #6 Greenbrier West or #11 Meadow Bridge in a game to be played at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday.
Buffalo was denied its second chance opportunity against the White Falcons and concluded its 2012 football campaign with a trio of losses to finish with a 7-4 record. The post-season setback was also the third consecutive loss in as many seasons during an opening round playoff game for the Putnam County team.
While Roush and Wamsley boosted their respective season totals it was the Falcons’ interior line that came away with what constituted an incredible total domination performance. The offensive line consisting of Zack Killingsworth at center, Wesley Harrison and Jesse Hesson at the guards and Weldon Sparks and Clayton Sines at the tackles opened huge gaping holes throughout the evening and Roush, Wamsley and company took full advantage of the opportunities.
Wahama totaled an astonishing 30 first downs and 536 yards rushing on the evening and closed out the one-sided triumph with another 35 yards through the air for a remarkable 571 yards in total offense. The White Falcons fell just one first down shy and 18 yards rushing short of a preliminary round Class A playoff record.
Defensively the Bend Area team was equally as impressive in allowing Buffalo just five first downs and negative one yard on the ground. Wamsley enjoyed yet another outstanding showing and was joined by Coltan Neal who came away with four timely sacks on the evening and Garrett Miller who also enjoyed an impressive defensive outing.
Wahama raced out to an early 14-0 advantage with a pair of time consuming touchdowns in their opening two drives of the first quarter. After forcing a Buffalo shop WHS embarked on a 53 yard six play march that culminated in a 20 yard Kane Roush scoring gallop. Zach Wamsley booted the point after to stake Wahama to a 7-0 edge with 8:15 to play in the opening stanza.
On its next possession the Bend Area team set up shop at its own 42 yard line with the White Falcons giving the Bison’s a solid dose of its ground attack. Wamsley, Roush, Crandal Neal and Trenton Gibbs all got into the act with huge gains with Wamsley going in from 10 yards out with 3:42 remaining in the canto. Wamsley kicked the point after to extend the locals lead to 14-0.
Two more scores during the second period pushed the Falcons lead to 26-0 with a 91 yard 14 play drive opening the Bend Area teams second quarter scoring. A steady dose of Wamsley and a 36 yard run by Roush highlighted the series with Wamsley capping the nearly 5:00 minute drive with a six yard run. The final WHS score of the half was sparked by veteran quarterback Trenton Gibbs. Gibbs led a two minute series that covered 87 yards in nine plays with the senior signal caller running for 26 yards and passing for 29 more to set up a one yard Roush plunge with just :08 left in the half.
The White Falcons tacked on a couple of insurance touchdowns in the second half with Roush bulling his way across the end zone from two yards out with 4:55 to play in the third quarter. Roush would add a 10 yard scamper at the 9:02 mark of the final stanza to put the game away and give Wahama the 38-0 shutout win.
In addition to Roush and Wamsley’s rushing totals the Bend Area team received 71 yards on the ground from Crandal Neal, 61 yards from Coltan Neal and 60 yards from Trenton Gibbs. Gibbs completed two of six passes for 35 yards with one of his offerings being picked off by Isaiah Robinson. Roush had one reception for 29 yards while Wyatt Zuspan had one catch for six yards for Wahama.
Buffalo was led on the ground by Jordan Tucker with 12 yards in two carries while quarterback Levi Jordan completed 14 of 23 passes for 128 yards with Roush intercepting a Jordan offering. Laythen Good led the Bison receiving corp with five grabs for 49 yards while Gabe Garrison had two receptions for 44 yards.
Wamsley picked up 128 yards on the ground to vault the senior running back over the 1000 yard mark on the season while senior quarterback Trenton Gibbs is within 13 passing yards of achieving his third consecutive 1000 yard campaign. Roush added 208 rushing yards to his 2012 total to elevate the electrifying junior speedster to the third leading single season ground gainer at Wahama.
Wahama will now await the result of the Greenbrier West and Meadow Bridge affair to find out who the White Falcons next playoff opponent will be. WHS will select Point Pleasant High School as the site with early indications being a Saturday afternoon contest being chosen by either one of the southern West Virginia foes.
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