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SPORTS
Wayne beats Herbert Hoover
FALLING ROCK, W.Va. -- One of the quickest ways to take the wind from the sails of an upstart is to make a key defensive play early in the game.
Wayne's Austin Mills provided that big play, returning an interception 54 yards for a touchdown on the second play of the game, as the Pioneers rolled over host Herbert Hoover on Friday, 49-20.
"Anytime you get unexpected touchdowns, it's a pleasant thing," Wayne coach Tom Harmon said. "Those make the rest of the game go better."
It was not the only big play the Pioneers turned in during a strong effort. After an Adam Frazier 1-yard touchdown run gave Wayne a 14-0 lead, and the defense forced a punt, it was Randall Elliot's turn, returning a punt 89 yards for a touchdown and a 20-0 lead late in the first quarter.
The Pioneers (3-0) controlled the line of scrimmage on offense and displayed the versatility for which the program has come to be known. On its opening possession, Wayne used six different ball carriers on 10 plays en route to the end zone.
Herbert Hoover (1-2) attempted to make a game out of it early in the second quarter. Patrick Ryan hauled in a 15-yard touchdown strike from Jamie Hurd to cut the Pioneer lead to 20-6. But Wayne answered with Frazier hitting Mills on a 39-yard touchdown pass on 3rd and 19, and the rout was on.
The Huskies, running the spread offense under new coach Tim Meyer, had difficulty throwing. Hurd completed just 6 of 20 passes in the loss.
Harmon was happy with the defense.
"You have to play different styles of football. Our first two weeks and even our scrimmages were completely differing styles of football," he said. "That's a very effective style of football. You have to get out there on a Friday and play and get better at it."
Corey Damron led Wayne's balanced rushing attack with 83 yards on 10 carries, while Clyde Ferrell added 82 on 11 rushes. In all, the Pioneer offensive line parted the way for 382 yards on the ground. Storm Robinson had 125 yards rushing in the loss for Herbert Hoover.
Wayne is open next week before entertaining Sissonville on Sept. 25.
"Open week to us is time to improve. We've got to make our football team better," Harmon said. "Good teams find ways to do that while everybody is patting them on the back. We need to do that next week."
WAYNE 20 6 8 15 -- 49
HERBERT HOOVER 0 6 0 14 -- 20
W-Mills 54 INT return (kick failed)
W-Frazier 1 run (Damron run)
W-Elliot 89 punt return (kick failed)
H-Ryan 15 pass from Hurd (kick failed)
W-Mills 39 pass from Frazier (run failed)
W-Damron 2 run (Elliot pass from Frazier)
W-Frazier 17 run (J. Adkins kick)
H-Kidd 1 run (pass failed)
W-J. Adkins 5 run (Chadwick pass from T. Adkins)
H-Hurd 5 run (Hurd run)
W HH
First downs 20 16
Rushes-yards 48-382 36-205
Passing 2-5-0 6-21-2
Passing yards 61 110
Total offense 443 315
Fumbles-lost 1-0 1-0
Penalties 8-62 5-32
Punts 1-29.0 3-29.3
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING -- Wayne: Damron 10-83, Ferrell 11-82, Frazier 3-22, Mills 3-11, Barr 3-47, Elliot 4-38, J. Adkins 3-11, T. Adkins 1-52, Thompson 1-1, Carroll 2-16, Smith 2-11, Spurlock 2-8. Herbert Hoover: Robinson 20-125, Hurd 7-36, Kidd 5-1, Casillas 3-18, Bass 4-23, Johnson 1-2.
PASSING -- Wayne: Frazier 2-5-0, 61 yards. Herbert Hoover: Hurd 6-20-1, 110 yards; Johnson 0-1-1.
RECEIVING -- Wayne: Mills 1-39, Perry 1-22. Herbert Hoover: Ryan 2-28, Kidd 3-64, Coleman 1-18.
