McGuffey veers past Beth-Center, stays unbeaten
McGuffey’s Jake Garrety, left, tackles Beth-Center’s Dylan Dingle during Friday night's game.
Celeste Van Kirk/Observer-Reporter
McGuffey’s Brendan Crowe is tackled by Beth-Center’s Devin Dingle during Friday night’s game.
Celeste Van Kirk/Observer-Reporter
Beth-Center’s Bailey Lincoski carries the football Friday night against McGuffey.
Celeste Van Kirk/Observer-Reporter
Beth-Center’s Dominic Fundy eludes the tackle attempt of McGuffey’s Thomas Sell to score a touchdown.
Celeste Van Kirk/Observer-Reporter
McGuffey’s Jake Garrety runs past Beth-Center’s Dylan Dingle during Friday night’s game.
FREDERICKTOWN – Heading into the Interstate Conference clash of unbeaten football teams, the focus was on Beth-Center’s offense (49 points per game) and McGuffey’s defense (5.3 points allowed per game).
But it was the Highlanders’ offense that stole the show.
McGuffey used the veer-offense effectively and junior quarterback Marshall Whipkey accounted for five touchdowns in a 48-14 victory on the road against Beth-Center.
“Always believe in the veer,” McGuffey coach Ed Dalton said with a smile. “Our front has really played well the last two games and I thought we could win in the trenches. I think it was pretty even with both teams’ skilled guys, so we had to win on the line.”
Whipkey rushed for 145 yards and added 82 yards through the air on four-of-six passing.
“We just ran the veer like we know how to and our backs are just hard to tackle,” Whipkey said. “We got some big plays on the ground and we are hard to stop when we get going. It’s the triple option, so it’s three plays in one. We had a lot of confidence in what we were running.”
After forcing B-C to a three-and-out, McGuffey quickly took a 7-0 lead on its first offensive play, a 65-yard sprint to the end zone by Whipkey.
“We wanted to start the game with a big play,” Whipkey said.
“On that option handoff, the defensive tackle crashed in and the outside was open. I was able to get around the corner. We just have a lot of explosive players on offense and we know this offense very well.”
The Bulldogs quickly responded when Bailey Lincoski capped a drive with a 1-yard keeper and B-C took its first lead of the night when Dominic Fundy scored on the two-point conversion.
The Highlanders countered with a touchdown and took a 14-8 lead with 5:24 left in the opening quarter on a 30-yard scoring completion to Brendan Crowe from Whipkey.
After both teams traded punts going into the second quarter, McGuffey pushed its lead to 20-8 when Whipkey broke loose with a 66-yard scoring run.
“We just didn’t tackle well tonight,” B-C coach Joe Kuhns said. “That’s what so disappointing. We had them lined up, we just didn’t tackle in space. Two times we came off the quarterback where we shouldn’t have, and those were the two long runs. Just very disappointed.”
B-C fumbled on its next drive near midfield, and McGuffey’s offense took full advantage of the good field position and increased its lead to 27-8 when Christian Clutter converted a fourth-and-one with a 23-yard touchdown run.
Both teams exchanged fumbles and the Highlanders final drive of the first half bogged down with no time left on the clock. The visitors carried a 27-8 lead into intermission.
Trailing by multiple touchdowns, B-C opted to go for it on some fourth downs in the third quarter in their own end, and both times McGuffey’s defense stiffened.
After the pair of defensive stops, the Highlanders turned them into 14 points, on a 2-yard touchdown pass to Crowe from Whipkey and a 19-yard scoring toss to Clutter from Whipkey.
Ryan Lynch recovered a fumble in the end zone for the Bulldogs at the 6:08 mark of the fourth quarter, but the Highlanders tallied the final score of the night when Clutter collected a 54-yard touchdown run.
“I think our defense will get some credit this week,” Dalton said. “We have only gave up a handful of points and we knew Beth-Center had a very good offense. We attacked their spread and stayed in our lanes. We were really physical up front.”
Clutter finished with 140 yards on nine carries. Crowe (39 rushing yards) and McKinley Whipkey (49 rushing yards) were also vital parts to the offense.
“The veer is hard to prepare for in a week,” Dalton said. “We have a lot of bright kids, and they know how to attack defenses with it. Marshall is just a hard worker and he knows this offense inside and out. We have some good backs and they made plays when it counted.”
Lincoski didn’t play in the second half for B-C because of an injury, and on the Bulldogs’ third drive of the second half Fundy left the game after an apparent ankle injury. Fundy, who was the sixth leading rusher in the WPIAL coming into the game with 659 yards, was held to 60 yards.
“Bailey didn’t play in the second half because he got his bell rung in the first half,” Kuhns said. “Then Dom went down with an ankle. We just fell apart on offense. Too many turnovers and too many penalties. We have to do better and turn this around.”