SECTION IV FOOTBALL: SVEC CHALLENGES TIOGA EARLY; TIGERS PULL AWAY FOR 28-0 WIN (23 PHOTOS) (2024-09-26)
By TIM TAYLOR
Tioga County Sports Report
SPENCER — Spencer-Van Etten/Candor gave Tioga fits for much of the first half, but the Tigers would take advantage of a handful of opportunities to pull away for a 28-0 Section IV Football Conference victory Thursday evening.
“These boys, they battled for four whole quarters,” Wayman said. “I don't know another team in the section or really anywhere in the state that has Tioga 7-0 at halftime, especially a Class D. I mean, that just shows you the fight of these boys. They don't quit. We don't have many, but we have warriors. I've said it time and time and again.”
It took the three-time defending Class D state champions more than 20 minutes to put points on the scoreboard, but they were able to create some space in the second half.
The Tigers were hampered by a pair of three-and-out series with a fumble in between, but put together a 10-play, 67-yard drive in the second quarter to grab a 7-0 halftime advantage.
Jake Browne scored on a 9-yard run with 3:32 on the second-quarter clock and James Miller converted the PAT kick.
Tioga had an opportunity to increase its lead just before the break, but Jake Browne fumbled into the end zone and SVEC’s Jakobe Foster jumped on the loose pigskin.
The Tigers would fumble again on the first possession of the second half, but recover the ball, then Shane Platukis dashed 55 yards on the next play and Miller split the uprights to make it 14-0 just 32 seconds into the third quarter.
The Eagles started moving the ball on the ensuing drive following a nice kick return by Charlie Hilbert, but fumble on 3rd-and-3 and although they recovered the loose ball they would turn the ball over on downs at the Tioga 40.
The Tigers used the opportunity to widen their lead as Browne scored on a 45-yard run two plays later and Miller made it 21-0.
Following a SVEC three-and-out, the Eagles’ defensive lineman Patrick Keir intercepted a pass, giving his team the ball at the Tioga 36. Unfortunately for the home team, it headed backward and Tate MaCauley sacked Logan Cody at midfield to force a punt.
Jak Smith would boom the ball down to the two and Tioga took over at its own one following a penalty.
The Tigers’ possession ended with a Foster interception at the Tioga 45 and SVEC began to drive.
The Eagles would work the ball to a 1st-and-goal at the 10, but consecutive sacks by Browne and Brennan Sindoni pushed the rock back to the 28. On the next play, Kadin Cole picked off a pass and returned it to the SVEC nine. Sindoni plunged in from the one three plays later and Miller’s kick made it 28-0.
“We had breaks in the game, good field position,” Wayman said. “A lineman making an interception. I love that.”
Running back Logan Aman, who is averaging nearly 140 yards per game, was sidelined by an injury, but is expected back next week when SVEC opens its Division VI schedule.
“Jakobe Foster, he carried the team. Logan Aman couldn't go tonight, so he picked up a lot of slack,” Wayman said. “Charlie Hilbert, he's a power back, so you don't think he has the stamina as much as a three.
“We had a bunch of mismatches tonight. Guys playing different roles, but they took it on the fly and I'm really proud of these boys. I'm really proud to coach this team.”
SVEC had one last chance to score, marching 72 yards to the Tioga one in 15 plays before time expired.
Defense rose to the occasion early in the contest as the rivals combined for just 33 yards offense in the first period.
One of the keys to Tioga’s success this season will be its line, which averages better than 240 pounds per player. Although they are big and physical, Wayman didn’t feel as if the Tigers wore his players down.
“I don't think so,” he said. “They're disciplined. They're pulling their line. They had some beef for sure. I don't think they wore us down, more of they just kind of got the jump on us. It was hard for our linebackers to adjust because they fly off the line so hard, so we were getting jammed on the second level and we couldn't fill, so 44 just had a really big lane to the end zone every time. I gave him all the props when we were shaking hands. He just rumbles, tumbles and stumbles. I love to see that. Their whole team, they're a bunch of competitors, and it was a good game.
“The same as last week. I don't think the scoreboard doesn’t do this game justice at all. We just couldn't adjust and they found something that they could take advantage of, and they exploited it, so that's on us.”
Wayman is aware there is work to be done before next Saturday’s divisional clash with Harpursville/Afton.
“Tackling is still a big issue. I think in the first half we did pretty good, but big 44. If you try to tackle a bowling ball up high like we saw at Lansing, you're just gonna get (dragged), so we really just need to work on tackling at the legs.
“Jak Smith made a great play on a kickoff. He's a wrestler. He had a great double leg, so that got me fired up a little bit, but like I said, everybody's flying around doing their part, but I just think work on tackling and take advantage of field position. We had a short field a lot of times, moving the ball, and then we would just stall out, so we’ve just got to finish this week coming up.”
SVEC did manage to come away with four turnovers on the night, but Tioga picked up 225 yards on the ground and another 63 through the air.
Browne led the way with 113 yards on 11 carries, Platukis rushed for 99 yards on seven runs and Sindoni added 38 more on eight totes. Duncanson went 4-for-8 for 63 yards through the air.
Foster led SVEC with 93 yards on 12 carries and Hilbert had 40 yards on 21 rushes. Cody completed 8 of his 15 passes for 26 yards with Nick Oakes and Nevin Mack hauling in three receptions apiece for 14 and 13 yards, respectively.
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PHOTOS BY TIM TAYLOR.
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