McGuffey hands Waynesburg first loss of season
Waynesburg Central quarterback Jacob Stephenson (6) lines up behind the blocking of Layden Haynes (63) and sprints for the Raiders鈥� first score in the first quarter during Friday night鈥檚 game at McGuffey. (Photo by Mark Marietta)
Mark Marietta
Waynesburg Central鈥檚 Ross Tennant (26) and Colby Pauley (7) attempt to bring down McGuffey running back Charles Wagers during Friday night鈥檚 game at McGuffey.
Waynesburg Central鈥檚 Colby Pauley (7) zones in on McGuffey quarterback Connor Crowe (8) during Friday night鈥檚 game at McGuffey. (Photo by Mark Marietta)
Mark Marietta
Waynesburg Central鈥檚 Ross Tennant (26) returns a kickoff during Friday night鈥檚 game at McGuffey.
CLAYSVILLE 鈥� Knute Rockne would have been proud of the way McGuffey鈥檚 football team played Friday night.
The Highlanders scored three second-half touchdowns to take a 26-7 victory from previously undefeated Waynesburg Central in a Class 2A Century Conference game on the gray artificial turf of McGuffey.
The Highlanders are 2-0 in the conference and 3-2 overall. Waynesburg falls to 1-1 in the conference and 4-1 overall.
McGuffey takes on Sto-Rox next week on the road and Waynesburg hosts Washington.
Dylan Drobol scored on two short runs in the second half and quarterback Connor Crowe scored on a four-yard plunge for the Highlanders to account for the second-half points.
鈥淚t was a different mindset that we had in the second half,鈥� said Crowe. 鈥淲e played together as a team.鈥�
Crowe thought blocking the Dalton Taylor field goal attempt as the first half expired was a huge play.
鈥淲hen we blocked that field goal, the energy changed,鈥� said Crowe. 鈥淎bsolutely, it was the turning point in the game.鈥�
McGuffey head coach Ed Dalton said it is either the system or the players that make a team successful.
鈥淭hey are a player team,鈥� Dalton said of Waynesburg. 鈥淭hey want to get the ball to this guy and that guy. We are a system team. We just think our style of play leads us to be consistent.
鈥淭here were a massive amount of plays. We blocked the kick before halftime. I think we could have been up by 14 or 21 points at halftime. We had some self-inflicted wounds, but I guess they could say the same thing.鈥�
Droboj was one of five players who ran the ball out of McGuffey鈥檚 flexbone backfield. He gained 37 yards on 10 carries.
鈥淚t鈥檚 amazing to play in this offense,鈥� said Droboj. 鈥淚t鈥檚 physical but I鈥檓 ready for it. The line pushed open the holes for me.鈥�
Crowe ran for 93 yards on nine carries and Charles Wagers gained 45 on eight attempts.
鈥淐onnor is like a magician,鈥� Dalton said. 鈥淗e鈥檚 as good an option quarterback as we ever had. He was 11 for 12 on his reads. If he鈥檚 11 for 12, then we鈥檙e going to be pretty good.鈥�
Waynesburg head coach Aaron Giorgi was not available for comment after the game.
Waynesburg quarterback Jake Stephenson completed 9 of 18 pass attempts for 62 yards. He also ran for 70 yards on 11 attempts.
The first half ended in a 7-7 tie but Waynesburg had to feel frustrated.
The Raiders opened the game with an 11-play, 68-yard drive that was capped by a six-yard touchdown run by Stephenson. McGuffey answered on its next possession, driving 56 yards on 15 plays and tying the score when Wagers bulled over from three yards out. Dylan Stewart鈥檚 extra point tied the score at 7-7.
McGuffey then turned the ball over as running back Droboj fumbled and Waynesburg recovered at the 37-yard line.
Stephenson launched a beautiful pass that hit Zach Jiblits in stride for an apparent touchdown. But Waynesburg was called for a holding penalty, negating the touchdown. McGuffey鈥檚 defense then forced a punt on fourth down.
Near the end of the half, Waynesburg drove to the McGuffey 3-yard line. But an incomplete pass brought a fourth down and Dalton Taylor鈥檚 23-yard field goal attempt was blocked, which seemed to pump life into McGuffey.