NFV wins home debut, 61-0

Blue, black & silver turns Oelwein black & blue

By Jerry Wadian
Sports Editor
jwadian@thefayettecountyunion.com

In its home debut, the North Fayette Valley TigerHawks showed off their new uniforms: black with silver letters and Columbia blue trim.

At the end of the night,however, it was the visitors from Oelwein who were black and blue after absorbing a 61-0 pounding.

The TigerHawks got the ball first and marched 63 yards for a TD. 

Trevor Hurd hit Daniel Streeter for an eight-yard gain on the first play from scrimmage; Streeter did a nice job of hanging on to the ball in heavy traffic. Then, Josh Mackey rumbled 30 yards and Austin DeMuth ran the ball into  the end zone. However, the play was called back on a penalty, the first of two TDs called back by penalties; in both cases the TigerHawks shook off the miscues and went on to score.

On this drive, the TigerHawks just gave it to Mackey for the next two plays and 21 yards for a 6-0 lead.

Oelwein went three-and-out on its first possession with Dakota Moore sacking the Husky QB on its first play of the game.

Hurd was intercepted on the next series for NFV, but again the visitors went three-and-out.

The TigerHawks took over on the 30 and scored one play later, as Derrick Kuehner went around the right side, found daylight and put on the afterburners for a 70-yard score.

On its third possession, Oelwein hit a 36-yard bomb to get a first-and-10 on the NFV 8. 

Two incompletions and an Oelwein penalty later, Phil Kleve prevented a TD with a pick in the end zone, running the ball back out to the TigerHawk 22.

This time it took just three plays to score. Hurd hit Kleve on a beautiful post pattern at the Oelwein 25, and Kleve ran untouched to the house for a 22-0 lead with 3:15 left in the first quarter!

With 24 seconds left in the opening quarter, NFV scored again on a five-play, 57-yard drive, capped by Ben Martin’s 17-yard run around the left side.

The Huskies managed to drive for a pair of first downs in each of their next two possessions but turned the ball over on downs each time.

Meanwhile, NFV ripped off two more scores to close the half leading, 41-0.

Under the 35-point rule, the second half was played with the clock running continuously.

North Fayette Valley’s offense only touched the ball twice – it would have been three times, but Kuehner took a punt back 60 yards for NFV’s first score of the second half.

With the starters out, TigerHawk reserves continued to pound the Huskies, scoring both times they had the ball.

Their first drive went 52 yards in eight plays; the second was a 70-yard, nine-play affair. Along the way Brody Woods, Mitchell Ihde and Dillon Baumler all made some scintillating runs.

Afterwards, head coach Bob Lape stated, “It was a good win for us. Our kids looked like they were really starting to get the system, and we got to evaluate a lot of players.”

In all, 10 different players got to carry the ball, and on defense, 27 different TigerHawks were in on at least one tackle.

According to Lape, “We knew we had talent on the team, but I think we have more talent than even we thought. We certainly have more speed than we’ve had in the past few years.”

Lape concluded his post-game remarks, saying, “There’s a lot of excitement and enthusiasm on the team, and I think in the area. It’s a fun time to be a TigerHawk!”