Wheelersburg gets offense working in win over NW

Published 12:00 am Sunday, October 12, 2003

McDERMOTT - Things are starting to click offensively for the Wheelersburg Pirates.

Having struggled most of the season with their offense, the Pirates put together their second straight strong offensive performance with a 35-19 win over the Northwest Mohawks Friday in a Southern Ohio Conference game.

Quarterback Tom Kaskey completed 11 of 13 passes for 160 yards and four touchdowns to lead the Pirates. Kaskey hit all eight attempts the first half for 122 yards as Wheelersburg built a 28-0 halftime cushion.

Email newsletter signup

Seven running backs combined for 34 carries and 165 yards. Brian Stephenson led the way with 47 yards on eight attempts and Nathan Timberlake added 37 on seven tries.

Wheelersburg is now 6-2 on the season and 2-1 in the SOC. The Pirates have a chance to earn a share of the league title next week when they host Portsmouth West.

The Senators lead the SOC with a 3-0 record after beating Minford 34-20. A Wheelersburg win would leave the league in a three-way tie for first place.

Northwest (3-5, 0-3) did most of its damage against the Pirates second team. Utilizing a single-wing attack, running back Darren Sandlin had an impressive game with 15 carries for 208 yards and he scored twice.

The Mohawks went to the single wing after losing their top two quarterbacks the last two weeks.

Kaskey threw a 5-yard touchdown pass to Timberlake and Matt Ruggles ran 5 yards for a touchdown as the Pirates took a 14-0 first quarter lead.

Wheelersburg got two more scores in the second quarter when Kaskey threw two more TD passes, a 6-yarder to Tyler Suter and a 16-yard strike to Chris Webb.

Webb and Kaskey hooked up again on a 26-yard touchdown play in the third quarter that extended the lead to 35-0 with 56 seconds on the clock.

Sandlin then scored on the first play following the ensuing kickoff as he broke off a 95-yard run.

Sandlin had a 7-yard TD run midway through the fourth quarter and Stephen Cable ran 49 yards for a touchdown on the final play of the game.

Wheelersburg141470-35

Northwest00712-19

First Quarter

Wh - Nathan Timberlake 5 pass from Tom Kaskey (Matt Ruggles kick)

6:49

Wh - Matt Ruggles 5 run (Matt Ruggles kick)

5:02

Second Quarter

Wh - Tyler Suter 6 pass from Tom Kaskey (Matt Ruggles kick) 4:37

Wh - Chris Webb 16 pass from Tom Kaskey (Matt Ruggles kick) 1:42

Third Quarter

Wh - Chris Webb 26 pass from Tom Kaskey (Matt Ruggles kick)

0:56

NW - Darren Sandlin 95 run (kick good)

0:36

Fourth Quarter

NW - Darren Sandlin 7 run (run failed) 6:37

NW - Stephen Cable 49 run (no conversion attempt)

0:00

-----

Individual Leaders

RUSHING - Wheelersburg: Brian Stephenson 8-47, Nathan Timberlake 7-37, Tom Kaskey 4-30, John Story 6-29, Matt Ruggles 4-17, Brandon White 2-5, Andrew Krick 3-0. Northwest: Darren Sandlin 15-208, Stephen Cable 18-98, Joe Schackart 1-4, Joe McGuire 1-1, Nick Pertuset 5-minus 12.

PASSING - Wheelersburg: Tom Kaskey 11-13-0

160, John Storey 0-1-0. Northwest: Stephen Cable 2-5-0

21.

RECEIVING - Wheelersburg: Brandon Jackson 2-72, Chris Webb 3-47, Brad Chamberlin 1-11, Tyler Suter 1-6, Nathan Timberlake 1-5, Cory Chamberlin 1-3. Northwest: NA.