WILLIAMSTOWN -Class A No. 18 South Harrison ended up being just what the doctor ordered for host Williamstown here Friday night as head coach Terry Smith's Yellowjackets snapped a two-game slide and rolled the Hawks, 49-7.
Williamstown, which heads to Ravenswood next Friday, used a plethora of big plays en route to improving to 2-2 on the campaign. South Harrison never could get much going offensively and the lone Hawk touchdown came against the Yellowjacket reserves with 8:44 left in the contest on a Ben Aylestock 12-yard scoring run. For the game, WHS held a 515-245 advantage in total yards.
After winning the toss and electing to receive the ball, South Harrison was promptly awarded with starting its possession on the 20-yard line after Garret Butler boomed the kickoff into the end zone. Three plays later and after a 17-yard punt, Williamstown was in business at the SHHS 41.
Article Photos
MIKE UHL Special to The Times
Williamstown’s Dakota Watson (7) follows his blockers during a prep football game against visiting South Harrison Friday night.
Williamstown wasted no time in taking control of the game as Jake Tracewell hit Beau Wasmer on a 31-yard screen pass. On the next play, Dakota Watson scored from 10 yards out and after Butler's boot the 'Jackets had the lead for good at 7-0 with 10:03 still showing on the first quarter clock.
Although the Hawks, who were led by Austin Glaspell's 87 yards rushing along with Aylestock's 76 yards on the ground, got a trio of first downs on their next series they were forced to punt again.
On Williamstown's first play from scrimmage, Trace Hart broke through the middle of the Hawk defense and raced 72 yards untouched to paydirt.
Fact Box
Williamstown 49, South Harrison 7
South Harrison (2-2) 0 0 0 7 - 7
Williamstown (2-2) 14 14 21 0 - 49
WT: Dakota Watson 10 run (Garret Butler kick) 10:03, 1st
WT: Trace Hart 72 run (Butler kick) 4:14, 1st
WT: Hart 63 run (Butler kick) 11:48, 2nd
WT: Watson 25 run (Butler kick) 2:48, 2nd
WT: David Hastings 63 pass from Jake Tracewell (Butler kick) 9:22, 3rd
WT: Watson 74 run (Butler kick) 7:35, 3rd
WT: Brad Meeks 42 run (Butler kick) 3:08, 3rd
SH: Ben Aylestock 12 run (Spencer Shriver kick) 8:44, 4th
Team stats
South Harrison: First downs: 15; Rushes-yards: 51-224; Passing yards: 22; Total yards: 246; Passing: 4-13-0; Punts-average: 9-26.8; Fumbles-lost: 2-1; Penalties-yards: 2-27
Williamstown: First downs: 14; Rushes-yards: 32-404; Passing yards: 111; Total yards: 515; Passing: 5-9-0; Punts-average: 1-50; Fumbles-lost: 2-1; Penalties-yards: 4-36
Individual stats
South Harrison: Rushing: Chance Reed 1-1, Issac Corley 4-24, Cole James 2-12, Austin Glaspell 22-87, Ben Aylestock 15-76, Chase Jenkins 1-0, Christian Martin 3-11, Austin Baker 3-13; Passing: James 4-13-0, 22 yards; Receiving: Glaspell 3-18, Hunter Hitt 1-4
Williamstown: Rushing: Austin Raines 1-2, Mike Beck 5-11, Team 1-(-1), Dakota Watson 6-124, Trace Hart 4-148, David Hastings 2-22, Brad Meeks 13-98; Passing: Jake Tracewell 5-9-0, 111 yards; Receiving: Hastings 1-63, Gage Wix 2-9, Beau Wasmer 2-39
Next games: Williamstown at Ravenswood on Friday; South Harrison at Calhoun County on Friday, Sept. 28.
Despite a muffed punt by 'Jacket Hunter Neely which was pounced on by Hawk Justin Blake, the WHS defense stood tall on the ensuing series and got the ball back when Hart recovered a fumble. Just two plays later it was 21-0 Williamstown as Hart took it the house from 63 yards out just 12 seconds into the second quarter.
Williamstown took a 28-0 lead into intermission after Watson scored on a 25-yard touchdown run at the 2:48 mark. South Harrison, which returns to action on Sept. 28 with a road game at Calhoun County, tried a 38-yard field goal by Spencer Shriver toward the end of the first half but his boot was just short and to the right.
The score quickly moved to 35-0 with 9:22 left in the third when Tracewell hooked up with David Hastings on a 63-yard catch-and-run scoring pass. Glaspell tried to strip the ball from Hastings at the 20, but Hastings shook him off and waltzed into the end zone..
Watson brought the Jacket faithful to their feet on the next series for the hosts when he bolted 74 yards for a touchdown. He managed to run over and through an attempted tackle by Glaspell and was off to the races. Butler's sixth straight successful extra point attempt put the Hawks in a 42-0 hole.
Senior Chris McDuffy blew up a third-and-short run by the Hawks on their next drive and forced them to punt. Once the 'Jackets took over, Brad Meeks ended up scoring the final six-pointer of the game for the hosts on a 42-yard scamper. Butler's kick slammed into the upright, but managed to go past the crossbar.
Hart finished with 148 yards rushing on only four attempts while Watson had 124 yards on six totes. Meeks tallied 98 ground yards on 13 attempts. Tracewell went 5 of 9 for 111 yards passing.
