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Wildcats stomp Cougars

RON JOHNSTON The Marietta Times Waterford’s Isaac Huffman (11) carries the ball as Frontier’s Wyatt Smitley attempts to track him down during a high school football game Friday. Waterford won, 54-14.

WATERFORD — Waterford High had good field position for most of the first half.

The Wildcats scored touchdowns on their first six offensive possession en route to a 54-14 triumph over visiting Frontier in prep football action Friday night.

“We came ready to play tonight,” said first-year WHS coach Eric McCutcheon. “I told the guys that we knew Frontier was a young team, and that we had to jump on them early — and we did that pretty good as a team tonight.”

Waterford senior Tyler McCutcheon rushed for 87 yards on seven carries and three touchdowns of 6, 10, and 15 yards. Sophomore Braden Bellville also scored three TDs on just three touches of 1, 5, and 28 yards. Senior quarterback Isaac Huffman added a 3-yard TD run, and senior lineman Riley Burns scored on a pick-6 of 30 yards.

“We’ve got a lot of options ,” McCutcheon said. “We can give multiple looks, go right, left and center. It doesn’t matter to us. We’re a pretty balanced team.

“Everything we worked on, we scouted them pretty good. We kind of knew where to attack, and it worked out pretty decent.”

Defensively, Huffman also had an interception, Cylus Reynolds blocked a Cougar punt, and Clayton Campbell recovered a fumble.

Waterford, fifth-ranked in OHSAA Division VII, Region 27, improved its record to 4-1.

“That’s the best Waterford team I’ve ever seen,” said Frontier coach Johnny Schmidt. “There’s no holes in their game. I mean, they can run. They can go power at you. They can throw the ball.

“Eric McCutcheon and I are great friends, and I’m so happy for Eric,” Schmidt said. “Obviously, I’m aggravated for us, but Eric runs a good program. He’s got good kids. They’re doing the right thing. Hard work pays off for good people.”

Frontier fell to 0-5 on the season. Freshman running back Joel Lewis scored on a 37-yard TD run in the third quarter, and Toby Minder hauled in a 66-yard scoring pass from QB Lane Snyder in the final period.

“54-14, it stinks,” Schmidt said. “I’m never going to accept it ever, ever, but I wouldn’t trade this position with anybody else. I love these kids. They’re working every day to try to get better. You can’t fault work ethic. You just go to the drawing board and keep plugging along. That’s what you do.”

In the first quarter alone, the Wildcats had scoring drives from the Frontier 33, 15, 5, and 37. Bellville had two sixes and McCutcheon one to help give the green and white a 22-0 advantage.

McCutcheon scored his second TD of the contest early in the second period on a 10-yard run, and Cody Harris kicked the extra point, making it 29-0.

Then, the WHS defense got in on the scoring when Burns intercepted QB Minder’s throw and ran it to paydirt.

“I’m so happy for Riley,” Eric McCutcheon said. “He works his butt off in practice. It was great to see him get that touchdown. He made a great play on it.”

Frontier did get its initial first down until just before the half.

At the intermission, the Cats owned a commanding 42-0 advantage.

In the third quarter, Waterford scored twice on TD runs by Tyler McCutcheon and Huffman to win going away. The WHS starters rested in the final period.

Waterford is scheduled to host Eastern Friday at 7 p.m., while Frontier plays at Fort Frye on the same evening.

“It’s homecoming next week, and we have to protect our home field,” Eric McCutcheon said.

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