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Waterford spoils Frontier’s homecoming

RON JOHNSTON The Marietta Times Waterford’s Braden Bellville, right, gives a stiffarm while carrying the ball during a high school football game against Frontier Friday in New Matamoras, Ohio.

NEW MATATMORAS — Waterford High spoiled Frontier High’s homecoming.

Quarterback Peyten Stephens threw two touchdown passes to Cody Harris, and tailback Braden Bellville ran for three more scores as the Wildcats defeated the host Cougars, 49-7, in prep football action Friday night.

“We got off to a sluggish start, but once we got rolling, we were ready and put it on them,” said Stephens, who completed six-of-14 throws for 133 yards.

Teddy Smith also scored on a TD run, and the speedy Harris ran a kickoff 70 yards back to the house.

“Once we got the kinks worked out in the first quarter, we came out a little soft,” said WHS head coach Eric McCutcheon, whose Wildcats improved their record to 4-1 overall. “We just didn’t play well coming out. But we regrouped, and the kids started blocking and executing a little better. Our defense kept us in that first quarter. And once we got our offense going, it turned out to be a pretty decent night for us.”

Frontier’s Eric Tidd (15) carries the ball during a high school football game against Waterford Friday night in New Matamoras. Waterford won, 49-7. RON JOHNSTON The Marietta Times

Bellville finished with 154 yards on 16 carries, while Harris had four receptions for 82 yards. Smith added 47 stripes on eight attempts. The Cats as a team had 327 total yards — 194 rushing and 133 passing.

“Our line played and protect very well after the first quarter,” McCutcheon said. “We were able to set in the pocket and hit some of our targets, and then we were able to run the ball a little bit.”

On defense, Joe Pantelidis and Nick Fouss each had a pick, and Stephens and Pantelidis had one fumble recovery apiece.

“The kids did well, and I’m proud of all of them,” McCutcheon said.

Frontier fell to 1-4 on the season. Offensively, Eric Tidd scored on a 33-yard run to paydirt in the fourth quarter, and on defense, Kaylb Mcqueary had two interceptions.

“It was a tough night,” said FHS boss Johnny Schmidt, whose Cougars amassed 188 total yards (183 on the ground). “Coach McCutcheon does a great job with those kids.

“We played hard, but the thing about it, we’re not good enough to overcome mistakes. I mean, we gift-wrapped their first touchdown.”

Frontier fumbled on its second offensive possession, and Pantelidis recovered it on the Cougar 21. A few plays later on a fourth down situation, Stephens hit Harris with a 27-yard scoring strike. After Harris ran in the two-point conversion, WHS led 8-0.

Late in the opening period, after the Cats got good field position at midfield on a punt, they drove to the seven, where Bellville ran it in to make it 14-0. Harris kicked the point after, and the green and white led 15-0.

Earlier in the second quarter, Stephens passed 34 yards to Harris for six, and Waterford owned a 21-0 advantage.

“There’s no better feeling than throwing Cody that deep ball touchdown,” Stephens said. “When we get the ball to Cody, we know he’ll make a play for us.”

With 7:17 left in the second quarter, Bellville broke one for 70 yards and a TD, and the Wildcats were up 28-0 at the intermission.

“There’s no slowing him down,” said Stephens of Bellville.

In the third quarter, Waterford capitalized on another recovered Cougar fumble when Bellville raced 28 yards from the line of scrimmage to paydirt to make it 35-0.

Just before the end of the third, Pantelidis picked off a pass, and the Cats were back in business. Doing the honors this time, Smith scored on a six-yard TD run, and the visitors’ lead bulged to 42-0.

About midway through the final period, Frontier averted a shutout, when Tidd swept right and ran 33 yards to the end zone. Briar West booted the extra point to cut it to 42-7.

On the ensuing kickoff, though, Harris collected the ball at the Waterford 30 and raced down the right sideline all the to the end zone. His PAT made it 49-7.

“We’re 4-1 now, and we just need to keep getting better,” McCutcheon said.

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