'Skins smack Tribe (10/30/04)

ST. HENRY — You might think the seventh-ranked team in the state would be a lock for the playoffs. Not so.

The St. Henry Redskins needed their 34-0 win over Fort Recovery Friday night just to give themselves a chance at a postseason berth. They used a 27-point third quarter against the Indians to give themselves that opportunity.

St. Henry, 9-1 and voted No. 7 in Division V, was seventh in the Division V Region 20 computer points standings following the ninth week of the season. It had just a lead of less than one point over Shroder Paideia Academy and Anna, and only the top eight teams in each region advance to the playoffs.

After scoring a touchdown late in the first quarter, the Redskins did all they could do to prove themselves and in turn finished the Tribe’s season on a sour note.

Nathan Stahl tossed an 8-yard touchdown pass to Andy Puthoff 2:12 into the second quarter to start a scoring barrage that would put the game well out of reach. Less than four minutes later, Stahl connected on a 31-yard touchdown pass to Brady Schmitz on a third-and-21 play.

Stahl’s third touchdown — he also passed for a 34-yard score to Jared Stammen in the first quarter — put the Redskins up 21-0 with 6:10 left in the first half.

Fort Recovery (1-9) took the ball again, but for the second straight drive they lost it on an interception by Tyler Wuebker on the second play. Wuebker, who tossed three picks in the defeat, was starting at quarterback for the first time in place of the injured Mark Willmann.

St. Henry wasted little time moving the ball the remaining 28 yards, scoring in just four plays on a 9-yard run by Jon Hemmelgarn. Puthoff got his second score on a 3-yard run with 50 seconds left in the first half for the 34-0 lead which would also be the final margin.

Both teams let plenty of back-ups take the field in a second half which featured little offense.

Stahl tossed for 146 of his team’s 168 passing yards in the first half. Hemmelgarn had 99 first-half rushing yards as his team finished with 197 overall.

Tony Diller was the top Fort Recovery rusher with 10 yards on four carries. The Indians managed just 37 yards of total offense in the contest.

Wuebker finished 3-of-12 passing for 23 yards, and Dusty Guggenbiller caught two passes for 16 yards.

The lone win for the Tribe this year came in the opening week of the season when it routed Ansonia 33-6. The Indians were also 1-9 last season with the only win coming against Ansonia.[[In-content Ad]]