Photos by Mark Huber
WILMINGTON — Mt. Healthy held Wilmington to 122 yards on offense and took advantage of a special teams breakdown Friday for a 22-7 win.
The Hurricane (2-1) ran 24 times but gained just 41 yards. Caydn Denniston had 23 yards on 12 tries.
Aiden Price was 8-15 passing for 81 yards with Zane Smith the top receiver at 5-73.
Wilmington trailed 8-0 but got on the board late in the first quarter despite Mt Healthy being flagged for seven first quarter penalties. The Owls ended the game with 15 penalties.
A Jesse Keith interception put WHS in great field position at the MH 18. Denniston bulled into the end zone from the 1 and with the Jon Custis extra point, Wilmington was within 8-7.
Mt Healthy then went on a 17-play drive that came up empty but was typical of the night. The Hurricane defense was asked to stop the Owls time and time again. The 11 defenders did well for most of the night but couldn’t keep it up as the second half started.
Wilmington received the opening kick to the third quarter but failed to field a live ball and Mt. Healthy recovered at the WHS 25. It took five plays for the Owls to score with Larry Crittendon going the final yard and it was 14-7.
The Hurricane offense was stymied on its next drive by a 15-yard penalty and then on the following drive by a 22-yard loss when the snap went over Price’s head. As the third quarter neared an end, Price and Smith hooked up for three straight completions and 35 yards but an interception ended the drive. Mt. Healthy negotiated 63 yards in five plays for the final touchdown of the night.
SUMMARY
Sept 1 2023
@Alumni Field
Mt Healthy 22, Wilmington 7
MH^8^0^6^8^^22
W^7^0^0^0^^7
SCORING
First Quarter
MH-Sanders 24 yard pass from Spain (Spain to Fannon) 10:07
W-Caydn Denniston 1 yard run (Jon Custis PAT) 2:00
Second Quarter
No Scoring
Third Quarter
MH-Crittendon 1 yard run (Run failed) 10:44
Fourth Quarter
MH-Sanders 14 yard pass from Spain (Bradford run) 11:53
STATISTICS
Passing: MH (18-31-1) Spain 18-31-1, 207 yards; WIL (8-16-2) Price 8-15-2, 81 yards; Jake Stephens 0-1-0
Rushing: MH (46-178) Bradford 33-154, Crittendon 8-36, Spain 6-(-13); WIL (24-41) Caydn Denniston 12-23 Aiden Price 7-1 Bryson Schutte 5-17
Receiving: MH (18-207) Scott 8-135, Sanders 4-68, Bradford 2-5, Etheridge 3-(-6), Fannon 1-5; WIL (8-81) Alex Massie 1-3, Zane Smith 5-73, Mikey Brown 1-12, Stephen Rickman 1-4
