Photographs by Andrews PhotographyDATELINE AUGUST 29 - JULIA LAMB STADIUM - SIDNEY, OHIO
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A classic Roughrider football game was put on as an exhibition before a largely unappreciative crowd here. The air was crisp, pleasantly cool and dry with only the slightest breeze stirring, but despite these seemingly propitious conditions the airspace was conspicuously free of footballs. For the Roughriders did what all teams try to do - control the ball on the ground - on the way to embarrassing a usually competitive Yellowjacket squad.
The home team did not touch the ball for five and a half long minutes. St. Marys took the opening kickoff and did not relinquish the pill until they had deposited it in the enemy end zone 16 plays later. When Sidney did get the ball they managed to run only three offensive plays for six yards before being forced to punt it back to the Riders, who then forced it right back down their throats again in another long drive which ran out the quarter. The first quarter ended 7-0; something like 100 yards total offense to 6.
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The Roughriders finished off that drive and another in the second stanza, the second TD being scored on a highlight-reel one-handed diving catch through two defenders in the end zone on a fourth-and-goal from the 21 yard line, from QB Rick Haines to HB Andy Slone. Kurt Kill kicked the third of his five extra points and the Jackets were ready to stick forks in at that point.
Sidney fumbled the ball away on their next two possessions, and, accepting charity graciously, the Riders gladly poked two more footballs across the goal line before halftime, which came before Sidney knew what hit them at the price of 35-zip.
The halftime provided no respite to the suffering, as far as the season-ticket holders were concerned. The SMABB opened the show and rudely blew the headliners off the stage with upbeat 50s rock and roll and, of course, the talented and lithesome SMABB twirlers led by Head Majorette (ahem) Jenni Botkin (thank you very much!). The Sidney honkers just couldn't compete with their dirge-like repertoire, and the home fans' demoralization was complete.
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Our heroes, getting several second-string players some game experience, played the home team first team to a scoreless draw through the third quarter. But in the fourth, the Riders got back on track and broke open a couple of big plays for two more scores. When the dust settled and the Sidneyites gazed forlornly up at the tally, it read Home 0 - Visitors 49. The stats, when published, will prove the game to be every bit as lopsided in every way as the score would indicate.
On D, Andy Slone and Spencer Williams snagged interceptions; Doug Burke, Andy Huddleston and Doug Nieport recovered Sidney fumbles.
Six different players scored touchdowns for the Roughriders and two more tallied extra points. Haines had 2 TDs, the starting back trio of Jason Clark, Andy Slone and John Thistlethwaite each scored a TD, and Junior Bobby Huttis and Sophomore Brandon Meyer showed great promise on their lengthy TD scampers in the fourth. Kurt Kill went 5-for-5 on extra point kicks and Josh Lamb converted a two-point bonus to end the rout.
And this was opener some fans were worried about. Now all and sundry look forward to the home and WBL opener next week against Van Wert, themselves fresh off a shutout win over Bryan.
| GAME STATS (Stolen from The Evening Leader) | ||
| St. Marys | Sidney | |
| First Downs | 20 | 7 |
| Rushes-Yards | 69-384 | 25-18 |
| Completions/Attempts-Yards | 2/3-24 | 7/14-87 |
| Had Intercepted | 0 | 2 |
| Offensive Plays | 72 | 39 |
| Total Offense | 408 | 105 |
| Punts-Yards | 0-0 | 5-175 |
| Blocked | 0 | 0 |
| Fumbles-Lost | 1-1 | 3-3 |
| Penalties-Yards | 3-20 | 1-5 |
| RIDER STATS | ||
| Rushes | Yards | |
| 7 Rick Haines | 12 | 28 |
| 11 Aaron Seewer | 2 | 15 |
| 13 John Meinerding | 2 | 8 |
| 21 Bobby Huttis | 10 | 67 |
| 23 Andy Slone | 9 | 42 |
| 27 Brandon Meyer | 2 | 35 |
| 28 John Thistlethwaite | 12 | 110 |
| 30 Ken Williams | 2 | 7 |
| 32 Jason Clark | 12 | 49 |
| 34 Josh Lamb | 6 | 24 |
| Completions/Passes | Yards | |
| 7 Rick Haines | 2/3 | 24 |
| Receptions | Yards | |
| 23 Andy Slone | 1 | 21 |
| 86 Spencer Williams | 1 | 3 |
| Viewing Tip: If stats table is off-center, Increase Font (under "View" in Netscape). | ||
AROUND the WESTERN BUCKEYE LEAGUE August 29...
Bath ~ Beat Allen East 7-6 ~ 1-0 ~ 0-0
Celina ~ Beat Greenville 27-18 ~ 1-0 ~ 0-0
Defiance ~ Beat Napoleon 36-6 ~ 1-0 ~ 0-0
Kenton ~ Beat Wheelersburg, West Virginia 12-6 (OT) ~ 1-0 ~ 0-0 (August 30)
Ottawa-Glandorf ~ Beat Paulding 31-6 ~ 1-0 ~ 0-0
St. Marys ~ Beat Sidney 49-0 ~ 1-0 ~ 0-0
Shawnee ~ Beat Urbana 43-0 ~ 1-0 ~ 0-0
Van Wert ~ Beat Bryan 20-0 ~ 1-0 ~ 0-0
Elida ~ Lost to Findlay 44-9 ~ 0-1 ~ 0-0
Wapakoneta ~ Lost to Bellefontaine 26-25 ~ 0-1 ~ 0-0
(Wapak was ahead 25-12 with 9:22 left in the 4th qtr. CHOKE!)
Playoff Watch!
WBL ~ Beat non-league opponents 259-112 ~ 8-2
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