’Hounds make short work of Reynolds
Wilmington (60) vs. Reynolds (7)
Written: Sep 25, 2010
  By DAN IRWIN
d_irwin@ncnewsonline.com
Go ahead. Target Sutton Whiting.
Reynolds High seemed intent on doing just that in the Raiders’ District 10 Region 3-AA game at Wilmington last night.
After all, Whiting was averaging 145 yards rushing per game over the Greyhounds’ first three outings. Thus, Reynolds kept close track of the Wilmington senior from the outset, limiting him to 11 yards on his first eight carries and tackling him three times for a loss or no gain.
While the Raiders were busy with Whiting, though, Anthony Derrick slipped right on through.
Derrick, who had 161 yards total in Wilmington’s first three games, exploded for 172 and two touchdowns on just four carries in the ’Hounds’ 60-7 mercy rule romp.
“When they’re keying on Sutton, it opens up some huge holes for the rest of us, me and Jake and Tyler Donati,” Derrick said. “And the line’s been doing great.”
As for Whiting — well, suffice to say the Raiders found it difficult to maintain their early success. He finished the night with five touchdowns and 114 yards on 11 carries.
“My offense isn’t built on one guy, even though we’ve had some great ones,” Wilmington coach Terry Verrelli said. “I still believe in, if I have them, using them.
“That’s what makes the offense go, that’s what makes it effective and difficult to prepare for. That’s what the plan was all along.”
Overall, Wilmington (4-0, 2-0) rolled up 498 yards of total offense, with all but 73 of them coming on the ground.
Like Whiting, Derrick got a taste of frustration early on. Twice he seemed destined for long romps to the end zone, only to be dragged down from behind each time after gains of 20 and 34 yards.
Early in the second period, though, he finally finished one off, exploding for a 72-yard scoring run that gave Wilmington a 21-yard lead (Whiting previously had scored on 1- and 6-yard runs).
Derrick also appeared ready to take the second-half kickoff to the house, only to be tripped up after a 39-yard return to the Wilmington 44. But just one play later, he covered the remaining 46 yards.
“It felt great to finally get in the end zone,” Derrick said of his first touchdown. “It felt like I was getting tripped up every single play.
“On the kickoff, I should have cut it back whenever the kicker was coming over. I thought I could beat him outside.”
Meanwhile, Whiting’s other three scores came on runs of 16, 50 and 37 yards. Split end Ryan Crawford turned a slant pass from Josh Tekac into a 61-yard scoring strike, and Donati rounded out the fireworks with a 37-yard, tackle-shirking breakaway in the fourth quarter.
Reynolds averted a shutout when Clay Stoyer found Brandon Weaver on a 6-yard pass nine seconds into the final stanza. The play capped a 14-play, 60-yard drive against the Greyhounds’ second-team defense.
Overall, Wilmington limited the Raiders (0-2, 0-4) to just 78 total yards, including a net of 12 on the ground.
“They’re struggling,” Verrelli said of Reynolds, “but they came after us, they didn’t lay down.”
REYNOLDS WILMINGTON
7 First downs 13
57 Yards Rushing 432
45 Yards Lost 7
12 Net Rushing 425
20 Passes Attempted 5
8 Passes Completed 3
1 Passes Intercepted 0
66 Yards Passing 73
78 Total Yards 498
2-0 Fumbles-Lost 0-0
5-30.8 Punts-Average 0-0
3-17 Penalties-Yards 4-25
REYNOLDS 0 0 0 7 — 7
WILMINGTON 14 26 13 7 — 60
Scoring plays
WILMINGTON — Sutton Whiting, 1-yard run (Harrison Sturm kick).
WILMINGTON — Whiting, 6-yard run (Brandon Ryder kick).
WILMINGTON — Anthony Derrick, 72-yard run (Sturm kick).
WILMINGTON — Whiting, 16-yard run (kick failed).
WILMINGTON — Ryan Crawford, 61-yard pass from Josh Tekac (Ryder kick).
WILMINGTON — Whiting, 50-yard run (kick failed).
WILMINGTON — Derrick, 46-yard run (kick failed).
WILMINGTON — Whiting, 37-yard run (Slavi Pontius kick).
REYNOLDS — Brandon Weaver, 6-yard pass from Clay Stoyer (Blake Heim kick).
WILMINGTON — Tyler Donati, 50-yard run (Pontius kick).
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