With some good fortune and great defense, the Anthony Wayne Generals shook off a sluggish start and rolled to a 35-10 Northern Lakes League Buckeye Division football victory over host Perrysburg Friday night at Steinecker Stadium.
The win gave AW (8-2, 4-1) share of the division championship — along with Findlay and Whitmer — and was the Generals' 10th league title in program history.
“For these guys to win the championship this year, this was probably the toughest schedule our team has played,” AW coach Andy Brungard said. “We had to play Findlay, Whitmer, and Perrysburg, all on the road, and Hilliard Darby on the road. “All year, we just kept saying that we were going to respond when we hit adversity, and they did that the entire way.”
Bottled up early, Anthony Wayne junior quarterback Grant Kinnee eventually led the way offensively. He ran 25 times for 136 yards, including touchdown runs of 36 and 6 yards, and was 5 of 11 passing for 120 yards and a score.
That aerial TD early in the third quarter proved to be the game's pivotal play after AW led just 14-10 at halftime.
Facing a third-and-19 from his 11, Kinnee threw deep to Winn Sharp, who caught the ball between two defenders at the Perrysburg 45 and continued to the end zone on the 89-yard score.
“I talked to Winn Sharp all week, and we showed him on film from two years ago here when Evan Ray made a pivotal catch on post [pattern] down the middle of the field,” Brungard said. “It was crazy. It was same end zone, and the same spot on the field. [Sharp] knew he was going to be called on to make that play. It was a great catch and a great throw.”
Added Kinnee: “My offensive coordinator [Joe Horn] kept on telling me, 'It's going to be there. Just trust and have faith.' I stepped up in the pocket and took a hit, but it was definitely worth it. Winn is a great receiver and he took it all the way.”
That play gave AW a 21-10 lead 1:55 into the second half, and the Generals kept the momentum when Alex Dalagiannis intercepted a pass from Yellow Jackets junior QB Josh Takats on the next possession
The Generals then drove 79 yards on 13 plays for another TD. Kinnee capped things on successive runs of 10, 6, and 6 yards to reach the end zone as AW took a commanding 28-10 edge with 2:04 left in the third.
“It was our defense at the end of the day,” Kinnee said. “They got the momentum clicking for the offense. We couldn't get anything going in the first half, and that interception by Braden Gardner was huge.
“We were up at the half, and we came out [in the second] clicking. It was a great game script by the coaches.”
AW added another lengthy scoring drive in the final quarter, covering 60 yards on 11 plays. Cadence Carswell scored on a 1-yard sneak with 5:30 remaining.
Early on, Perrysburg took game's first possession 78 yards on nine plays to score.
Takats was 4-for-5 passing on the march, which he finished on a 13-yard touchdown strike to Iain Hall for a 7-0 Perrysburg lead 4:00 into the game.
After ending its first drive on a punt, Anthony Wayne used its defense to tie the game.
On a third-and-10 play from his 40, Takats was intercepted by the Generals' Braden Gardner, who returned the ball 48 yards for a TD. On offense, Gardner rushed eight times 68 yards, as AW topped Perrysburg 363-281 in total offense.
The Yellow Jackets took their last lead of the game early in the second quarter after recovering a Kinnee fumble at the AW 15. The Generals' defense stiffened, and Perrysburg settled for a 29-yard field goal from Taylor Thomas 9:51 before halftime.
A crucial miscue by the Yellow Jackets led to Anthony Wayne taking a 14-10 lead to the break.
While receiving a punt snap, the knee of Perrysburg's Braxton Mefferd touched the turf at his 36, giving the Generals the ball there.
One play later, Kinnee took a keeper around left end 36 yards for a TD and a 14-10 edge with 1:44 left in the half.
“I can't put my finger on one specific thing that did it, but hat's off to Anthony Wayne and congratulations to them,” Perrysburg coach Dirk Conner said of his team losing its early momentum. “In the first half we were really on the wrong end of those momentum-changing plays. That hurt, but it was still a battle at that point.
“When they hit that third-and-19, 89-yard touchdown, that was a kick in the groin right there. After that, we just didn't put anything together offensively.”
Takats was 14 of 34 passing for 189 yards, and Jackets back Nick Oros rushed 21 times for 72 yards.
“I love my kids, and they played hard and they played physical,” Conner said. “I hope that we can execute better in the playoffs and give these kids a chance at a special win. They have it in them.
“In a big game like this, big game-changing plays make the difference, and Anthony Wayne made those tonight, and we did not.”
First Published October 21, 2023, 3:53 a.m.
