Wyoming-55 Madeira-20

SR Running Back Terrell Dailey
(photo courtesy of Rod Apfelbeck)

In a 55-20 demolishing of the Madeira Mustangs, the Wyoming Cowboys returned to their winning ways. The torrential downpour on Friday couldn't stop the beatdown of the defending CHL champs, which was just what the Cowboys needed to open off their CHL play. After losing two close games to out of league teams, Wyoming looks to win out the rest of the season in order to make the playoffs.

This game went Wyoming's from start to finish, beginning on the 'Boys second play, when Terrell Dailey took it down the sideline for a 98 yard TD. After Will Marty rushed for his first of 3 rushing TDs on the night, a botched XP play put the score at 13-0, but a touchdown from Madeira's Jewels Edmerson (with a failed XP as well) put the score at 13-6, not yet out of the Mustang's grasp.

 The second quarter is where things got out of reach. QB Will Marty rushed for two 50+ yard runs in this quarter, bobbing and weaving his way through the Mustang secondary for 65 and 51 yard scores. Terrell Dailey also had a humongous TD run for 84 yards, and after Madeira's Edmerson got on the board again with a receiving TD, the score was 34-13 Cowboys at the half.

 In the 3rd quarter, the Wyoming ground game was explosive as it was all game, with two more rushing TDs by Dailey and another by Dominic Vamosi to bring the score to 55-13, and the JV players held Madeira to only a consolation score in the 4th to bring the final score to 55-20.

 Coach Aaron Hancock told me that, "This win was very important for the team's confidence level, and it was very important for the Harbin points we earned after beating a 3-0 team." Harbin points are what is used to decide what teams in Ohio High School Football advance to the playoffs, with the state divided into regions and points awarded for victories.

 This game clearly showed what wonders a ground game can work, with only 57 yards through the air but a whopping 545 rushing for the Cowboys, demolishing the Mustang offense by 277 total yards. This game was a great breakout for Senior RB Dailey, who finished the day with 4 TDs and 310 yards. This was in stark contrast to the last two games, where he had been held off the scoreboard and picked up sub-30 yards in both contests.

On the defensive side of the ball, the Cowboys D forced 3 turnovers, one pick in the endzone by JR Parker Chalmers, and two fumbles recovered by SO Tucker Berger and SR Griffin O'Gara.

Dailey will need to have a stellar performance again this week, as the league leading and undefeated Taylor Yellow Jackets (4-0) who boast a defense that's only allowed 6 points all year. The Cowboys move into 3rd in the league standings, behind Taylor and Reading (3-1), and a win this week will greatly help Wyoming move up in the Harbin rankings, which decide who moves on to the playoffs. Taylor currently sits at the top of region 14 while the Cowboys are in 16th.