CIRCLEVILLE — Friday’s contest started a little slow for Washington, but once the Blue Lions got going they controlled the game with a 48-14 win at Circleville.
The Tigers (0-2) used their running game to pick up a couple first downs and eat up some clock on their first two possessions and, in between, the Blue Lions (2-0) had a short field but their drive came to an end with a missed field goal attempt.
Getting the ball late in the first period, WCH mounted a nine-play drive that covered 75 yards and concluded with Jameson McCane scoring from four yards out.
“We talked about focus and effort, playing fast and playing physical and, to be honest, we weren’t ready. We came in here and they were a little overconfident and it showed,” Blue Lions’ coach Chuck Williamson said. “They’re still 14, 15, 16 and 17-year-old kids. They think what they think.
“Once they settled down, I thought the defense played really well. They were flying around being very physical and forced turnovers. It hurts they didn’t get their shutout, because they deserved it.”
The Blue Lions held Circleville to 15 yards of offense the rest of the first half.
An interception by Zack Koutz set up a four-play scoring drive that ended with Ethan Rogers-Wright finding Jerome Mack for a one-yard touchdown and a 12-0 lead.
Garitt Leasure recovered a fumble on Circleville’s next possession. That set up a seven-play drive, which covered 57 yards and ended with Rogers-Wright hitting McCane for a 25-yard score. McCane ran in the conversion for a 20-0 lead.
After forcing Circleville into a three-and-out, Rogers-Wright went back to the air.
He hit Mack for 16 yards, Calum Brown for 29 and bounced back from two incompletions to connect with McCane for a 15-yard touchdown. Grant Kuhlwein’s PAT kick made the score 27-0, which is where the score stood at halftime.
“We talked about making that big jump from week one to week two. Our quarterback played well tonight. He hit some wide-open guys,” Williamson said. “Our run game – I thought our offensive line really performed and I thought our defense played lights out. In our eyes it was a shutout.”
Rogers-Wright connected with Mack for a 61-yard TD and Eli Lynch on an 18-yard TD in the third quarter. Lynch’s score was set up after the defense recovered another Circleville fumble.
The final Blue Lions’ touchdown came after Brandon Cubbage recovered another Tiger fumble — Circleville lost four of its six fumbles in the game — as Trevin Downing scored from 12 yards out on the next play.
Circleville scored its two touchdowns late in the fourth quarter on a 70-yard drive and a 35-yard drive.
Rogers-Wright threw for 212 yards Friday with Mack catching three balls for 81 yards and Lynch four for 63.
McCane led the ground game with 69 yards on 12 carries, while Rogers-Wright had 54 yards on six totes and Lynch had 52 yards on three carries.
The Blue Lions ran for 188 yards as a team.
Circleville had 164 yards of offense — all on the ground — with 119 coming in the fourth quarter.
Washington Court House is on the road again next week with a trip to Frankfort to take on the Adena Warriors (2-0).
“We’ve got to focus and be ready to go,” Williamson said. “Adena’s a good football team and we better be ready to play because they’re going to be physical.”
