SECTION IV FLAG FOOTBALL: SENIORS POWER WAVERLY TO 47-14 WIN OVER JOHNSON CITY (24 PHOTOS) (2024-04-27)

Valley Sports Report
WAVERLY — Senior Paige Robinson threw three TDs passes, two to senior Erica Ryck, in the first eight minutes of the game, and senior Ally Barrett added two long TD runs later in the game to lead Waverly to a 47-14 win over Johnson City here Saturday afternoon in Section IV girls flag football action.

The Wolverines opened the game with a four-play, 60-yard scoring drive that included a 31-yard run by Barrett, and was capped by a 13-yard TD pass from Robinson to Ryck less than two minutes into the contest. Robinson’s run for conversion made it 7-0.

After forcing a punt, Waverly needed just two plays — a 22-yard run by sophomore Avalynn Boots, and a 19-yard TD pass from Robinson to Croft with 20:30 remaining in the first half. Robinson’s pass to Croft for conversion made it 14-0.

JC was backed up into a first-and-30, moving the ball back to its 10, after a penalty on the extra-point was assessed.

After a short gain on first down, Waverly sophomore Claire Clonch, and Ryck registered QB sacks on consecutive plays to put JC in a fourth-and 37 from its own 3.

After the punt, Waverly took over at the JC 22. Back-to-back runs of seven yards by Barrett, set up a fourth-down TD pass of 8 yards from Robinson to Ryck with 17:16 left in the half. Robinson’s run for conversion made it 21-0.

JC picked up its first two first downs of the game on its next possession, but Waverly’s defense stiffened in the red zone, and on fourth down Barrett intercepted a pass to end the threat.

Waverly drove into the JC red zone, but turned the ball over on downs.

JC picked up one first down on its next possession, but turned the ball over on downs at the Waverly 36. On the first play, Barrett ripped off a 44-yard TD run, walking a tightrope down the home sidelines at one point, to up the lead to 27-0 with 1:23 remaining in the half.

JC picked up a quick first down on its ensuing possession, but Croft ended the drive, and essentially the game when she stepped in front of a pass, and raced 55 yards to paydirt to extend the lead to 33-0 with 30 seconds remaining.

Johnson City opened the second half with a 5 1/2 minute drive, and tacked on a 2-point conversion to close the gap to 33-8.

The Wolverines answered quickly (43 seconds to be exact). On the second play of their ensuing possession, Barrett took a pitch right, cut back to the left, and raced 55 yards down the home sidelines for a score to make it 39-8 with 18:54 left in the game.

The Wildcats put together another scoring drive, and cut the Waverly lead to 39-14 with 14:22 remaining, but Waverly tacked on final score of the game on a 6-yard TD run by freshman Lauryn Welles with 7:14 left in the game. Welles connected with Boots on the two-point conversion to provide the final score.

Robinson completed 9 of 15 passes for 98 yards, and three TDs, with Croft hauling down four receptions for 41 yards, and one TD, Ryck grabbing three catches for 36 yards, and two TDs, sophomore Mira Kittle adding one catch for 15 yards, and 8th-grader Kaylin Twedt chipping in with one catch for 6 yards.

Waverly’s ground game churned out 306 yards on 26 carries, with Barrett leading the way with 168 yards, and two TDs on just nine carries, while Welles rushed for 57 yards and one TD on seven carries, Boots had 38 yards on three carries, Clonch added two totes for 21 yards, and Kittle chipped in with 12 yards on one carry.

Clonch led Waverly with eight flag pulls, while Kittle and senior Brenae Tedesco each had five, Croft and Wells added four apiece, and freshman Devinity Fischer, Robinson, and sophomore Ashlynn Dragoo chipped in with three apiece.

Waverly, now 5-0-2, returns to action Monday night at U-E.

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IN PHOTO 1: Waverly’s Ashlen Croft. … PHOTOS BY TIM BIRNEY.