»RELATED: Week 3 scores, boxscores
»RELATED: Week 3 roundup
The linemen did their job in anonymity as linemen do while the players running, catching and throwing the football built a big halftime lead and finished with 530 total yards in a 42-7 victory.
“We came out just ready to score,” said senior tailback Tay’Veon Smoot. “Last week we struggled a lot and we missed some opportunities, but tonight we knew we had to come in here and work.”
On the game’s second play, Smoot barreled 21 yards for the first of five first-half touchdowns for the Wildcats (2-1). Smoot closed the half with a 15-yard touchdown and finished with 92 yards on 11 carries. Jeff Tolliver scored on runs of 2 and 44 yards and finished with 126 yards on nine carries.
“They did a good job tonight,” Douglass said. “When they’re unselfish and they do the little things — blocking for each other — then our team is more successful.”
Tolliver’s long run was an example of what Douglass was talking about. Smoot was in the slot on the right and Tolliver started in that direction, but the Vikings shut that route off. Tolliver reversed field and found room to run on the right side. He got a big downfield block from wide receiver Larry Stephens on the the way to the end zone.
The passing combination of Stephens and sophomore quarterback Te’Sean Smoot was a big part of the offense too. Smoot completed six of seven passes in the first half for 191 yards.
“He just stood in the pocket and delivered great balls today,” Tay’Veon Smoot said of his cousin.
Stephens caught four of Smoot’s throws for 138 yards, including a 34-yard touchdown pass.
“He’s got an in-the-stadium catch radius,” Miamisburg first-year coach Lance Schneider said of Stephens. “If it gets near him, he’s going to make the play.”
Making plays was something the Wildcats did in the first half on 376 total yards. With a running clock for most of the second half because of the 35-point lead, the Wildcats didn’t have time to do much in the second half.
“We knew they had some really good players and some guys that are just a little bit better than we are right now,” Schneider said.
Schneider built a winning program at Northmont before taking on the challenge at Miamisburg. The Vikings are coming off some winning seasons, but only two starters return from last year.
“They’re where we need to get to be, and we will eventually,” Schneider said. “The learning curve’s pretty hard right now. They’re on board – it’s just a process.”
Miamisburg (1-2) gained just 68 yards in the first half and 161 for the game. The Vikings scored with 1:45 left on a 23-yard touchdown pass from Braden Barr to Kollin Ivy. Springfield answered with a 57-yard touchdown pass from Daylen Bradley to Dominic Turner with 17 seconds left.
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