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A
happy bunch of Greenville football players celebrate after the Wave
popped Muncie Southside 20-16
Friday. A home victory means ringing the
victory bell. It was the first time this season the Wave had that
pleasure.
CNO Photo by George Starks.
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Wave forced to hang
on for third win of season
Greenville defense shines
By George Starks
Sports Editor
GREENVILLE - “It wasn’t pretty but we got the ‘W.’ It‘s three in a
row,” said Greenville coach TJ Powers after Friday nights 20-16 victory
of Muncie (Ind.) Southside.
A two game winning streak is considered modest. A three game streak is
legitimate.
Holding a 20-7 lead at the end of the third quarter, Greenville was
forced to hold on for the victory, doing it with some outstanding
defense.
“Our defense just played a heck of a game tonight,” said Powers. “We
missed some tackles here and there but two weeks in a row we’ve played
some great defense.”
It was the fourth quarter defense that turned the trick for the Wave,
starting with 4:23 remaining in the game.
With the Rebels driving and looking at a 4th and long, Greenville
stopped the Muncie drive, taking over on downs.
The biggest defensive play of the game came at the 2:46 mark when
sophomore Ryan Drew picked off a Rebel pass that looked to be a sure
catch by the Muncie South receiver.
“The pick in the corner that Ryan Drew had, my heart went down in my
gut because I thought the kid actually caught the pass,” said Powers.
“Ryan pulled the ball away from him. It was a great defensive play.”
Greenville dented the scoreboard first on a seven yard run by Drew at
the 9:17 mark of the opening frame. With the PAT failing, the Wave held
a 6-0 lead.
South got on the board in the second with 8:48 remaining as quarterback
Timber Hatfield hit wide receiver Isaiah Bailey on a 40 yard strike and
a 7-6 lead.
Greenville would come right back on its next possession, taking just
1:29 off the clock when sophomore Ryan Eldridge rumbled in from 43
yards out, putting the Wave back on top to stay at 14-7.
Greenville would put its final score of the night on the board with
2:23 remaining in the half as senior quarterback Ryan Burk found Zach
Comer on a 20 yard pass play for a 20-7 half-time lead.
Things would stay that way until the start of the fourth frame when
Hatfield would hook up with junior McKenzie Nash for 19 yards and the
score.
The final score of the night came as time expired when South sacked
Burk in the end zone for a safety, bringing the final of 20-16.
“We made way too many mistakes on offense with penalties and
turnovers,” said Powers. “There was a couple of plays that I called bad
on offense but we found a way to get it done and that’s really all that
matters at this point.”
With the defense forced to stand its ground, it was nail biting time
for Wave fans at the end.
“It was gut check time there at the end,” Powers admitted. “We make
things interesting. We’ve come a long way since the start of the
season. I’m proud of the kids. Now we have to evaluate our next
opponent and put a game plan together.”
Greenville will travel to Fairbanks next week for a showdown with the
Panthers. Fairbanks is located between Milford Center and Marysville.
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Greenville
players react after a positive pep talk from the Wave
coaching staff. Greenville has now won
three games in a row and will
hit the road next week, traveling to Fairbanks High School, looking to
make it four
straight wins. CNO Photo by George Starks.
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