Vian falls in season opener to No. 1 Washington

 

VIAN–Class 2A No. 4 Vian scored three unanswered touchdowns in the second half Friday night inside Vian‚s Charlie St. John Stadium but top-ranked Washington hung on for a 39-24 non-district win over the Wolverines in the Zero Week season opener.

On Vian‚s first offensive play the Warriors recovered a fumble at the Wolverines‚ 18 but Vian‚s defense stiffened and Washington turned the ball over on downs at the 12.

Almost midway through the period the Warriors took the lead when wide receiver Cage Morris made a fingertip catch in the middle of the field before racing into the end zone for a 57-yard touchdown reception. The score remained 6-0 following an unsuccessful point-after kick.

Washington quarterback Major Cantrell ran for a 25-yard touchdown to make the score 12-0 with 3:26 to go in the first and key plays in the three-play, 62-yard scoring drive were completions from Cantrell to 6-foot-4 tight ends Nate Roberts (13 yards) and Cooper Alexander (19).

A 13-yard pass to Desean Mays from quarterback Diego Ramos, a defensive pass interference penalty and a 28-yard reception by Mays moved the Wolverines to the Washington 10 at the end of the period but four plays later the drive stalled at the 9 following an incomplete pass.

Washington running back Cole Scott ran for a 13-yard touchdown with six minutes left in the second stanza and Mayson Thomas‚ point-after kick gave the Warriors a 19-0 advantage. Running back Kade Norman caught a 33-yard pass during the scoring drive.

Norman crossed the goal line following a 1-yard run with 34 seconds left before the half and Washington led 26-0 after Thomas‚ PAT.

Washington received the second-half kickoff and Norman returned the kick 57 yards to the Vian 26. Five plays later Roberts caught a 9-yard touchdown pass and Thomas‚ c o n v e r s i o n kick gave the Warriors a 33-0 lead at the 9:51 mark.

Mays raced 61 yards to the Washington 18 on Vian‚s first possession of the half, and after Masyn Wright ran 12 yards to the 2, Gage Carlton crossed the goal line to put the Wolverines on the board with 7:34 to go.

Morris returned the ensuing kickoff 78 yards for a touchdown as the Warriors registered their final points of the contest with 7:15 remaining in the third.

Wright ran 69 yards to the Washington 3 after catching a screen pass from Ramos and Carlton scored on the next snap to make the score 39-12 at the 5:42 mark.

With 1:02 left in the third Wright returned an interception 27 yards to the Washington 40, and seconds later the freshman‚s 29-yard reception helped set up Ramos‚ 6-yard touchdown run on a draw play early in the final frame to cut the deficit to 21 (39-18).

A Washington scoring threat ended almost midway through the fourth when Vian‚s Cash Collins intercepted a pass by the Warriors.

After Mays ran 16 yards to the Vian 40 the senior caught a 60-yard touchdown throw from Ramos. The score remained 39-24 after the conversion pass fell incomplete with 6:01 to go.

The Wolverines forced a Washington punt with 3:17 left but Vian‚s offense was unable to move into Warrior territory.

“I thought it took us a half maybe for the young guys to grow up a little bit,” Vian head coach Gary Willis said. “The first half was pretty ugly and the second half I was pretty proud of them for keep battling in that situation and trying to make something happen. Lot of good things, a lot of things to work on, which we knew we‚d get from that. At halftime you‚re like woo, but the way they finished the game and kept playing we can find some positives in that. Washington is a very good team and they‚ve got several good-looking kids.”

Vian travels to Eufaula on Friday night and Washington hosts Sulphur.