That set the stage for the incredible second half that saw Piketon flirt with blowing Waverly out on numerous occassions only to see the Tigers continue to hang within striking distance. Finally, Piketon let the lead slip away as Waverly grabbed a 54-53 lead - its first lead of the game since leading 6-0 early in the first half - in the final minutes of the game to complete one of the best finishes in recent memory.
The final four minutes unfolded like this. Piketon's Keiffer Reed broke loose for a 57 yard score with just under four minutes to play. Roback then led the Tigers on a quick six-play scoring strike. On the pursuing possession, Waverly recorded on of the few defensive stops of the night forcing Piketon to punt with just less than a minute to play. Roback took the punt from his own 10 yard line and raced 90 yards for a touchdown.
Waverly had sturggled with its kicking game throughout the night, so Coach Rusty Wright decided to go for two and the win. A Roback to Kevin Malone completion complete the impossible comeback to give Waverly the win.
Piketon's Keiffer Reed rushed for 220 yards on 17 carries and Tackett added 112, but the Piketon defense had no answer for Roback and the Waverly offense in the second half. The Tigers posted 42 second-half points to escape with a 54-53 victory.
WEEK 1
RECAP
Derek Roback
28-48
417 yards
6 TDs
(one return TD)
Paint Valley's defense played well allowing just six first-half points. West did score early in the third to trim Paint Valley's 15-6 halftime advantage to 15-12, but that is when the Bearcats offense put the game away.
First, senior quarterback Matt Workman hit fellow senior Michael Hamilton on a 31 yard scoring strike, and then it was Morris breaking loose on scoring runs of 51 and 70 yards to break the game open.
Barnes rushes for four scores
