West Liberty-Salem gets defensive, stays unbeaten

A pass intended for West Liberty-Salem’s Zach Konkle is just out of reach as West Jefferson’s Nathan Blackwell defends during the Tigers’ 3-0 win Friday night, Nov. 6.

Staff photo by Randy Hilt A pass intended for West Liberty-Salem’s Zach Konkle is just out of reach as West Jefferson’s Nathan Blackwell defends during the Tigers’ 3-0 win Friday night, Nov. 6.

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By David Jablonski, Staff Writer Updated 1:48 AM Saturday, November 7, 2009

WEST LIBERTY — With its backs against the wall, the West Liberty-Salem defense became a wall, an impenetrable one that became strongest at the toughest moments.

The Tigers blanked visiting West Jefferson 3-0 on Friday, Nov. 6, in the first round of the Division V, Region 20 playoffs.

The only score was a 38-yard field goal by senior Erik Thomas with 3:18 left in the first half. A 49-yard pass from Levi Woodruff to Austin Wilson set up the kick.

“That was unbelievable,” said Thomas, who matched his longest kick of the season and has now made 6 of 9 field goals. “Who would have thought, me being a first-year kicker, it’s crazy.”

The No. 4 seed Tigers (11-0) advance to play No. 8 seed St. Henry (8-3) on Nov. 13. St. Henry advanced by knocking off No. 1 seed Richwood North Union 28-3 Friday.

“We’d love to keep going as far as we can,” Thomas said.

The defense might take it far. The Tigers stopped West Jefferson on fourth-and-3 from the West Liberty 21 late in the third quarter. Then the Roughriders had first-and-goal from the WLS 8 with 7:40 left in the game. Four plays later, West Jefferson quarterback D.J. Mendenhall was dragged down on fourth down.

West Jefferson had one more chance, driving to the WLS 21 in the final minutes, but four straight incomplete passes ended the threat.

Throughout all the big stands, junior defensive linemen Jerell Allen kept thinking, “Please don’t score.”

“You’ve got to pull it out and see what you’re made of,” Allen said. “That’s what we did. I was kind of nervous, but I know we’ve been in those situations before. We play for our seniors, and I don’t want the season to end.”

In the first half, West Jefferson blew its best chance to score when Corey Kocher fumbled at the end of a run. The Roughriders would have had first-and-goal at the 5, but Levi Reed recovered the fumble for the Tigers with 4:18 remaining in the first quarter.

“That was a big momentum swing at the beginning,” WLS coach Toby Smith said. “We didn’t turn the ball over, and they had one. You win the turnover battle, and you have a shot at winning the game, and we did.”

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Way 2 go Tigers! Defense has been the calling card of this team all season...they bent a few times but never broke and they came up big when it meant the most. Erik Thomas: wouldv'e been good from 45~50 yards out!

Rusty
7:49 AM, 11/7/2009

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