Rochester scores 40 points in 2nd quarter, beats injury-plagued Whitko

Reffett, Chapman, Garrett score first career TDs

BY VAL TSOUTSOURIS

Sports Editor, RTC

Jack Reffett Alex Chapman

SOUTH WHITLEY — Brant Beck ran for 117 yards in the first half, and Carson Paulik threw two touchdown passes as part of a 40-point second quarter to lead the visiting Rochester football team to a 47-0 rout over injury-plagued Whitko Friday.

Jack Reffett scored his first career touchdown on a 21-yard pass from Paulik, and Alex Chapman and Clarence Garrett also scored their first career touchdowns on runs in the second quarter for the Zebras, who improved to 2-1 overall and 2-0 in the Three Rivers Conference.

Whitko, who played without quarterback Cooper Laukhuf and running back Mason Hersha, dropped to 1-2, 0-2.

Rochester held Whitko to one first down and -15 total yards. They have allowed seven points total in three games.

“We’ve been really proud of our defensive squad so far,” senior defensive end Grant Clark said. “We’re really proud. We’re trying to be the best defense in Rochester history. That’s what we’re going for this year, to be completely honest. We want to shut teams out. We want to hold them to zero. We’re figuring out the middle backer. Our defensive line’s really good. And, man, that secondary, we’re really proud of them and everything they’re doing for us.”

Rochester got Jabez Yarber back from a one-game suspension, and he played inside linebacker and also had a 24-yard run from his wingback spot on the first play from scrimmage to set up a 63-yard touchdown drive.

Trenton Meadows had two touchdown runs, and Grant Holloway also ran for a score. Paulik also threw a 28-yard touchdown pass to an open Zakk Parks in the back of the end zone with 3.2 seconds left in the first half to complete the scoring.

Rochester had 76 yards passing in this game after having only 37 yards passing in its first two games combined.

“It’s getting better,” Rochester coach Ron Shaffer said. “Obviously, we want to be perfect in the passing game. We take our spots to do it. But it’s improving.”

Garrett also had an interception, and Ethan Bailey recovered a fumble. Spencer Backus converted five of six extra point tries.

Rochester has beaten Whitko five straight years by a combined score of 243-18.

Perhaps the play that symbolized the game occurred with about three-and-a-half minutes to go in the first quarter. Facing fourth-and-8 from their own 39, Shaffer decided to go for it, and Beck went off right guard and followed a Yarber block and also knocked back a Whitko defender at the 45 on his way to an 11-yard run and a first down.

Four plays later, Beck had another 11-yard run on fourth-and 2 to get another first down. On the third play of the second quarter, Paulik faked a jet sweep to Yarber in motion and rolled to his left and found an open Reffett for a touchdown.

After a three-and-out and a botched punt snap, Rochester took over at the Whitko 16, and Meadows scored on a 16-yard belly sweep down the right sideline to make it 21-0.

After another three-and-out, Rochester took over after a 16-yard punt at the Whitko 31. Beck ran 28 yards down to the 3, and Chapman took a toss and scored on a sweep around the right side to make it 27-0.

Then came another three-and-out and another 16-yard Whitko punt that was downed at the Whitko 44.

“I thought the defensive front played really well,” Shaffer said. “A lot of pressure on the quarterback when he was passing it. Our secondary did a nice job in the short, screen game – the now screens and the bubble screens. And I thought our inside backers really filled well tonight.”

Paulik then hit Clark for 12 yards along the right sideline. Two plays later, Yarber had a 12-yard run, and Beck followed with a 21-yard run on a trap from the fullback position. Garrett went 7 yards around the right side for a touchdown to make it 33-0.

After another three-and-out and another missed connection from the long snapper to the punter that resulted in a turnover on downs at the Whitko 19, Beck ran for 11 yards, and Garrett went seven yards down to the 1 before Holloway scored from his right wingback position on a cut inside with 33.5 seconds left.

Then, a missed exchange between quarterback Hunter Long and running back Lewis Skinner led to a fumble that Rochester inside linebacker Ethan Bailey recovered at the Whitko 28. Three plays later, Paulik threw his touchdown pass to Parks.

Typically a starting wingback, Beck started at fullback, and Garrett, Holloway, Yarber, Meadows and Chapman all saw time at wingback for the Zebras. Kale Shotts saw more extensive action in the second half.

“Just a choice more than anything,” Shaffer said of putting Beck at fullback. “Kale’s a little beat up, so we thought early on we’d see what Brant can do there. … I think you saw probably six, seven, eight guys run at wingback, so it worked out really well.”

Whitko stacked the box defensively – 10 men in the box with a safety hovering – to start the game, but Yarber beat it with his big run on a sweep around the left perimeter to start. Beck added an 11-yard-run on third-and-1, and Meadows would eventually cap the drive by following a double-team block from Callen Ferverda and Matt Crossland into the house.

“I would say when we were being disciplined and doing what they were coached to do, we gave them problems,” Whitko coach Thomas Tyree said. “When we weren’t, we didn’t have success. … But I think they went more big boy football and double tight (end). That’s what they do best anyway.”

Rochester forced a three-and-out, but Yarber had a 63-yard touchdown run nullified by an illegal blindside block penalty. Another personal foul on the Zebras for an offensive face mask put the ball all the way back to the 14.

Paulik hit Garrett for 15 yards, and Garrett added a nine-yard run. A one-yard Yarber run left Rochester in a fourth-and-8 hole.

Rochester was trying to bounce back after a 7-2 loss to Tippecanoe Valley in last week’s Bell game.

“I was really proud of the guys,” Clark said. “We got back in the locker room on Saturday morning. Everybody, they were ready to go. They were ready to get back to work. It was just one bump in the road. We’re looking for conference now, and we’re looking to make a deep run in the playoffs.”

Tyree said afterwards that Laukhuf suffered a broken hand and Hersha a concussion in a 32-22 loss to Peru last week. Laukhuf had thrown five touchdown passes in Whitko’s first two games, and Hersha had amassed a team-high 136 yards rushing.

Rochester 47, Whitko 0

Rochester 7 40 0 0 – 47

Whitko 0 0 0 0 – 0

First quarter

RHS – Trenton Meadows 5 run (Spencer Backus kick)

Second quarter

RHS – Jack Reffett 21 pass from Carson Paulik (Backus kick)

RHS – Meadows 16 run (Backus kick)

RHS – Alex Chapman 3 run (kick failed)

RHS – Clarence Garrett 7 run (run failed)

RHS – Grant Holloway 1 run (Backus kick)

RHS – Zakk Parks 28 pass from Paulik (Backus kick)

Third quarter

(no scoring)

Fourth quarter

(no scoring)