Week 1 football roundup: Valley shuts out Wawasee for 10th straight regular season win

Caston falls to West Central; Judson’s strong 4th quarter secures win over Culver; Lewis Cass stops Pioneer

BY VAL TSOUTSOURIS

Sports Editor, RTC

Football

Tippecanoe Valley 26, Wawasee 0 (Friday): Nate Parker ran for 101 yards and two touchdowns, and the Valley defense held Wawasee to 25 rushing yards in a win at Smith-Bibler Memorial Field Home of Death Valley Football Friday.

The shutout was Valley’s eighth since the start of the 2019 season.

Junior Landon Durkes had two interceptions, and Cody Eastgate also had an interception. Noah Prater had six tackles and an assist, and Parker also had four tackles.

Wawasee converted two of 11 third-down opportunities.

Dalton Alber ran for 73 yards on six carries, and Markus Bernicky ran for 26 yards and a touchdown. Wade Jones had 30 yards rushing.

Parker, who made his first career start at quarterback, had touchdown runs of eight and four yards and also had two two-point conversion runs in the first half as Valley built a 16-0 lead. Freshman Gage Overbey converted his only extra point attempt and also kicked a 35-yard field goal.

Valley 26, Wawasee 0

Wawasee 0 0 0 0 – 0

Valley 8 8 7 3 – 26

First quarter

TV – Nate Parker 8 run (Parker run)

Second quarter

TV – Parker 4 run (Parker run)

Third quarter

TV – Markus Bernicky 22 run (Gage Overbey kick)

Fourth quarter

TV – Overbey 35 FG

West Central 26, Caston 8 (Friday): Quinlan Kelly caught three passes for 23 yards and a touchdown, and he also caught a two-point conversion pass, but the visiting Comets lost their season opener to West Central Friday.

Caston had 141 yards passing and 12 yards rushing. Landon Shafer threw for 141 yards, a touchdown and an interception. Grant Yadon had three catches for 39 yards, and Evan Howard had two catches for 14 yards. Josh Sullivan had a catch for 30 yards, and Kyle Roudebush had a catch for 15 yards.

Sullivan led the rushing attack with 12 yards, and he also led the defense with nine tackles.

Howard had eight tackles, including one for loss. He also recovered a fumble. Yadon had eight tackles; Shafer, Jabez Yarber and Levi Martin had seven tackles each; and Oliver Trigg had three tackles.

Yarber also recovered a fumble.

The teams could meet again in Class 1A, Sectional 43, which begins on Oct. 21.

West Central 26, Caston 8

Caston 8 0 0 0 – 8

West Central 14 0 6 6 – 26

North Judson 45, Culver 12 (Friday): Jason Cadle three two touchdown passes to Ethan Binion, but the Cavaliers lost a Hoosier North road game to Class 1A, No. 5 North Judson Friday.

Shane Shuman led Culver with 29 carries for 101 yards on the ground. He also had nine tackles on defense. Binion had three catches for 63 yards, and he also had eight carries for 26 yards.

Already leading 20-12 after three quarters, North Judson outscored Culver 25-0 in the fourth to secure the win.

North Judson had a 292-127 advantage in rushing yards.

Cheyenne Allen ran for three touchdowns and also caught a 61-yard touchdown pass for North Judson. Brock Benson had touchdown runs of 9 and 26 yards. Gabe Ellis had a 50-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter.

North Judson has beaten Culver eight straight times.

North Judson 45, Culver 12

Culver 0 6 6 0 – 12

North Judson 6 8 6 25 – 45

First quarter

NJSP – Cheyenne Allen 2 run

Second quarter

CUL – Ethan Binion 24 pass from Jason Cadle (two-point conversion failed)

NJSP – Allen 61 pass from Aldric Harper (two-point conversion good)

Third quarter

NJSP – Brock Benson 9 run (kick failed)

CUL – Binion 5 run (two-point conversion failed)

Fourth quarter

NJSP – Allen 4 run (kick failed)

NJSP – Benson 26 run (PAT good)

NJSP – Allen 24 run (kick failed)

NJSP – Gabe Ellis 50 run (kick failed)

Lewis Cass 16, Pioneer 0 (Friday): Pioneer suffered a season-opening loss to the host Kings Friday.

Dating back to last year’s sectional final, Pioneer has been shut out in back-to-back games. This marks the first time Pioneer has been shut out in back-to-back games since 1992.