Week 4 preview: Winamac seeks to break skid vs. 2A, No. 3 LaVille

BY VAL TSOUTSOURIS

Sports Editor, RTC

Winamac (0-3, 0-2 Hoosier North) at LaVille (3-0, 2-0), 7:30 p.m.

Winamac got within 22-14 in the third quarter against North White last week before the Vikings pulled away in the fourth quarter to win 36-14.

“I thought we wore down just a little bit in the fourth quarter,” Winamac coach Josh Burgess said. “We were in a position to make some plays defensively and just didn’t get it done. Credit to their kids. I thought their quarterback, the Quasebarth kid, and their fullback, the Hunt kid, are much improved when we saw them. … They did a good job of making plays in the fourth quarter, and honestly, we didn’t, so that’s what it came down to.”

Talen Garner ran for two touchdowns and a two-point conversion, and Jayse Bentle had four receptions for 77 yards from Max Gearhart, but North White also held a 310-52 advantage in rushing yards.

“I thought Talen Garner ran the ball well,” Burgess said. “He didn’t have a ton of yards, right around 30 or 35, but Talen had been an offensive lineman and middle linebacker up to this point, so we had to move him into more of a fullback role this year because of some of the injuries that we have this year and some of the other things we have going on. I thought he ran the ball hard. … I think we’re making progress in our run game, but we need to get a little more consistent with our blocking with the backs getting in the holes the way they need to.”

Winamac will head to Class 2A, No. 3 LaVille for the second game in a three-game road trip. This is the final scheduled meeting between these teams as LaVille will leave the Hoosier North for the Northern State Conference at the end of the year.

LaVille senior Lucas Plummer threw for 162 yards and a touchdown, ran for 85 yards and a score and also kicked a field goal in a 29-13 win over Pioneer last week.

LaVille showed offensive balance against Pioneer, running for 151 yards and passing for 162.

“Obviously, he’s got a great command of what they’re doing, just being a four-year starter,” Burgess said. “Extremely athletic. Similar to what we saw last week as far as quarterback position. I think he’s even just a little bit better just because he’s got that four years of starting experience. So obviously, we’re going to have to be ready to contain him and tackle him, and I think he’s just as good defensively too back at safety. He and the (Collin) Czarnecki kid, they’re solid players for them on both sides of the ball.”