A roundup of Manatee and Sarasota high school football games played Thursday, Sept. 3 and Friday, Sept. 4.
Wellen Park 40, DeSoto 0
NORTH PORT — Wellen Park head coach Sascha Hyer couldn’t have asked for a better start for his first-year football team. Every week, the Eagles seem to get better.
The good times were expected to continue as DeSoto County came to town, a team that hadn’t scored a point all season and was badly shorthanded.
The good times did indeed continue. Noah Wireman threw for three touchdowns and ran for another in a little over a half as the Eagles cruised to a 40-0 running-clock victory Thursday to stay unbeaten at 3-0.
The Eagles set the tone for the game on the very first play, with a successful onside kick recovered by Robert DeLuca. The Eagles didn't
score, but it was a preview of things to come.
Wireman went to work on the next possession with a 10-play, 87-yard drive. He went 4 for 4 on the drive, all to Curtis Bowdre, the last was for 26 yards and a touchdown to give the Eagles a 7-0 lead.
Later in the first quarter, Wireman found Shane Scott with a 40-yard touchdown on a screen to make it 14-0.
In the second quarter, Wireman used his legs, running down the sideline 57 yards to paydirt for a 21-0 lead. After Knox Swafford blocked a punt for a safety, it took one play for Wireman to hit Bowdre on a great 45-yard catch-and-run score to make it 30-0. Donovan Childers kicked a 36-yard field goal later for a 33-0 halftime lead.
DeSoto, (0-4) which dressed only 22 players and may have lost freshman quarterback Mike Detweiler, was held to 22 yards of offense in the first half.
The Eagles forced a running clock for the remainder of the game when Landon Cumberbatch ran it in from a yard out as the Eagles had already put their reserves in.
Wireman was 10 for 14 for 198 yards and three touchdowns wkith another on the ground. Bowdre had five catches for 114 yards and two scores. DeSoto was held to 30 yards of total offense and did not earn a first down
Wellen Park takeways
It was what it was. The Eagles probably could have won by 60, but decided to call off the dogs in the second half. Hyer had too much respect for DeSoto coach Tommie Henry, a friend for 25 years who is attempting to change the culture at DeSoto. “He has 22 kids on the field and half of them are going both ways. It was one of those games where you get the win, stay healthy and give kids an opportunity to play.”
Wireman is getting better every week. The sophomore isn’t playing like one. He is confident and making all the right decisions. He has also been tough. He took a couple of licks from the Bulldog defense early but hung tough and ended up with a great night along with Bowdre who was the go to guy early. “Everyone is excited for each other and every game they come out to be the best they can be, the best version of yourself.
Hyer is surprised the Eagles are 3-0… sort of. This team has been together for three months without spring practice and a weight room installed late. Yet the team is playing with a passion and desire Hyer loves to see, both in games and in practice. “Our kids fight every day and get after it. Hats off to the kids and the coaches who do a great job. All the staffs get it done.”
This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Football Roundup: Wellen Park remains perfect in debut season, now 3-0
