Westfield's defense and special teams (despite a few missed points from a first time kicker) were very on target tonight and led the way in a dominating 53-3 win over Woodson.
In a harbinger of things to come, WTW fumbled on the first snap of the game at their own 25 yard line and WF's Aguilar recovered on the WTW 24. Three plays later WF's Legall ran it in from 3 yards out and WF went ahead less than 2 minutes into the game, 6-0 (XP missed; with WF's regular kicker sidelined, WF's Lanigan, their new kicker who only recently joined the team, missed the XP). WTW ran the ensuing KO back to their own 43 yard line but went three and out, pinning WF at their own 3 yard line with a very good punt. However, WF took only two plays to score again, this time on an 88 yard Kim to Howard pass play that pushed the lead to 13-0 (Lanigan XP) with 7:05 remaining in the first quarter. WTW would go three and out on their next series, followed by a WF drive that stalled at the WTW 19 yard line when a 4th and 2 pass attempt was tipped at the LOS and fell incomplete. WTW, taking over on their 19 yard line, again punted after gaining only 9 yards to give WF field position near midfield at the WF 42 yard line. On this drive, WF's Kim found Howard again, this time on a 39 yard pass play to extend the lead to 20-3 (Lanigan XP) with 9:44 to play in the first half. WTW's next drive gained their initial first down of the evening, then stalled at the WTW 46 yard line. Facing 4th and 11, WTW elected to go for it but heavy defensive pressure resulted in an intentional grounding call to give WF a short field at the WTW 36 yard line. WF quickly scored when Daniel ran it in from 12 yards out and the lead was now 27-0 (Lanigan XP) with 6:07 to go in the half. WTW's next possession again saw them run several plays before again facing a 4th down, this time 4th and 4 at the WF 42 yard line. The 4th down pass was completed two yards short, but a WF penalty gave WTW a new set of downs and this time WTW would get on the board when WTW's Raff connected on a 42 yard FG with 2:01 remaining in the half. On the next KO WF's Bushra went 88 yards for a TD and the lead was extended to 34-3 with 1:46 to play in the half. After another quick WTW three and out, WF quickly went 55 yards and scored again when Kim passed to Soto for a 2 yard TD and the lead was now 40-3 (XP missed) with 25 seconds left in the half.
WF received the second half KO and Bushra struck again, this time with a 98 yard KOR to push the lead out even further, 47-3, just 16 seconds into the half. WTW followed with another three and out possession and punted to - guess who - Bushra. Bushra almost made it three kick return TDs in a row, returning the punt 83 yards to the WTW 3 yard line before WF's Legall scored on the next play and the WF lead was now 53-3 (XP missed) with 6:02 to play in the third quarter. WTW next possession resulted in another three and out again, but a good punt that rolled all the way to just inches from the WF goal line gave WF a very long field. WF would gain a few yards and then had to punt for the first time in the game, giving WTW good field position at the WTW 42 yard line. On this WTW possession, again facing a 4th down (4th and 6 at the WF 30 yard line) the pass attempt was intercepted by WF's McClain and returned to the WF 38 yard line. WF's second string then drove inside the WTW 15 yard line before taking a knee to run out the clock.
In a harbinger of things to come, WTW fumbled on the first snap of the game at their own 25 yard line and WF's Aguilar recovered on the WTW 24. Three plays later WF's Legall ran it in from 3 yards out and WF went ahead less than 2 minutes into the game, 6-0 (XP missed; with WF's regular kicker sidelined, WF's Lanigan, their new kicker who only recently joined the team, missed the XP). WTW ran the ensuing KO back to their own 43 yard line but went three and out, pinning WF at their own 3 yard line with a very good punt. However, WF took only two plays to score again, this time on an 88 yard Kim to Howard pass play that pushed the lead to 13-0 (Lanigan XP) with 7:05 remaining in the first quarter. WTW would go three and out on their next series, followed by a WF drive that stalled at the WTW 19 yard line when a 4th and 2 pass attempt was tipped at the LOS and fell incomplete. WTW, taking over on their 19 yard line, again punted after gaining only 9 yards to give WF field position near midfield at the WF 42 yard line. On this drive, WF's Kim found Howard again, this time on a 39 yard pass play to extend the lead to 20-3 (Lanigan XP) with 9:44 to play in the first half. WTW's next drive gained their initial first down of the evening, then stalled at the WTW 46 yard line. Facing 4th and 11, WTW elected to go for it but heavy defensive pressure resulted in an intentional grounding call to give WF a short field at the WTW 36 yard line. WF quickly scored when Daniel ran it in from 12 yards out and the lead was now 27-0 (Lanigan XP) with 6:07 to go in the half. WTW's next possession again saw them run several plays before again facing a 4th down, this time 4th and 4 at the WF 42 yard line. The 4th down pass was completed two yards short, but a WF penalty gave WTW a new set of downs and this time WTW would get on the board when WTW's Raff connected on a 42 yard FG with 2:01 remaining in the half. On the next KO WF's Bushra went 88 yards for a TD and the lead was extended to 34-3 with 1:46 to play in the half. After another quick WTW three and out, WF quickly went 55 yards and scored again when Kim passed to Soto for a 2 yard TD and the lead was now 40-3 (XP missed) with 25 seconds left in the half.
WF received the second half KO and Bushra struck again, this time with a 98 yard KOR to push the lead out even further, 47-3, just 16 seconds into the half. WTW followed with another three and out possession and punted to - guess who - Bushra. Bushra almost made it three kick return TDs in a row, returning the punt 83 yards to the WTW 3 yard line before WF's Legall scored on the next play and the WF lead was now 53-3 (XP missed) with 6:02 to play in the third quarter. WTW next possession resulted in another three and out again, but a good punt that rolled all the way to just inches from the WF goal line gave WF a very long field. WF would gain a few yards and then had to punt for the first time in the game, giving WTW good field position at the WTW 42 yard line. On this WTW possession, again facing a 4th down (4th and 6 at the WF 30 yard line) the pass attempt was intercepted by WF's McClain and returned to the WF 38 yard line. WF's second string then drove inside the WTW 15 yard line before taking a knee to run out the clock.
