Weiser rolls over Parma 43-12 for conference win

Weiser started its conference schedule with a dominating 43-12 win on Friday night at Parma to improve to 4-1 overall and 1-0 in the SRV.

 For the second time this year, Weiser’s special teams ran the opening kickoff back for a touchdown and a quick score.  

 Logan Wood, a speedster in the open field, took the kickoff 82 yards for the touchdown. The score was Wood’s second long return of the season for a touchdown. He ran a kickoff back for 90-plus yards against Ontario on Sept. 7.

 Weiser coach Tom Harrison said a couple of nice moves by Woods and some good blocks by his teammates got Weiser off to a good start early. He gave special teams coach Jayson Bruce credit for getting the players in position and ready to go for the kickoff.

 “Our kickoff return team is doing a good job,” he said.

 A couple of Weiser drives into Parma territory in the first quarter stalled due to mistakes or miscues. But Weiser was still able to put points on the scoreboard with two field goals by kicker Angel Magana, who hit one from 31 yards and a second one six minutes later in the period from 27 yards. 

 Weiser was in front at the end of the first quarter by the score of 13-0. 

 With 3:47 left in the second period, Wood scored his second touchdown of the game with a 15-yard run into the endzone. With Magana’s extra point, the Wolverines widened their lead over the Panthers to 20-0.

 With seconds left in the first half, Magana kicked another field goal from 27 yards for another three points. Magana went 3-for-3 on field goals for nine of Weiser’s points in the game.

 Weiser’s defense held Parma scoreless in the first half of the game. Weiser was way out in front at halftime and the Wolverines went into the locker room with a 23-0 lead.

 The Panthers couldn’t get much of a passing game going. Out of 232 total yards of offense in the game, Parma quarterback Joe Shaw threw for 53 yards and two interceptions. 

 Harrison said Weiser’s defense is doing a solid job and getting better each week. Players are learning their defensive assignments and sticking with them.

 “We have good kids and they are playing with a lot of enthusiasm and heart and when you do that good things happen,” the coach said.

 Less than one minute into the third quarter Weiser’s Riley Willet recovered a Parma fumble and ran it back 20 yards for a touchdown. 

 In a rare miss, Magana was wide on the extra point and Weiser settled for six points and a 29-0 lead over the Panthers.

 With 3:05 left in the third period, Parma’s Braydon Jensen found a big hole in the Weiser defense and scampered 50 yards for the Panthers’ first touchdown. The Panthers missed the extra point and had to settle for six points.

 Weiser scored another touchdown with 16 seconds left in the third quarter when Braden Bumgarner punched the ball into the endzone from one yard out. With the extra point, Weiser was still comfortably in front 36-6 at the end of the third quarter.

 The Wolverines scored at least one touchdown in each quarter against Parma. In the fourth quarter Layten Tolman got the carry and scored on an 11-yard rushing touchdown with 7:24 left in the game.

 Parma picked up its second  touchdown with 32 seconds left in the game when quarterback Joe Shaw ran it in from one yard. Parma didn’t get the extra point and lost to Weiser 43-12 as the last seconds ticked off the clock.

 Weiser had 275 total yards of offense, with 99 passing yards and 176 rushing yards.

 Quarterback Brody von Brethorst led the Wolverines in rushing yards with 52 in the game. 

 In addition to his kickoff return for a touchdown, Wood had 46 yards on four carries and a touchdown. Braden Bumgarner carried the ball 14 times for 38 yards and one touchdown. Layten Tolman had two carries for 25 yards and a touchdown.

 Von Brethorst went 7-for-13 passes for the 99 yards. Wood had three receptions for a total of 39 yards. Paul Crawford caught one ball for 17 yards, and Ande Jensen had one pass reception for 32 yards.  

 On defense, Juan Garcia had two interceptions in the game. 

 The Wolverines travel to Fruitland this Friday to take on the always tough Grizzlies on their turf.