Fremd runs wild in messy victory
It took a while for Fremd and Wheeling to get used to the incessant drizzle that fell during their Mid-Suburban League crossover football game Friday night, but once the visiting Vikings got their footing, there was no stopping them.
Fremd rushed for 289 yards, including a pair of 100-yard ball carriers, and the Vikings broke open a tight game in the second half to win their second straight after a season-opening loss 37-17.
Halfback Mike Gyetvay rushed 24 times for 141 yards and 2 touchdowns, and quarterback Mike Tauchman carried 15 times for 122 yards and 1 touchdown. Tauchman also completed a touchdown pass on a night when wide receivers on both teams had difficulty with the slick football.
"Tonight was our best night," Gyetvay said. "I saw a lot of green grass in front of me."
Offensive linemen Brian Bobek, Jimmy Norris, Patrick Stich, Mark Colgan and Christian Lombard opened the holes and protected Tauchman, who wasn't sacked.
"We definitely were going to try to run the ball," Tauchman said.
Wheeling's Matt Holmes (8-of-25 for 126 yards, 1 touchdown passing and another on the ground) got the Wildcats (1-2) on the board first when he kicked a 36-yard field goal with just 49 seconds left in the first quarter.
Fremd's first points came at 8:06 of the second quarter when the snap sailed over punter Michael Zimmer's head and skidded through the end zone for a safety.
Tauchman connected with Alex Roark for a 27-yard touchdown with 2:42 left in the half that started a scoring flurry that didn't stop until the Vikings took a 16-10 lead into the locker room at halftime.
Holmes drove the Wildcats 74 yards in 3 plays, the final 29 coming on a pass to James Kurtz (5 catches for 74 yards) with 2:42 left. Fremd answered with a 6-play, 76-yard drive that ended on Gyetvay's 7-yard run with 36 seconds left.
Fremd's junior kick-return sensation Evan Wright opened the second half by returning the kickoff 87 yards for his third return for touchdown of the season, giving the Vikings a 24-10 lead and taking some of the wind out of Wheeling's sails.
"At the beginning it did," said Wheeling coach Dave Dunbar. "But our kids responded well and kept fighting to the bitter end."
"He's definitely got talent," Fremd coach Mike Donatucci said. "We try to get him X amount of touches. He sees the field very well and has speed."
Fremd made it 31-10 with 6:21 left in the third on Gyetvay's 4-yard run on fourth and goal. Holmes's sneak from the 1-yard line cut the margin to 31-17 with 5:24 left. Fremd's final points came on Tauchman's 10-yard run with 3:10 left.