RIDGWAY 13, KANE 12

Sept. 29, 2006

By Ted Lutz

Kane Republican Staff

KANE – Ridgway High football coach Mark Morelli refers to Jerico Weitzel as the team’s "bread-and-butter" back.

"He’s our horse, and we’re going to ride him," Morelli said Friday after Ridgway spoiled Kane’s Homecoming with a 13-12 win at Paul R. Miller Stadium.

Weitzel scored both touchdowns for Ridgway and continually ripped off yardage as the Elkers controlled the clock in the second half. Weitzel gained 269 yards on 27 carries.

"It was hard to stop him," Kane Coach Jason Barner said. "Ridgway is big and physical. That’s the most missed tackles we’ve had all year."

Kane is now 2-3 on the season. Ridgway is 3-2.

After Ridgway went ahead 7-0 on Weitzel’s 44-yard touchdown run midway through the first quarter, Kane came back to go ahead 12-7 at halftime.

Matt Mix, who gained 123 yards on eight carries for Kane, put the Wolves on the scoreboard in the final minute of the first quarter with a 66-yard run down the left side of the field. The score came on the first play after Kane held Ridgway on downs.

Kane failed to tie the score, however, when a Ridgway player appeared to jump over the center and cause a fumbled snap.

Kane forced Ridgway to punt on its next possession and took over at the Elkers’ 48. Kane picked up its initial first down when a Ridgway player jumped offsides on third down. Faced with a third-and-5 at the Ridgway 20, Kenny Kane hit Dustin Moran with a pass down the right sideline for a 19-yard gain to the 1. On the next play, John Bizzak lowered his head and rammed into the end zone to give Kane a 12-7 lead with 8:29 remaining in the half. A pass for the two-point conversion fell incomplete.

The two teams then exchanged punts until Ridgway put together a drive late in the half. Quarterback Nick Dickant passed to Weitzel for an apparent first down at the Kane 1-yard line. However, Weitzel was called for offensive pass interference to nullify this play with 24 seconds left in the half.

Weitzel promptly made up for this miscue on the second play of the second half.

After Kane threw Weitzel for a two-yard loss on first down after the second half kickoff, the 5-9 200-pound junior raced 72 yards up the middle for Ridgway’s second score. A run for the conversion failed and the Elkers had a 13-12 lead, which they maintained until the final gun.

"I think our offensive line took control, especially in the fourth quarter," Morelli said. "We ran a lot of time off the clock."

Kane advanced to the Ridgway 17-yard line late in the third quarter, but a 10-yard holding penalty forced the Wolves to pass. Kane was sacked for a six-yard loss on one play before gaining that back with a toss to Bizzak. But a fourth-down pass fell incomplete and Ridgway took over at its 26.

With 5:15 left in the game, Ridgway elected to punt on fourth down from the Kane 32. The Wolves took over on their own 15 with 4:48 to go. Mix gave Kane a ray of hope when he bolted for a 38-yard gain on first down to the Ridgway 47. But Kane gained just three yards on its next four plays and turned the ball over at the Ridgway 44 with 3:17 left. Weitzel gained 26 yards on four carries to seal the win for Ridgway.

"Our kids didn’t quit," Barner said. "I love that."