Defense, second-half surge propels Rockies to Homecoming win

Courtesy of The Pilot News, Photo by Sue Garrity

PLYMOUTH — Plymouth’s Rockies were hoping for a Homecoming win on Friday night but Wawasee had other ideas, pushing the Rockies the distance before finally being overwhelmed by Plymouth 30-0.
“We knew that they were hungry for a win and this is a Wawasee, Plymouth game that we’ve kind of built into a little rivalry,” said Plymouth coach Adam Handley. “We talked about it most of the week that if you give them any hope they are going to be right there. We needed to take care of business.”
It was Wawsee’s defense that was taking care of business, setting the tone early and often being more physical than the Plymouth offense and keeping them frustrated with “three and out” and off the field. After a rough first half, a completely revitalized Plymouth offense took over, winning the third quarter and taking back the momentum from the Warriors.
Plymouth led by seven at the break and after an exchange of promising possessions by each offense in the third quarter, the Rockies gained the upper hand.
“We threw in a couple of wrinkles in that second half to try to combat some of that aggressiveness (from the Warrior defense),” said Handley. “We had a little success then. They were just more physical in the first half and we didn’t respond until after half time. It was an effort thing. All the looks we got were what we thought we were going to get. We came out flat.
Our defense kept us in the game and it let us come back here at the half and refocus, readjust, and go.”
For the Rockie defense on the other hand it was just more of the same as once again they stepped up to be counted, pitching Plymouth’s first shutout since the 2019 season when the Rockies shut out…Wawasee 35-0.
A shifting “chaotic” look on the front kept the Warriors guessing all night.
“That’s been a goal all season to get that first shut out,” said Handley. “With their offense, if you go vanilla, they know who they are going to read, and they know where they are going to run, and they do it. By blitzing, switching, and going to a four front a couple of times, especially with a new offense for them, they are still learning it, trying to figure it out, so it was definitely in the game plan.”
It was the third straight night that the Rockie defense made a statement.
“That’s their identity right now,” said Handley of his defensive unit. “They are playing with that little chip on their shoulder and feeling like they have something to prove.”
Plymouth is now 3-2 on the season, 2-1 in NLC play and faces a huge test at Warsaw next week.
•PLYMOUTH 30, WAWASEE 0
At Plymouth
Score by Quarters
Wawasee 0 0 0 0 — 0
Plymouth 7 0 10 23 — 30
Scoring Summary:
First quarter
P — 3:20 Exzander Ramirez 4 yd. pass to Davis Jones (Carlos Carillo kick)
Third Quarter
P — 5:36 Finn Holm 33 yd. run (Carillo kick)
P — :31 Carillo 40 yd. FG
Fourth Quarter
P — 9:09 Holm 2 yd run (Carillo kick)
P — 3:43 Kaden Milliser 78 yd run (Carillo kick no good)