Wolves Defense Clamped Down On South Vermillion Offense

Parke Heritage didn’t score first against South Vermillion in Friday night’s football game, but they held their guests to just a single touchdown in three quarters to post a 48-20 Wabash River Conference win.

The Wildcats took the opening kick-off and marched down the field against the Wolves defense, reaching paydirt on a five-yard run by Jacob Collings, topped with Jared Handley’s point-after kick. Parke Heritage wasted no time in answering the drive, as Trevor Rapp dashed 62 yards for a touchdown just 20 ticks of the game clock later. Ben Lynk provided the extra point kick to knot the score.

The Wildcats were forced to punt and junior quarterback Logan White hit Austin Petrillo for a 40-yard scoring pass. Lynk kick the extra point to put the Wolves up 14-7.

Rapp would score his second touchdown early in the second quarter on a 17-yard run, but the extra-point kick went wide leaving the Wolves up 20-7. South Vermillion drove hard down the field to get back in the game, but quarterback Anthony Garzolini was picked off by Petrillo, who scampered 39-yards for the fourth Wolf touchdown with a half minute left in the first half. Lynk’s point-after put Parke Heritage up 27-7 at intermission.

It took the Wolves less than 90 seconds to find the end zone in the third quarter as Rapp carried the ball over from five yards out. Lynk added the extra point for a 27-point margin. At the three-and-a-half minute mark in the period, Garzolini connected with Gary Spence on an eight-yard scoring strike to rekindle the Wildcat hopes. The two-point conversion failed though, and the Wildcats trailed 34-13.

Rapp dashed in from 15 yards out with about a minute-and-a-half in the measure, and Lynk’s kick put the Wolves up 41-13. White connected with Petrillo with just under a minute left for their final Wolf score of the game, a 26-yard aerial, capped with Lynk’s extra-point kick.

South Vermillion would eventually get back in the Red Zone in the final stanza and Collings dashed in from four yards out. Handley’s extra-point kick sealed the final margin at 48-20.

White was 17-of-25 in the air for 250 yards but was sacked for a nine-yard loss on his only rush of the game. Rapp was the lone Wolf to gain yardage on the ground against the Wildcat defense, dashing around for 177 yards and four scores. Petrillo caught four passes for 88 yards and two scores; Lynk caught four for 55 yards and freshman standout Noble Johnson caught five passes for 46 yards. Besides Petrillo’s pick for a touchdown, Lynk and Seth Bollinger also had interceptions, with Bollinger running the ball back 50 yards.

Garzolini was 16-of-38 in the air for 254 yards but lost 15 yards on five total carries; Thomas Brooks gained 69 yards on the ground to led the Wildcats there, while Spence caught seven passes for 155 yards and a touchdown.

Parke Heritage (5-1 and 4-0) will host North Vermillion (5-1 and 4-0) this Friday as the last two undefeated Wabash River Conference teams battle for the lead. South Vermillion (2-4 and 2-2) will visit Fountain Central (5-1 and 3-1).