Mike Engler was grateful for Friday’s weather delay.
Ryle’s football coach used the break to retool the Raiders offense and run past Conner for a 46-8 running-clock win at Tom Stellman Field.
The Raiders compiled some strong numbers: Nathan Verax was 12-of-13 for 157 yards and touchdowns to Jacob Savage, Jaden Galicia and Landon Lorms, and Savage ran for another score.
“We didn’t start off the way we wanted offensively,” Savage said. “We knew we could do what we wanted and be successful.”
Engler had not seen Conner’s 4-2-5 and 4-4-3 defenses on film. He used the break to concoct a plan: mix in Verax’s short passes.
“One of the best things that could’ve happened was the lightning delay because we actually got to go in and draw up what (Conner) was doing,” Engler said. “So we actually scrapped our script that we had.”
The new script worked for the first Raider touchdown: put a fullback wide to occupy a cornerback and throw to Lorms because a safety would be 15 yards away. Lorms had two catches for 71 yards and Savage’s 13-yarder for the score with 5:33 left in the first quarter.
“We were just trying to stop the run,” Conner coach David Trosper said. “We didn’t play well offensively; that’s the problem.”
Indeed, it was Ryle’s defense you should remember, and not just because 10 starters return – two interceptions, including Galicia’s pick-six and two recovered fumbles. The Cougars gained only 148 yards.
“I have to love the pick-six more,” Galicia said. “It gets the whole team hyped and makes the team come together better. The energy felt amazing.”
Conner’s four turnovers added to the cause.
“Two picks, one pick-six,” Trosper said. “You turn the ball over four times, you’re not going to win.”
Ryle gained 178 yards passing and another 121 on the ground.
Before the 30-minute lightning delay halted the game at 7:11 p.m. with 7:40 left in the first quarter, Ryle (2-0) unveiled a strong running game – Galicia carried twice for 16 yards, Verax one for 11 and Savage for six on two snaps. Verax was also 2-for-2 for 10 yards.
There wasn’t much to say about Conner’s (1-1) offense before the break; the Cougars went three-and-out on their opening drive on Cordion Abernathy’s one carry for four yards and Grayson Montgomery’s two incompletions.
After the Raider defense forced a three-and-out on Conner’s next possession, short passes worked again. Verax’s two to Dylan Lee for 12 yards and one to Savage for 14 set up Savage’s four-yard run for the touchdown.
Ryle never looked back.
In order: Galicia’s 40-yard pick-six, Verax-to-Lorms for eight yards and Galicia for eight.
The halftime score: Ryle, 36-0.
Conner avoided the shutout when Wyatt Hatfield scored from a yard out with 2:28 to go in the third.
Ryle makes the five-mile trip to take on Cooper next Friday. The Raiders have eight straight wins over the Jaguars dating back to 2016.
“But it seems like every year we’re the underdog,” Savage said. “But we like that.”
RAIDERS 46, COUGARS 8
RYLE — 14-22-7-3 — 46
CONNER — 0-0-8-0 — 8
Scoring Plays
First quarter
R-Jacob Savage 13 pass from Nathan Verax (Gavin Moses kick), 5:33
R-Savage 4 run (Moses kick), :0.9
Second quarter
R-Jaden Galicia 40 interception return (Moses kick), 11:51
R-Landon Lorms 8 pass from Verax (Moses kick), 5:31
R-Galicia 8 pass from Verax (Max Karwath pass from Verax), 2:09
Third quarter
R-Brayden Elder 20 fumble recovery (Moses kick), 9:40
C-Wyatt Hatfield 1 run (Landon Wuellner pass from Hatfield), 2:28
Fourth quarter
R-Moses 28 field goal, 6:26
Game Stats
Passing Yards: Ryle 170 (Verax 13-14-165-3 TD, Warner 2-2-13); Conner 45 (Montgomery 5-9-45-2 INT).
Rushing Yards: Ryle 121 (Savage 7-27, Galicia 3-18, Verax 5-29, Lorms 1-9, Warner 2-19, Donald 3-11, Kincaid 2-4); Conner 103 (Hatfield 6-33, Abernathy 6-27, Dozier 6-44, Montgomery 4-(minus-1)
Receiving yards: Ryle 170 (Lorms 3-79, Savage 4-36, Lee 5-37, Galicia 2-20, Thomas 1-5); Conner 45 (Caplinger 2-28, Bailey 1-4, Hatfield 2-13).
First downs: Ryle 17, Conner 6
Turnovers:Ryle 0, Conner 4
Penalties: Ryle 7-65, Conner 6-47
Records: Ryle 2-0, Conner 1-1