YORKTOWN – On the sideline, one could see the Yorktown football team ready to clinch history.
In the final few minutes, it was coach Mike Wilhelm coming down the sideline with his headset off, reaching out to high-five a few key players. Soon after, it was offensive tackle Anthony Todd wheeling around the Yorktown postgame huddle, dropping a fist pump with his face lighting up as he saw the trophy in Tigers athletic director Kyle Hall’s hand.
It’s been six years since Yorktown pulled it off, 16 since it had to go through Delta, it’s biggest rival, to do it, but after Friday night, the Tigers could call themselves sectional champions.
“All week we’ve been talking about how every team that’s gotten beat, it’s all about revenge,” Yorktown linebacker Myron Howard said. “For us, our revenge is winning this sectional because we got beat last year.
“It’s just reaffirmed our work.”
Yorktown raced ahead early on its home field, took a counterpunch from Delta, and finally pulled away for a 35-12 Class 3A sectional title game victory. The Tigers had defeated the Eagles for a second time this season, knocked off a West Lafayette squad that ended dominant 2013 campaign and became the first team in school history to win 11 games in a season.
“It’s just nice to see what we talk about come to fruition,” Wilhelm said. “We had a chance to win a championship last year. We just didn’t get there. We’ve been talking all year about what it takes to win championships. I give these guys credit. They have bought in.”
Yorktown (11-1) will play at Fort Wayne Bishop Luers next Friday at 7 p.m.
The lasting image of the night was Ball State-bound Tigers quarterback Riley Neal (350 total yards, four rush/pass TDs) slicing his way through the Eagle defense. He keyed the Tigers pulling away, running for both of the team’s scores in the second half. At halftime he realized the team had fewer than 15 yards rushing (he’d thrown for 228) and told the staff they probably wouldn’t win if that continued.
Yorktown opened the game looking as if it wanted to grab its piece of history all at once. Riley Miller took the opening kickoff 88 yards for a touchdown on a fake reverse, then racked up 156 of his 160 receiving yards and two scores before halftime.
“The coaches were talking about having a fast start,” Miller said. “When they called that fake reverse, I thought, ‘Hey, why not take this to the house?’ “
After the Tigers went up 14-0, Delta (7-5) managed to grind back in behind the running of Zach Mills (72 rushing yards) and Mason Bechdolt (102 yards). The Eagles cut the lead to 14-6 and later 21-12. But with little passing game, the Tigers keyed in late, allowing only 109 yards after halftime, with two fourth-down stops and two turnovers.
One could tell there was respect across the field from both sides, and Delta left with a difficult loss.
“It’s tough,” said Delta coach Grant Zgunda, voice raw with emotion. “These guys are awesome. It’s tough because I wanted it for them. I thought they played hard, we just didn’t get it done.”
It seemed Yorktown was always in place to make plays, whether it was sacks from Howard or Trea Kates, timely batted passes from Kates and Todd or the up-and-down day of Carson Moore. On Delta’s second drive, he slung down Eagles tailback Joe Spegal (72 yards) on fourth-and-goal from the 1, but later, Moore missed two key receptions, one a drop.
His shoulders slumped, but he came back to break up a fourth-down pass to Tate Stone and end another second-half Delta threat.
“I definitely had a few coaches get on my butt about getting my head up,” Moore said. “Had to get it up for the second half because I know Delta’s tough.”
Now the Tigers have their trophy, the fourth in program history and first since 2008. Last year a top-notch 10-1 Tigers squad fell to West Lafayette in this round. Those who returned now have the most wins for a season in school history.
Neal and his team have a chance at a first regional next week, but in the moment, he savored having a little something extra on his father and uncle who both played at the school.
“I’m ready to go to Thanksgiving this year and talk some crap to all my family about how we have 11 wins and they don’t,” Neal said laughing. “Tiger football hasn’t always traditionally been a winning program, and it’s good to restore some faith in our team.”
Yorktown’s Regional
• Opponent: Fort Wayne Bishop Luers
• When: 7 p.m. Friday
• Where: At Bishop Luers