WAYNE -- Forgive Wayne fans for feeling slightly nostalgic after Friday night's game against visiting Scott.
The Pioneers controlled the line of scrimmage, rushing for 252 yards while holding the Skyhawks to 24 yards on the ground, as Wayne rumbled to a 26-6 victory.
Wayne is 2-0 for the first time in 10 years.
"We talked a lot before the season about being the best team we can early in these games," Pioneer coach Tom Harmon said. "I thought we came out and executed fast."
The Pioneers did just that, needing just four plays to get into the end zone. A 38-yard pass from Fisher Fry to Ronnie Staley put Wayne in the red zone, and Kaiden Hayton took his first carry of the night 18 yards to the end zone for a 7-0 Wayne lead just 1:43 into the game.
That's when the defense made a big play. After the Skyhawks moved deep into Wayne territory, Staley jumped above a Scott receiver to intercept a pass in the end zone, holding the score at 7-0 early in the second quarter.
The Pioneer lead grew to 13-0 when Staley made another big play. The senior receiver caught a pass on third and 15, then darted the rest of the way into the end zone from 27 yards away.
"If you're ever going to reach any kind of late-season great wins, you have to have your best players making spectacular plays," Harmon said. "The interception in the end zone really spoke for itself. It was an out of the ordinary play. [Staley] and Fisher [Fry] connecting on that third and 15. You expect your senior playmakers to make those plays.
"When they do and everybody else plays tough, you give yourselves a chance."
The Pioneer defense certainly played tough. The Skyhawks (0-1) never could get off the ground offensively.
"They whipped our tails up front all night," Scott coach Jermey Dolin said. ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œCredit to their offensive and defensive lines.
"Offensively we stubbed our toe a few times. We had some drives but couldn't finish."
Nate Easterling finished 10 of 17 passing for 137 yards and the interception. After going 8-for-9 in the first half, Easterling completed 2 of 8 passes in the second half as Wayne was able to get pressure on the junior quarterback.
"I'm probably more pleased [with the defense] than anything we did tonight," Harmon said. "The ability to hold up to their running game while adequately defending the pass.
Jayden Waymon ran for a career-high 114 yards, including a 26-yard third quarter scoring run. Hayton finished with 101 yards rushing. Four different Pioneers found the end zone, including Fry on a quarterback sneak from 3 yards out.
"They may not have a real deep playbook, but they're really good at the five or six plays they run consistently," Dolin said.
Wayne 26, Scott 6
Scott;0;0;0;6;--;6 Wayne;7;6;6;7;--;26 First quarter W--Hayton 18 run (Estep kick) Second quarter
W--Staley 27 pass from Fry (kick failed) Third quarter
W--Waymon 26 run (pass failed) Fourth quarter
S--Clark 14 pass from Easterling (kick failed) W--Fry 3 run (Estep kick) INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥“ Scott: Fennessy 7-37, Sutphin 5-15, Neal 2-9, White 1-7, Brineger 4-4, Easterling 5-(-48); Wayne: Waymon 15-114, Hayton 19-101, Fry 9-38, Worrell 1-3, Staley 2-(-4).
PASSING: Scott: Easterling 10-17-1-137; Wayne: Fry 3-6-0-85.
RECEIVING: Scott: Clark 4-77, Bush 2-39, Brineger 4-21. Wayne: Staley 2-65, Hayton 1-20
