Electrics' defense cracks rival Ceramics

DUNCAN FALLS - Philo’s balanced attack and greedy defense hammered rival Crooksville 55-0 at Sam Hatfield Stadium on Friday night.

Nathan Baker’s 14 of 17 through the air for 258 yards and 5 touchdowns was too much for the Ceramics to handle. Baker’s ability to find open receivers exploited the Ceramics secondary man coverage in the first half.

Baker also found wide receiver Jake Mohler five times through the air for 116 yards and three touchdowns. He also ran the ball on two attempts for 45 yards and a touchdown on the ground.

“Regardless of the scoreboard. I’m glad our guys showed up tonight,” Philo coach Dirk Lincicome said. “Crooksville and Philo has always been a hard hitting and physical game.”

Philo’s offense and defense fired on all cylinders in the first half of the game. It started with playmakers like Mohler to pump up the momentum. Mohler returned a kick 98 yards for a score, but it was negated by a block in the back at the Electrics 38-yard line.

Baker’s air raid hit the Ceramics zone coverage quickly with a pass to wide receiver Kolt Moore over the middle putting the ball on the Ceramics 31. Runs by Dakota Perry and Baker put the ball deep in Crooksville territory. From the 7-yard line Baker hit wide receiver Nash Bishop on an inside screen and it was 6-0 Electrics early

Crooksville’s offense looked unusual going to the spread on its first drive of the game. Ceramics quarterback Landon Hinkle picked up a first down on a scramble from the pocket. Hinkle got picked off by Bishop on the next play returning the ball to the 28-yard line.

It was two drive later, though, when Mohler returned a punt to the Ceramics 31 yard line, then caught a pass from Baker the next play and took it in for a score to make it 13-0.

“Over the top the best connection we’ve had all year,” Mohler said. “It just seemed that Nathan knew exactly where I was going to be and where he needed to put the ball.”

Philo’s defense held strong against an assignment driven option attack from the Ceramics on the next drive.

“Defending the option is assignment football,” Lincicome said. “We ran it a couple years. We had problems in the past where if they were good at assignment in the option we got beat. They got away from it some and we knew that they would.”

Philo took over the ensuing drive at midfield after a Ceramics punt. Baker carved up the Ceramics secondary on two big throws to Moore and a 45-yard touchdown pass to Mohler. Rinehart’s kick made it 20-0 Electrics.

Philo compiled 24 more unanswered points before half routing the Ceramics.

Philo can now concentrate on the Sheridan Generals, who it is tied with for second in the MVL. The winner of that game should have a clear indication of making the playoffs.

Lincicome knows too well about the elusiveness of Sheridan quarterback Dylan Dupler.

“They’re rolling right now. We have to have a good week of preparation. It’s going to be a battle, a heavy weight fight. Dupler is a really good football player. You always have to account for him as a runner.”

“We have to treat it like a business approach,” Mohler said. “We have a lot of skill on the outside and inside with our line we match up well with them.”

Baker and Sheridan quarterback Dylan Dupler may have competitive showdown with two of the league’s best. “It’s a privilege to be in that kind of atmosphere next week,” Baker said.

Crooksville heads to Danville next Friday with another matchup with the Blue Devils.

Brody Williams had 27 yards on 10 carries during the game.