Wildcats win on senior night

NEWARK – The victory bell rang one final time for Newark’s seniors Friday night at White Field. The host Wildcats shut out visiting Canal Winchester in the second half and erased a 13-10 halftime deficit to win in style 33-13 on senior night.

Fittingly, several seniors headlined the big night. Kicker Jed Quackenbush kicked four field goals for Newark, and quarterback Kaleb Jarrett tossed a touchdown pass. Junior D’ante Woods also scored two rushing touchdowns, as the Wildcats outscored the Indians 26-0 over the final 26 minutes of game time.

“We talked all week about sending these 17 seniors off this field with a win,” Newark coach Mike Kopachy said after the game.

“These seniors, who have been through one- and two-win seasons, to guarantee a .500 win season, this game was just a microcosm of how great of a group they really are,” Kopachy said.

After Woods scored his first touchdown for Newark to level the score at 7-7 on a nine-yard run in the middle of the second quarter, Canal Winchester (3-6, 0-4) scored on the ensuing possession to go up 13-7.

Newark got the ball back with just 1:15 remaining in the half, and drove to the Indians 14-yard line. Quackenbush converted a 31-yard field goal at the end of the half, to build some momentum for the Wildcats.

The second half belonged to Newark. The defense did not allow a point on eight possessions by the Indians.

Jarrett found junior Ashton Gilkey on an eight-yard touchdown pass with 3:48 remaining in the third quarter to give Newark its first lead at 17-13.

Quackenbush finished the next three Wildcats drives with field goals of 48, 37 and 35 yards respectively, and suddenly Newark’s lead was 26-13 midway through the final quarter.

Woods, who carried the ball 28 times for 137 yards, finished the scoring as it had started, with a five yard run with just 1:19 remaining in the game. His 23 yard run in the second quarter pushed him over 1,000 rushing yards for the season.

“Our line was opening big holes late in the game,” Woods said. “We are a very well conditioned team and we feel like we can wear down any team we play in the second half, and we really took it to them tonight.”

Newark (5-4, 2-2) held Canal Winchester to 221 yards of total offense on the night. In addition to Woods’ production on offense, Jarrett completed 15-of-28 passing for 181 yards.

Newark will go for its first winning season in over a decade Friday, visiting Ohio Capital Conference-Capital Division foe Franklin Heights.