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Versailles
junior Collin Peters fights his way through the Minster
defense for a touchdown
Friday at Piqua. The Tigers were soundly
defeated by the Wildcats, 45-19 and was eliminated for the
OHSAA
football playoffs. CNO Photo by Chuck Runner,
tigerballonline@netzero.com
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V-Tigers
declawed by Minster
Wildcats too much to handle
By George Starks
PIQUA- “They’ve got a lot of weapons. I give all the credit to Minster
for playing well. And I’m very proud of our kids for their effort. I
felt they did what they could do.”
Those were the words of Versailles coach Adal Miller Friday after
Minster dropped a massive 45-19 loss on the Tiger in the regional
semi-finals played at Piqua.
When the Tigers met Minster on September, the Cats won the MAC contest
34-19, jumping out to a 20-0 lead early.
Even though Miller knew they could not allow that to happen again,
Minster did it again, forcing the Tigers to do a double take as it was
Déjà vu all over again.
After the Tigers went three and out on its opening possession, the
Wildcats went to work.
Minster drove 58 yards on 12 pays capped off by a one yard run by
junior quarterback Josh Nixon with 5:59 left in the quarter.
Just 1:45 later, the Cats would strike again on a 15 yard run from
Nixon and with 4:14 showing in the frame, the Wildcats were holding a
14-0 edge.
Versailles would close the gap in the second quarter as Jared Niekamp
would hit senior receiver Jace Barga at the 10:47 mark of the half.
Minster would return the score with 6:44 showing on a two yard run by
Jacob Dues.
During the drive, senior receiver Eli Wolf would haul in a 31 yard pass
from Nixon on a first and 25 play.
On the Tigers next possession, Niekamp would be intercepted by Wolf
with 2:08 left in the half
The Wildcats would march to the other end of the field and settle for a
27 yard field-goal with 18.4 seconds left in the half and a 24-7 lead
at the break.
The interception by Wolf would prove to be a 10 point swing in favor of
the Cats.
“We needed to put that one in and make it 21-14 instead of being 24-7
at half,” Miller said.
“Eli Wolf caused us some problems early on,” Miller said, referencing
Minster’s first team all-MAC linebacker. “We didn’t come out right
away, and we just had a little bit of confusion and that hurt us. And
to play from behind is very difficult to do against Minster.”
Minster would come out in the second half and dominate the Tigers,
building as much as a 38-7 lead after three before posting the 45-19
victory.
Niekamp would throw three more picks in the second half as Wold would
once again prove to be the thorn in the side of the Tigers on both
sides of the ball.
Peters led the Versailles offense with 155 yards and a touchdown on 25
carries. Dieringer had 36 yards on seven carries, and Subler carried
the ball four times for 35 yards and a touchdown.
Niekamp was 3-of-11 passing for a 48 yards, a touchdown and four
interceptions. Barga caught two passes for 44 yards and a touchdown.
Minster will now play West Liberty Salem next Friday as the Tiger end
the 2014 season with a 7-5 record.
“It’s been a blast,” Miller said. “I love coaching these kids. They
have worked their butts off, and I feel like they have achieved some
great things. I’m very proud of the way that they came together as a
team and did what they did this year.”
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