Precise execution gives Unatego sectional win over Greene
ENDICOTT – Greene dug deep into its playbook and had Unatego fooled a couple of times. Still, the Spartans overcame those bits of trickery with precise offensive execution and great playmaking from star player Alex Hendrickson.
Hendrickson scored three times for Unatego, who took down the Trojans Saturday afternoon in the Class C playoffs, 35-20 at Ty Cobb Field. It was the second win for Unatego over Greene this season, and moves the Spartans’ record to 9-0 with a date against Lansing for the overall section title.
Execution was the mantra – or more apt lamentation – repeated by Greene coach Tim Paske and junior quarterback Nate Whittaker. “They did execute extremely well,” Paske said, whose club dropped its second straight playoff opener in as many years. “There were a couple of times we executed on defense and a couple of times we didn’t. When we didn’t, they took advantage of it.”
The Trojans might wish to proffer a rules change from four downs to three downs. On first and second down, there was no real advantage gained by either the Unatego offense or Greene defense. On third down – and on a couple occasions fourth down – it was a whole different story. In the first half alone, Unatego moved the line-to-gain markers three times on third-and-long, and twice on fourth down.
“We hurt ourselves in the first half and didn’t execute as well as we needed to,” Whittaker said. “Unatego is a great team and didn’t make mistakes.”
The Trojans were not ready to roll over, and moved for an opening score. After driving for two first downs, two offensive penalties caught up with them, and they were forced into a fourth-and-21 from the Unatego 36. Initially Greene lined up for a punt, but called a timeout to rethink the situation. Coming out of the break, the Trojans set up in an offensive formation, and most likely everyone was expecting a pass. It was indeed a pass, but not one seen this season. Whittaker handed the ball to Jake Wentlent, who reversed it to Justin VanWert. VanWert threw a strike into the right corner of the endzone to Ben Adams, who raked the ball in for a 36-yard score.
Calmly answering that adversity, Unatego gained control of the game moving 54 yards on five plays to move ahead for good. Alex Hendrickson, one of Section IV’s top backs, had a 29-yard first-down run to the six, and fullback Kyle Ritchko plowed in from six yards.
Greene went the trickery route early in the second quarter. Lining up to punt on fourth down, punter Garrett Hickey pulled the ball down and ran 21 yards for a first down. That was the best run for Greene on the day; however, that drive stalled at the Unatego 27.
Hendrickson and his Spartans pals turned in multiple highlight reel plays over the next two-plus quarters. He helped his team gain momentum after Greene’s stalled drive in the second racing for a 59-yard score, added two one-handed catches, and two long TD runs that were called back due to penalties. Hendrickson finished with three touchdowns rushing and 157 yards on the ground – nearly 100 yards more rushing on the ground than the first meeting between these two clubs.
“Hendrickson is a heck of an athlete,” Paske said. “They get the ball to him in positions where he can make big plays.”
Hendrickson’s 59-yarder at the 2:57 mark put the Trojans in a 21-6 hole, but Whittaker had Greene threatening almost immediately connecting on a 51-yard pass to Robert Sigona. A personal foul penalty tacked on to the completion had Greene first-and-goal at the seven. Unatego’s defense stiffened, and Whittaker’s fourth-down pass was dropped in the endzone.
Greene consistently moved the ball throughout the game, mostly through the air. Whittaker was 16-for-31 for a career-best 214 yards. He directed the Trojans on two scoring drives in the fourth quarter finding VanWert on a nine-yard scoring pass and Dan Carlin on a 33-yarder with 1:56 to play.
“They shut down our running game pretty well and made us one-dimensional,” Paske said.
Greene finishes 5-4 on the season, but has high hopes for next season with an unbeaten JV team ready to step up and fill some key roles. “We had the JV guys here for the game to see what the playoffs are like,” Paske said. “I’m proud of this group of seniors. They set the example for the commitment that needs to be made.”
Score by quarters
Gre. 6 0 0 14–20
Unat. 7 14 7 7–35
Scoring summary
G: Ben Adams 36 pass from Justin VanWert (pass failed)
U: Kyle Ritchko 6 run (Kyle Palmer kick)
U: Alex Hendrickson 3 run (Palmer kick)
U: Hendrickson 59 run (Palmer kick)
U: Jeff Fazio 8 run (Palmer kick)
U: Hendrickson 4 run (Palmer kick)
G: Nate Whittaker 9 pass to VanWert (Whittaker run)
G: Whittaker 33 pass to Dan Carlin (run failed)
Team Summary
G U
First downs 15 16
Rushes-yds 29-99 36-222
Passing yds 250 118
Comp-att-int 17-32-0 12-19-2
Punts-avg 2-19.5 1-2
Hendrickson scored three times for Unatego, who took down the Trojans Saturday afternoon in the Class C playoffs, 35-20 at Ty Cobb Field. It was the second win for Unatego over Greene this season, and moves the Spartans’ record to 9-0 with a date against Lansing for the overall section title.
Execution was the mantra – or more apt lamentation – repeated by Greene coach Tim Paske and junior quarterback Nate Whittaker. “They did execute extremely well,” Paske said, whose club dropped its second straight playoff opener in as many years. “There were a couple of times we executed on defense and a couple of times we didn’t. When we didn’t, they took advantage of it.”
The Trojans might wish to proffer a rules change from four downs to three downs. On first and second down, there was no real advantage gained by either the Unatego offense or Greene defense. On third down – and on a couple occasions fourth down – it was a whole different story. In the first half alone, Unatego moved the line-to-gain markers three times on third-and-long, and twice on fourth down.
“We hurt ourselves in the first half and didn’t execute as well as we needed to,” Whittaker said. “Unatego is a great team and didn’t make mistakes.”
The Trojans were not ready to roll over, and moved for an opening score. After driving for two first downs, two offensive penalties caught up with them, and they were forced into a fourth-and-21 from the Unatego 36. Initially Greene lined up for a punt, but called a timeout to rethink the situation. Coming out of the break, the Trojans set up in an offensive formation, and most likely everyone was expecting a pass. It was indeed a pass, but not one seen this season. Whittaker handed the ball to Jake Wentlent, who reversed it to Justin VanWert. VanWert threw a strike into the right corner of the endzone to Ben Adams, who raked the ball in for a 36-yard score.
Calmly answering that adversity, Unatego gained control of the game moving 54 yards on five plays to move ahead for good. Alex Hendrickson, one of Section IV’s top backs, had a 29-yard first-down run to the six, and fullback Kyle Ritchko plowed in from six yards.
Greene went the trickery route early in the second quarter. Lining up to punt on fourth down, punter Garrett Hickey pulled the ball down and ran 21 yards for a first down. That was the best run for Greene on the day; however, that drive stalled at the Unatego 27.
Hendrickson and his Spartans pals turned in multiple highlight reel plays over the next two-plus quarters. He helped his team gain momentum after Greene’s stalled drive in the second racing for a 59-yard score, added two one-handed catches, and two long TD runs that were called back due to penalties. Hendrickson finished with three touchdowns rushing and 157 yards on the ground – nearly 100 yards more rushing on the ground than the first meeting between these two clubs.
“Hendrickson is a heck of an athlete,” Paske said. “They get the ball to him in positions where he can make big plays.”
Hendrickson’s 59-yarder at the 2:57 mark put the Trojans in a 21-6 hole, but Whittaker had Greene threatening almost immediately connecting on a 51-yard pass to Robert Sigona. A personal foul penalty tacked on to the completion had Greene first-and-goal at the seven. Unatego’s defense stiffened, and Whittaker’s fourth-down pass was dropped in the endzone.
Greene consistently moved the ball throughout the game, mostly through the air. Whittaker was 16-for-31 for a career-best 214 yards. He directed the Trojans on two scoring drives in the fourth quarter finding VanWert on a nine-yard scoring pass and Dan Carlin on a 33-yarder with 1:56 to play.
“They shut down our running game pretty well and made us one-dimensional,” Paske said.
Greene finishes 5-4 on the season, but has high hopes for next season with an unbeaten JV team ready to step up and fill some key roles. “We had the JV guys here for the game to see what the playoffs are like,” Paske said. “I’m proud of this group of seniors. They set the example for the commitment that needs to be made.”
Score by quarters
Gre. 6 0 0 14–20
Unat. 7 14 7 7–35
Scoring summary
G: Ben Adams 36 pass from Justin VanWert (pass failed)
U: Kyle Ritchko 6 run (Kyle Palmer kick)
U: Alex Hendrickson 3 run (Palmer kick)
U: Hendrickson 59 run (Palmer kick)
U: Jeff Fazio 8 run (Palmer kick)
U: Hendrickson 4 run (Palmer kick)
G: Nate Whittaker 9 pass to VanWert (Whittaker run)
G: Whittaker 33 pass to Dan Carlin (run failed)
Team Summary
G U
First downs 15 16
Rushes-yds 29-99 36-222
Passing yds 250 118
Comp-att-int 17-32-0 12-19-2
Punts-avg 2-19.5 1-2
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