MOROCCO | Whiting didn’t play its best game Friday night at Dick Gilbert Field against host North Newton, but sophomore running back Ethan Young was superb to lift the Times No. 3 Oilers to a 27-7 victory.
Young rushed for 147 yards and two touchdowns to help seal the GSSC win as Whiting (6-0, 4-0) remained unbeaten on the season.
“The blocking was really great,” Young said. “Our offensive line did a great job of blocking for me tonight.”
Whiting quarterback AJ Veloz completed 10-of-16 passes for 140 yards, none bigger than a 23-yard strike to Patrick Petruf on a fourth-and-20 play to put the Oilers ahead 21-7 just before the end of third quarter.
“That was huge,” Whiting coach Jeff Cain said. “We were just up seven points, and they’re just one big play away for tying the game.”
The big play came on Whiting next possession after North Newton (3-3, 2-2) got to within seven points on a 5-yard run by Chad Schultz, who finished with 120 yards rushing.
“That’s a good football team,” Cain said of the Spartans. “I knew they would play inspired and play hard. We’ve got to get better.”
The Oilers moved the ball well most of the night and had two touchdowns called back by penalties, including a long punt return. But Young and Veloz were the difference, especially in the second half.
“We had to get back to play the kind of football we can with some intensity,” Young said.
“I thought he ran real hard,” Cain said of Young’s effort. “On two straight series, there he was hard to bring down.”
Whiting scored on the game’s opening drive when Justin Jendreas took a swing pass from Veloz and raced 29 yards for the score. The play capped an eight-play drive.
The Oilers went up 14-0 early in the second quarter when Ethan Young scooted 10 yards for a TD to finish a six-play, 54-yard drive.
North Newton struggled to sustain its offense in the first half and lost two fumbles to thwart two drives.
“I was really proud because I think this was the best week we’ve had as far as offensive line movement and moving the ball,” North Newton coach Pat Brown said. “We just honestly stalled on some drives, and we made some crucial mistakes.
“We put the ball on the ground twice when we had some decent gains. You can’t make those and beat a team like Whiting.”
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