SOUTH WHITLEY – It was a hot start that only got hotter. But as the blistering sun and humidly slowly faded in the shadows of Ryan Huff Field, cramped and dehydrated players were just thankful to get week one over with. Since they had to play, and it’s week one of the football season, both teams had plenty of early fireworks in a 34-12 Wawasee Warriors win over the host Whitko Wildcats.

Wawasee utilized a dink and dunk offense to spread out Whitko, moving down the field immediately, capped with a Gage Reinhard keeper for the first score. Running back Nic Wilson then dove inside for an easy 18-yard rush for a touchdown as Whitko didn’t cover the middle worrying about Wawasee’s spread offense.

The Warriors defense chimed in for a key role, snuffing Whitko back Tanner Hughes on fourth and two, getting the ball back as the quarter expired.

First play from the 30 as the second quarter opened up, Clayton Cook took the direct snap and rushed 70 yards for a touchdown. Just like that, despite a missed extra point, it was 20-0 Wawasee and both sides had their own opinions of what happened.

“The big plays kept us in the game, and obviously won us the game,” began Ekovich, trying to find a mending of scrimmage week and week one. “I know it’s an excuse, but when you spend a whole summer at two-a-days in 70 degrees and it’s 85 tonight with 90 percent humidity, you can’t mimic that.”

Countered Whitko head coach Josh Mohr, “A lot of our offense was built around our fullback. And that was our focus early. Hats off to Wawasee for stopping that fullback action. When we can’t get Tanner in space, Garrett (Elder) has to find room. It worked a couple times, but not other times.”

Mohr, who kept telling his team right after the Cook touchdown, ‘now it’s our turn’ watched his Wildcats need just one play to get back in it. Sophomore quarterback Elder, who began his freshman year as a Wawasee Warrior before transferring to Whitko, took the next snap and decided to give the outside a go. With no gap contain, Elder ran unopposed 80 yards to bring Whitko back to 20-6 after the missed conversion. Mohr then echoed ‘That’s how fast things can turn! Let’s keep it up.’

It was the Wawasee defense that kept the game from getting any closer. After Whitko moved to the Wawasee 36 on its next possession, the Wildcats faced fourth and four. Deciding to call Hughes’ name again, the Whitko backer could not find any room between the tackles, turning the ball over on downs.

“I think that coach Casey, coach Kaase and coach Smith had a great game plan and we played disciplined defense, which is what you have to do against an option team,” Ekovich said. “I really think we just outhit them. Tanner (Hughes) is a great running back, and Elder is an explosive back too. It just came down to making stops.”

Wawasee would add a pair of passing touchdowns in the second half, a 21-yard strike from Reinhard to Sam Clark and a 25-yard dart from Reinhard to Mylon Betts.

Reinhard was effective in the low-risk offense, going 13-22 for 134 yards and the three total scores. Cook, who left the game in the second quarter due to dehydration, had 117 all purpose yards while Clark led the receivers with five catches for 53 yards.

The game itself had more than a dozen stoppages of play due to injuries or cramping. Unfortunately for Mohr and his young Wildcats, the game also featured 11 more stoppages for penalties, resulting in 57 yards, and several killing short yardage situations during the first half.

“One of the big things for us was the penalties,” Mohr said. “Those are mental mistakes. It’s easy stuff to fix, but it’s mental focus. That’s what we need to clean up in practice. These are big games playing two 4A schools in a row, and those kids are amped up and ready to go and the excitement gets the best of us.”

Hughes would finally find the endzone for the Wildcats in the fourth quarter with a 12-yard run that was set up by a 29-yard scamper by Elder into the Wawasee red zone. Hughes, who rushed for more than 1,200 yards last season, settled in with 26 rushes for 110 yards, but most coming in the second half with the game long since decided. Elder had a huge night, carrying the ball 10 times for 168 yards, but failed to complete any of his six pass attempts. Whitko on the night passed for just one yard on seven tries.

Wawasee (1-0) will head home to greet West Noble (1-0) Friday night while Whitko (0-1) will welcome in Columbia City (1-0). West Noble pounded Central Noble 45-14 while City battered Warsaw 33-21.