***Kendall Vincent is a participant of The Kewanee Voice Student Journalism Program, funded by the Harry Anderson Memorial Trust.
In an exhilarating away game, the Annawan-Wethersfield Titans soared to a resounding 61-34 victory over the Havana Ducks, thrilling fans who made the trip on Friday night. This high-octane matchup showcased the Titans’ explosive offense and steadfast defense, earning them a commanding win on the road.
From the outset, the Titans demonstrated their dominance. Quarterback Maddox Heitzler orchestrated a masterful performance. His chemistry with running back Devon Horrie was electric, with Horrie running in three touchdowns and consistently finding ways to evade defenders.
The Titans’ rushing attack shone brightly, led by running backs Devon Horrie and Nic Thurston. Horrie rushed for an impressive 207 yards and added three touchdowns to his tally.
Thurston rushed a total of 68 yards, received for a total of 36 yards and found the endzone three times, one being on a two-point conversion. Their abilities to break tackles and exploit gaps in the Ducks’ defense kept the home team guessing and unable to mount an effective response.
The first quarter started with a touchdown and successful PAT by the Ducks, but that lead did not last long. Late in the first quarter, Heitzler connected with Devon Horrie who pushed through into the end zone, followed by a two-point conversion run in by Heitzler making the score 8-7.
The second quarter was when the Titans began to control the game. Early in the quarter, Horrie ran in another touchdown and a pass from Heitzler to Dillon Ketelsen-Anton pushed the score to 16-7.
One of the most impressive plays in the game was a 79-yard rush into the end zone by Horrie. Thurston followed the momentum and ran in a successful two-point conversion making th4e score 24-7.
Havana responded with a touchdown and extra point, but it was not enough to knock the Titan lead, 24-14. Maddox and Devon both rushed into the end zone converting the score to 30-14.
Late in the quarter, Landen Park had an interception which turned into a touchdown pass by Heitzler to Thurston, and an extra two-points by Horrie, pushing the lead even further, 40-14.
The Ducks scored with five seconds left in the quarter, but Riley Rumbold sacked their quarterback on the PAT attempt for two-points. The score at the end of the first half was an impressive 40-20.
The third and fourth quarters consisted of the Titans building on the first half. Heitzler ran the ball into the end zone twice, once followed by a two-point conversion pass to Thurston and another followed by a missed pass to Thurston, which made the lead 54-34. The final touchdown of the game was rushed in by Thurston, and a successful PAT by Johnathan Torres, making the final score 61-34.
Defensively, the Titans were equally impressive.They emerged as a force, recording two sacks and intercepting a pass that shifted momentum back to the Titans in the first half. The defense’s relentless pressure forced the Ducks into several turnovers, stifling their offensive efforts throughout the game.
Head Coach Tony Gripp is proud of his team and this win, but he still believes there’s more waiting for them.
“I thought overall we did pretty well outside of two or so plays,” Gripp said. “Havana was a team that really challenged our defense due to a variety of different formations and some exotic shifts and unbalanced sets with the same personnel which made it tough on our kids along with their tempo,” he said.
“I think we can improve on our communication pre snap defensively,” he said. “I also think we need to mix up our snap counts offensively a little better to slow down opposing blitzers and defensive stunts.”
With their sights set on the next matchup, the Titans are eager to build on this momentum. Fans are already buzzing with anticipation, excited to see what this talented team will achieve as the season progresses.
