WILLIAMSTOWN — Williams Valley coach Tim Savage was looking to see how the Vikings would respond following last week’s loss to rival Tri-Valley.
Williams Valley went out Friday and had its best offensive performance of the season so far.
Nick Rodichok threw for 196 yards and two touchdowns, all in the first half, as the Vikings built a big halftime lead and went on to a 61-26 victory over Upper Dauphin in a Tri-Valley League contest at Gerry Stauffenberg Field at Viking Stadium.
The Vikings (2-2, 2-1 TVL) lost to Tri-Valley 28-6 last week. With Friday’s victory, Williams Valley got itself back in the league title race.
“I told them we are going to try and get better and get back into the discussion in winning the league championship and get into the district playoffs or we are going to settle for the best of what is left,” Savage said. “We don’t want to do that.”
The Vikings didn’t.
Rodichok finished the night 11-for-19, with touchdown passes of 16 and nine yards. Dylan Rabuck added three touchdown runs in the first half covering 1, 4 and 47 yards, while Rodichok finished off the half with a 30-yard fumble return to give Williams Valley a 41-13 halftime advantage.
The Vikings had 10 first downs in the first quarter alone and 15 over the first 24 minutes.
Savage felt Williams Valley could exploit a young Trojans secondary. The Vikings started out with short-range passes early in the first half, but soon went the medium- to long-range throws. Just about everything Williams Valley did on offense in the first half worked.
“They hung around and had a good three or four drives with Halifax (a 28-27 Upper Dauphin victory last Friday) by bringing the heat and there was just no one in the middle of the field at all,” Savage said. “In order for them to stifle Halifax and slow them down, they had to bring a lot of heat, which then opens up spaces for us to throw.”
Rodichok’s first touchdown pass was to 11 yards to Levi Engle on the Vikings’ first possession of the game as Engle make a leaping grab in the end zone.
The Trojans (1-3, 1-2) tied the game on their first possession when Upper Dauphin quarterback Aaron Cleveland hooked up with Donny Gelnett for a 78-yard catch and run.
The Vikings went ahead for good on their next possession, driving 76 yards on seven plays. It ended when Rodichok hit Jake Wolfgang on a slant-in.
“Nick, the worst game of his career was last year against Upper Dauphin, five picks,” Savage said. “I told him that if you are confident and are throwing the ball well, we will keep throwing it.”
Williams Valley finished the night with 504 yards of total offense, including 296 on the ground. Dylan Rabuck finished with 124 yards while Nick Savage had 121, including a 78-yard scoring run in the third quarter.
There was plenty of offense from both teams Friday as the two teams combined for 912 yards of total offense.
Cleveland was injured on the hit that resulted in Rodichok’s fumble return late in the first half. He was replaced by Gelnett, who directed a late first-half scoring drive.
Cleveland began the second half but he played five plays before he was replaced by Gelnett.
Gelnett finished the night 6-of-9 for 163 yards.
UDA (1-3, 1-2) 7 6 6 7 — 26
WV (2-2, 2-1) 21 20 7 13 — 61
WV — Engle 16 pass from Rodichok (Mini kick)
UD — Gelnett 78 pass from Cleveland (Uhler kick)
WV — J. Wolfgang 9 pass from Rodichok (kick failed)
WV — Dy. Rabuck 1 run (D. Wolfgang pass from Rodichok)
WV — Dy. Rabuck 4 run (Mini kick)
WV — Dy. Rabuck 47 run (Mini kick)
WV — Rodichok 30 fumble return (kick failed)
UD — M. Wiest 17 pass from Gelnett (kick failed)
UD — Gelnett 1 run (kick failed)
WV — Savage 78 run (Mini kick)
UD — Laudenslager 18 pass from Gelnett (Uhler kick)
WV — Hand 76 kickoff return (Mini kick)
WV — Kemble 45 run (pass failed)
UDA WV
First Downs 16 17
Rushes-Yards 35-123 31-296
Passes 13-30-3 12-23-0
Passing Yards 285 208
Total Yards 408 504
Fumbles-Lost 2-2 1-1
Penalties 4-20 9-49
INDIVIDUAL LEADERS
RUSHING: Upper Dauphin — Hoffman 6-34, M. Wiest 6-29, Gelnett 10-24, Cleveland 6-23, T. Wiest 4-13, Lenker 2-1, Team 1-(-1). Williams Valley — Dy. Rabuck 15-124, Savage 8-121, Kemble 3-56, J. Wolfgang 2-2, Hand 1-2, Team 1-(-2), Rodichok 1-(-7).
PASSING: Upper Dauphin — Gelnett 6-9-1, 163; Cleveland 5-14-1, 114; Rupp 2-6-1, 12; Team 0-1-0, 0. Williams Valley — Rodichok 11-19-0, 196; J. Wolfgang 1-4-0, 12.
RECEIVING: Upper Dauphin — Gelnett 3-98, Lenker 1-48, Rebuck 1-43, M. Wiest 3-33, Snyder 1-33, Laudenslager 2-22, Boyer 2-12. Williams Valley — Hand 4-87, J. Wolfgang 3-65, Dy,. Rabuck 2-32, Engle 2-28, Savage 1(-4).
INTERCEPTIONS: Williams Valley — Dy. Rabuck, Engle, Chamberlain