By Dan Hardenbrook
Engadine pulled out all the stops last Thursday night, creating a varsity-like event and atmosphere for the JV football teams from Newberry and Engadine. After coming up through local youth sports together, the teams know each other well.
On Thursday, local bragging rights were up for grabs in the first athletic face-off between the neighboring districts. Newberry controlled the game, winning the exhibition scrimmage contest 48-0.
The Eagles defense set the tone early, firing to the football and frustrating the Newberry offense. However, it was the Indians defense that made the first major move of the ball game when Gaijye Depew intercepted a broken pass and took it the other way 55 yards for the opening score. While both offenses struggled with wet conditions, the Indians settled in and found their rhythm behind a strong zone running scheme.
Three different Newberry backs got into the endzone. Running backs Logan McIntyre (32 and 25 yards) and Logan Thiele (9 yards) while QB Grant Lewicki racked up two big plays on scores of 45 and 62 yards.
When Newberry needed to go to the air, they were also successful. On a key fourth-down conversion in the second quarter, the JV Indians hit it big again, scoring on a 25-yard pass from Lewicki to Owen McNamara.
The Newberry JV have their first official action of the season when they travel to Rudyard on Thursday for a 4:30 p.m. kick-off.
Engadine’s JV hosts Superior Central on Thursday, September 19.
