The Shelby Whippets entered Week 8 ready to get rid of a sour taste in their mouths. It is safe to say, after Friday night's 42-0 win over the Warriors, the taste is officially gone.
ONTARIO — The Shelby Whippets entered Week 8 ready to get rid of a sour taste in their mouths.
It had been there since Nov. 15, 2024, when the Ontario Warriors shocked the football world with a 23-point fourth-quarter comeback to knock Shelby out of the playoffs. It is safe to say, after Friday night's 42-0 win over the Warriors, the taste is officially gone.
The Whippets outgained the Warriors on offense 431-86 and pitched their third shutout of the season, the first time they have had three shutouts in a season since having four in 2017. Shelby took advantage of Ontario's two lost fumbles on kickoff returns and an interception to score 21 points off of those turnovers to set the tone for the running-clock win.
Let's dig into the Whippets' latest victory.
How it all happened
First Quarter
SHELBY: Travis Slone 12-yard run. Everett Harris kick. 7-0. 8:49.
S: Brady Bowman 35-yard pass from Brady Bowman. Everett Harris kick. 14-0. 8:21.
Second Quarter
S: Brayden DeVito 3-yard run. Everett Harris kick. 21-0. 29.9.
Third Quarter
S: Brayden DeVito 1-yard run. Everett Harris kick. 28-0. 6:27.
S: Avery Lambert 6-yard pass from Brayden DeVito. Everett Harris kick. 35-0. 4:36.
Fourth Quarter
S: Casyn Koch 38-yard pass from Brayden DeVito. Everett Harris kick. 42-0. 5:25.
Game Stat Book
Shelby
Passing: Brayden DeVito: 18-for-22, 305 yards, 3 TDs.
Landon Foltz: 1-for-1, 13 yards.
Receiving: Gavin Miller: 3 receptions, 86 yards.
Michael Shepherd: 3 receptions, 66 yards.
Avery Lambert: 5 receptions, 60 yards, TD.
Brady Bowman: 3 receptions, 48 yards, TD.
Casyn Koch: 1 reception, 38 yards, TD.
Landon Foltz: 3 receptions, 15 yards.
Kaden Paz: 1 reception, 5 yards.
Rushing: Brayden DeVito: 9 carries, 46 yards, 2 TDs.
Gavin Baker: 1 carry, 42 yards.
Travis Slone: 3 carries, 25 yards, TD.
Luke Blevins: 2 carries, 0 yards.
15 carries, 113 yards rushing.
318 passing yards.
431 yards of total offense.
Defensive highlight: Brayden DeVito interception.
Ontario
Passing: Gavin Miller: 1-for-2, 15 yards.
Trey Remy: 2-for-4, negative-5 yards.
Receiving: Alex McWharter: 1 reception, 15 yards.
Grady Muncy: 1 reception, negative-5 yards.
Rushing: Kooper Kilgore: 16 carries, 73 yards.
Gavin Miller: 10 carries, 19 yards.
Max Ciroli: 3 carries, 4 yards.
Trey Remy: 5 carries, negative-20 yards.
34 carries, 76 yards.
10 passing yards.
86 yards of total offense.
What they said
Shelby coach Rob Mahaney on the Whippets' all-around solid performance in the win: "Offensively, I thought we stopped ourselves with a fumble and a mistake-filled 3-and-out in the first half. At halftime, we challenged our guys to come out and execute in the second half and we did much better with that. Defensively, we did allow them to control the clock a little bit, but the scoreboard is all that matters. We kept them out of the end zone and that makes me proud of our kids. We focused on ourselves, shut out the outside noise and executed at a high level."
Mahaney on the Whippets earning an easy rivalry win after close games with Ontario in recent years: "A lot of credit to our kids. We played as well as we could. Offensive line protected well, we made plays and Brayden DeVito was Brayden DeVito. We did what we needed to and I am proud of our guys for playing the way they did. You could tell this meant something to them. It was special for our guys and it meant a little bit more."
Mahaney on the Whippets giving themselves a chance to play for at least a share of the MOAC title next week: "It is exactly where we wanted to be. We are going to enjoy the heck out of this one and get back to work on Saturday morning to go out and win a league title. Our kids have earned, through the day to day process, an opportunity to win the league next week and clinch it outright in Week 10. If we continue to stick to the process, we can capatlize on it."
Shelby's Brayden DeVito on the Whippets' being extra focused on beating Ontario after last year's showdowns: "Man, it feels good. It feels long overdue. We have had that sour taste in our mouths ever since we lost the way we did. It was definitely a statement to come out and played football the way Shelby does. I am so proud of my guys."
DeVito on his team's mental approach to playing Ontario: "We can't overlook Ontario nor can we overlook any team week by week. What I love about this group is we get that new team to study on Mondays with that scouting report and we're in it all week long. We work for it and come out as prepared as we possibly could be and we make plays from there."
DeVito on the gratification of being in a postion to clinch a league championship in Week 9: "It feels really good because we came into the season with some very high expectations and so far, we haven't let any of that get to us. We just come into our locker room, stick with the guys in there and I am proud to prove everyone right. It is a great feeling, but we cannot get complacent going into the postseason."
Ontario coach Aaron Eckert on the challenges of giving Shelby extra opportunities: "Anytime you play a really good football team like Shelby, you have to take advantage of opportunities and not give them any extra opportunities. In the first half, we had chances to score touchdowns and we also missed a long field goal on a drive where we hurt ourselves with a 10-yard penalty that made it even longer. We had a realistic chance to be in the game at halftime and felt pretty good with 35 second left down 14-0, but they put one on the board late. They added on to start the third quarter and took advantage of our mistake with a fumble on the kickoff return and next thing you know, its a running clock. We just have to grow up mentally and on the field. That will be the stress for the Warrior football program next week."
What's next?
The Shelby Whippets improve to 8-0 and 5-0 in the Mid-Ohio Athletic Conference. They host Pleasant in Week 9 where a win will clinch at least a share of the league championship. Ontario falls to 4-4 and 2-3 in the MOAC and heads to Highland in Week 9.
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This article originally appeared on Mansfield News Journal: Shelby Whippets beat Ontario Warriors in Mid-Ohio Athletic Conference football
Category: General Sports
