YORK - Last Friday, Oct. 3, at Cumberland, the York High School Wildcats increased their winning streak to four in a row when they shut out the Greely Rangers in the second half on their way to a convincing 46-13 win.

Both teams entered with records of 3-1 and some pundits were picking it as the "game of the week."

The Rangers opened the scoring when Erik Thayer broke through the York line for a 40-yard TD at the eight-minute mark of the first period. York quickly countered when, two minutes later, QB Evan Wallace found an opening and raced in for an eight yard TD. The Wildcats took the early lead on a two-point conversion. York regained the ball and Wallace, three for six, completed a 44-yard TD pass to John McCafferty.

Now leading 16-7, the Wildcats took advantage of a bad snap and tackled the Greely punter on his five yard line. Two plays later, Dylan Merritt plunged in for the TD. Again the Wildcats scored on a two-point conversion and held a 24-7 lead. But the Rangers fought back when Thayer scored again with 2:55 left in the first half and the Wildcats led 24-13 at intermission.

The Wildcats showed their ball control offense in the second half, scoring three touchdowns while allowing Greely just 11 plays and one first down. York drove 55 yards on eight plays with Jared Prugar, 14 for 15, scoring on a two-yard plunge at the 7:10 mark of the third quarter. Then Cam Rodrigues finished off a 10-play, 62-yard drive, with an 11-yard TD scamper. Finally, with just 2:55 left in the game, following a Prugar interception, Wallace, with 14 carries for 69 yards, finished off a seven-play, 60-yard drive with a QB sneak. Sophomore Jack Radke completed the scoring with a two-point conversion plunge to make the final score York 46, Greely 13. 

York's balanced attack had five different players scoring touchdowns and the whole team playing a "solid defense."

Wildcats swamp Yachtsmen, 19-0

Sept. 26 was Homecoming at York High School and also the arrival of a severe tropical storm. Game time was moved up from 7 to 5:30 p.m. in an attempt to beat the heavy rain but, as someone said, "You can't fool mother nature," and the game was played in torrential rains and howling winds. There was an unconfirmed sighting of an ark being built at York's Wild Kingdom and the animals lining up two by two.

York Head Coach Randy Small was quoted as saying, "We had a physical week of practice and were ready for some smash mouth football."

The Wildcats reached deep into their playbook when they were faced with a fourth and goal at 9:30 of the second period. QB Evan Wallace handed off to junior halfback Jared Prugar, who rolled left and completed an option pass to a wide open Dylan Merritt for a 14-yard touchdown pass. Merritt also kicked the point after, and York led 7-0. Merritt, who had missed the last two games due to injury, was also credited with two other pass receptions from Wallace for 53 more yards.

York took advantage of a fumble recovery forced by the solid defense of their line and some key tackles by freshman Austin Wallace. The Wildcats scored again on a one yard QB dive by Evan Wallace with 2:38 left in the first half. Falmouth went to the air but sophomore Keegan McCrory intercepted near as the Wildcats were able to finally control the game.

Wildcats edge Patriots, 24-16

On Sept.19, the Gray-New Gloucester Patriots gave the York Wildcats all they could handle before York defensive back Dylan Merritt leaped high to deflect and intercept a GNG pass. Only then, with just a few minutes left in the game, could the York fans breathe easy.

Gray took the opening kickoff and controlled the ball for nine plays before punting out-of-bounds at the York 15 yard line. Then the Wildcats mounted a 14-play drive of their own that featured a 30-yard pass completion from QB Evan Wallace to wide receiver "Big Dan" Sheehan. Wallace picked up 10 more on a QB draw and then sprinted 12 yards around left end to open the scoring. The Patriots stuffed the York conversion attempt and the score remained 6-0.

Merritt squibbed the next kickoff for York and Gray downed it on their own 26 yard line. Then Wildcats John McCafferty, Dillon DellaPasqua and Jared Prugar stopped GNG on the next three plays and forced the Patriots to punt. York went "three and out" and Wallace punted to the Gray 25 yard line where McCafferty made a key tackle. But on second down and long senior RB Nick Audet raced 75 yards around left end for a TD and after the two point conversion by Taylor Valente the Patriots led 8-6.

York countered quickly as Cam Rodrigues returned the kickoff to the York 33 yard line. Then J. Prugar and Rodrigues alternated carries as the Wildcats mounted an 11 play drive that was culminated by a 21 yard TD sprint around left end by Dylan Merritt and York led 12-8 at the half.

The Wildcats marched from their own 30, paced by a 28 yard sweep left by QB Wallace and completed by a seven yard scamper by J. Prugar to take an 18-8 lead early in the third quarter. York's defense stiffened but the Patriots were able to sustain an 11 play drive before scoring another TD on a sweep by Valente. Their conversion was good and now York led by just two, 18-16, late in the third period. GNG used a squib on the kickoff and recovered on the York 47. Aaron Prugar and Jack Radke combined to stop Valente on a sweep and Gray had to turn the ball over on downs.

Then York mounted another sustained 12 play drive but their fumble on the GNG seven yard line was recovered by Trevor McCutcheon. Three plays later and Gray was forced to punt. The Wildcats started near midfield and finally Wallace cut over the left side for a 31 yard TD to give York a 24-16 lead. The Patriots were still scrapping and finally the interception by Merritt sealed the win for the Wildcats by a final score of 24-16.