Dominating from start to finish, the Plano Reapers whitewashed visiting Reed-Custer 41-0 Friday night in the season opener for both teams.
Scoring touchdowns on its first three possessions, Plano forged a 21-0 lead before the first quarter horn sounded. The Reapers extended the margin to 41-0 late in the third quarter while their defense continued to punish the Comets.
Plano amassed 371 yards on the ground while limiting the Comets to a mere 43 yards of total offense. Senior fullback Trent Bowers collected 74 yards on nine carries including a 15-yard touchdown, and Rinaldo Nunez added 86 yards and a touchdown on nine touches.
Plano capitalized on a short field on its first series. A botched long snap set up the Reapers at the Comets 35, and three plays later quarterback Weslye Brown went around the right side for a 7-yard score. Plano regained possession when an onside, pop-up kick was recovered by Jon Jensen at the Comets 30.
Nunez steamed ahead for the final seven yards and Plano led 13-0 at the 8:25 mark of the opening quarter. Cam Novak managed a big gain on the Comets ensuing possession breaking through the middle for a 35-yard run. But the Reapers defense, led by Zach Peruski and Deshone Jackson, stiffened. Osvaldo Lopez ended the Comets drive with a sack on fourth down.
A 39-yard run by Nunez positioned the Reapers inside the Comets 20, and Brown scooted the final seven yards. Shaun Wollenweber added the two-point conversion and the rout was on.
“We wanted the shutout,” said Jackson. “We felt we could control the line of scrimmage and get to the quarterback.”
Plano picked up four sacks and added seven tackles in the backfield. John Campbell intercepted a pass.
“We knew we had a strong defensive line and felt we were pretty fast,” Peruski said. “The defensive line handled it up front and allowed us linebackers to go untouched.”
Bowers completed a 10-play, 75-yard drive when he rumbled to the end zone from 15 yards away midway through the third quarter, and Wollenweber (4 carries, 109 yards) set up a Tony Elias touchdown with a 61-yard jaunt. Jensen kept the clock running after his 4-yard plunge to paydirt with 52 ticks left in the third quarter.
“We feel really good about the O-line, and with Bowers and Nunez in the backfield that’s what we’re hoping,” said Plano coach Jim Green. “If they can pound away at the linebackers that frees things up for guys like Wollenweber and Brown.”
Much like a carpenter’s hammer to a sinker nail.
