XENIA — A big bruising character on the Super Mario Brothers video games is a thorny-shelled dude named Bowser. Well, Sidney’s Isaiah Bowser has a helmet and shoulder pads for a shell. No thorns, but he sure can bowl over would-be defenders.
Bowser ran for a school-record 413 yards on 41 carries to lead the Yellow Jackets to a 55-48 win over Xenia on Friday night at Doug Adams Stadium. Sincere Wells rolled to four scores and rushed for a career-best 285 yards, but he was overshadowed by Bowser, who rushed for six touchdowns and also threw for 90 yards and one score.
Bowser scored on a 22-yard run with 11:14 left in the fourth quarter to give Sidney a 49-28 lead.The Buccaneers then scored back-to-back touchdowns on a 54-yard pass from Christian Severt to Corey Burnette and a 53-yard run by Burnette to pull within 49-41. Bowser scored his last touchdown on a 1-yard run with two minutes left. Wells scored a touchdown with under a minute left, but Sidney ran out the clock on its final drive.
Bowser unofficially had 147 yards gained on the ground and an opening touchdown run for the Yellow Jackets … at halftime. He gained another 177 yards just in the third quarter.
Bowser entered the game leading the GWOC in rushing with 830 yards in three games. After Friday’s game, he has 1,243 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns.
But for all the bruising Bowser runs, Xenia (0-4) managed to stay with the undefeated Yellow Jackets throughout.
The Buccaneers responded to Bowser’s opening TD score with a six-play, 52-yard scoring drive. Wells broke through the Sidney defensive line for a 27-yard TD. Hayden Falvey’s extra point made it all even at 7-all.
Ratez Roberts hauled in a 55-yard pass from Ryan Dunham for a go-ahead score on Sidney’s very next play from scrimmage after the Bucs’ score, then Bowser had another touchdown run, this time from 11-yards out, to put Sidney in control. Hallie Truesdale nailed all three of her first- half extra point tries and the Jackets were in command, 21-7
Xenia bounced back again, however.
This time, Corey Burnette took a pitchout from quarterback Christian Severt. Burnette then tight-roped along the Sidney sideline and broke in the clear for an 80-yard touchdown run. After a Sidney encroachment penalty on Xenia’s first try at an extra point, Xenia decided to go for a 2-point conversion from the 1-yard line. But the Jackets defense stopped Burnette cold for no score.
Xenia almost scored again on its final drive of the first half.
The Bucs took over the ball with 54.2 seconds to go on their own 38-yard line. Nifty clock management and a few Sidney pass interference penalties enabled Xenia to get down to the Yellow Jacket 23, but the clock expired as Burnette was tackled at the Sidney 15 to end the half.
Both teams return to action on Friday, Sept. 22. Sidney will host West Carrollton in a GWOC crossover game, while Xenia will play at Piqua.
