In a thrilling Friday night contest, the scoreboard lit up as the Canton South Wildcats clashed with the Dover Crimson Tornadoes.
Both teams’ quarterbacks, Poochie Snyder and Jack Judkins, put on a show, combining for an impressive twelve touchdowns. However, it was Snyder and the Wildcats who emerged victorious, fending off the Crimson Tornadoes with a final score of 50-40.
“That was a great win against a great program,” Canton South head coach Matt Dennison told WHBC’s Billy Beebe after the Wildcats victory. “If you would’ve told us that we’d get these two for our first two games and play the way we played, I’d be real happy; and I am.”
Early on, Snyder orchestrated a remarkable 23-0 scoring spree in the second quarter, propelling the Wildcats to a commanding 30-7 lead. On the receiving end of Snyder’s precision passes was Tavon Castle, South’s wide receiver, who had an outstanding performance, hauling in 13 receptions for 185 yards throughout the game.
Dover, undeterred, fought back with three touchdowns of their own just before halftime. Judkins, displaying his skill and accuracy, connected with JJ Barton and Sean Baumberger for end zone catches. Judkins’ stat line was impressive, going 19-of-22 for 308 passing yards, five touchdowns, and even rushing for a touchdown and 37 yards on the ground.
Heading into the final quarter, the Tornadoes, determined to close the gap, outscored the Wildcats 14-7, bringing the score to a nail-biting 36-34. However, Snyder had a response up his sleeve. He found Tyler Pugh for a 17-yard touchdown pass, followed by Xion Culver sneaking into the end zone to extend their lead to 50-34. Barton caught one more touchdown from Judkins to add to Dover’s tally.
Snyder’s performance was exceptional, completing 25 of his 33 passes for 314 yards, four touchdowns, and two interceptions. Not only did he excel in the air, but he also showcased his agility on the ground, accumulating 94 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 14 carries.
With this hard-fought victory, the Canton South Wildcats improved their record to 2-0, while the Dover Crimson Tornadoes fell to 0-2.
