Kuhns, Mathis key big Sailors victory

CASTALIA — Big plays. In football, they usually decide the winner of the game, and that was certainly the case in Vermilion's 26-0 victory over Margaretta in the season opener at the Duck Pond on Friday night. Sailors quarterback Aaron Mathis and running back Evan Kuhns, both captains, made some big plays in the first half, the first being a 67-yard run by Mathis that gave Vermilion (1-0) a first-and-goal at the Polar Bears 6-yard-line on the game's first possession. Mathis darted to the right, raced down the sidelines before cutting it back and being tackled just short of the end zone. Three plays later, Kuhns would score the game's first touchdown on a 2-yard run with 8:03 to play in the first quarter, and the Sailors never looked back. Margaretta's ensuing drive stalled at the Sailors 28, but the Bears (0-1) forced the Sailors to punt on the next drive. Margaretta drove the ball down the field, but the possession ended at the Vermilion 23 on a sack. Three plays later, Mathis connected with Kuhns for a 73-yard touchdown on a screen pass. The play, which appeared to go to the right, saw Kuhns come in from the backside on a drag route and catch the ball in the middle of the field before racing to the left and eluding two defenders down the sidelines for the score with 6:53 to play in the first half. Zeke Dunn's extra point made it 13-0. Vermilion coach Bill DiFucci talked about the play of Mathis. "He's a dual threat for us, he can run and pass," said DiFucci. "We said we're going to open up (the offense) with him. We have a good senior class, and we're going to try and take advantage of that." The final score of the first half came with 3:39 to play when the Sailors drove from the Bears 49 to the 12, and a misdirection play completely fooled the defense on the touchdown. The offensive line and everyone except Mathis and Dominic DiFucci went to the left and Mathis handed the ball to DiFucci, who waltzed to the right and into the end zone unscathed for the touchdown and a 19-0 lead. "We've been working on adding some wrinkles to the offense," said Bill DiFucci. "They have a little bit better understanding of what this offense is, it's their third year (running it)." In the second half, there was only one possession where either team threatened. Early in the fourth quarter, Vermilion drove from its 17 to the Margaretta 6, but a holding penalty and three consecutive incomplete passes gave the ball back to the Bears. The lone score of the final two quarters came when Mathis, who is also a defensive back, intercepted a pass and returned it 37 yards for a touchdown with 4:09 to play. The Sailors defense bended but didn't break in the first half and even played better in the second half. "We talked about bending but not breaking at halftime. We said we wanted to tighten up and be a better defense," said DiFucci. "The defense was phenomenal. We put up a goose egg, and if the other team doesn't score, we can't lose." Perhaps an underrated part of the game was the five touchbacks by Dunn, which forced Margaretta to start five of its possessions at the 20 instead of having a chance to return the kick. "We've talked about that before. Zeke is a weapon," said DiFucci. "There are no short fields, the other team has to start at the 20, and it puts our defense in a great situation." Vermilion 6 13 0 7 — 26Margaretta 0 0 0 0 — 0 V — Evan Kuhns 2 run (kick failed) V — Aaron Mathis 73 pass to Kuhns (Zeke Dunn kick) V — Dominic DiFucci 12 run (kick failed) V — Mathis 37 interception return (Dunn kick)