OTTAWA LAKE – Whiteford clinched at least a share of the Tri-County Conference championship Friday with a 46-0 win over No. 12 Summerfield.
The Bobcats jumped out to a 24-0 lead after the first quarter and built a 38-0 lead at halftime while holding the visiting Bulldogs to 63 yards of total offense.
Cole Giesige scored four touchdowns, including a 100-yard interception return and a 45-yard reception from Shea Ruddy. He also rushed for 100 yards for the Bobcats.
Drew Knaggs put the Bobcats on the board with a 7-yard touchdown run early. That score was set up by a Noah Bauman fumble recovery. Summerfield had four turnovers in all.
Knaggs rushed for 75 yards and two touchdowns for the Bobcats.
The win gives the Bobcats a 4-0 TCC record heading into the final week of the regular season. The Bobcats will play Erie Mason, who has a league loss already. The Bobcats can clinch the outright league title by beating the Eagles.
Whiteford also won TCC titles in 1994, 2016, 2017 and 2018.
Whiteford 46, Summerfield 0
Summerfield 0-0-0-0=0
Whiteford 24-14-8-0=46
Scoring Summary
First Quarter
W – Drew Knaggs 7 run (Knaggs run), 10:05
W – Cole Giesige 4 run (Shea Ruddy run), 6:12
W – Cole Giesige 100 interception return (Knaggs run), 2:56
Second Quarter
W – Knaggs 16 run (run failed), 10:22
W – Giesige 45 pass from Shea Ruddy (Hunter DeBarr run), 1:33
Third Quarter
W – Giesige 14 run (Ruddy run), :08
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING – Summerfield: Brandon Thompson 16-55, Dafoe 1-3, Kohn 3-2, Kalb 4-(minus)-20. Whiteford: Giesige 10-100, D. Knaggs 11-75, Ruddy 9-62, Iott 4-23, Trejo 3-12, B. Knaggs 3-11, L. Joerin 3-11, Liam Waterford 1-7, Stepon Masserant 3-(minus)-1, Team 1-0.
PASSING – Summerfield: Kalb 2-7-1 23 yards. Whiteford: Ruddy 4-9-1 105 yards, Giesige 0-1-1, Ty Ruddy 0-1-0.
RECEIVING – Summerfield: Dafoe 1-23, Herriman 1-0. Whiteford: Giesige 2-64, DeBarr 1-25, Andrews 1-6.
Photo by Natalie McCormack.