Andy Close
For the Sheffield Wolverines, just getting back on the field was a win.
The Wolverines took the field this past Saturday for the first time since they were forced to cancel their season following a Week 1 loss to Keystone in 2020.
The result was a 49-6 loss to Smethport, but there were still plenty of things to build on as they get set to travel to A-C Valley on Friday for a 7 p.m. kickoff with the Union/A-C Valley Falcon-Knights. Our sister site, D9and10Sports.com, will broadcast tonight’s contest.
“Our kids came out ready to play, I think Smethport was just a hair more physical than we were,” Sheffield coach Mike Barr. “There’s a lot to us coming back. There are some kids that haven’t seen the field in a year, there are others that haven’t in two or three years. It’s going to take a couple of games to get where we need to be.”
The Wolverines touchdown came in the third quarter on a Malique Outland 77-yard fumble return.
Quarterback Michael Mihalik threw for 49 yards, including a 22-yard pass to Dylan Hardwick. Tony Richards had four receptions for 22 yards.
The Wolverines boast good size on both the offensive and defensive lines, and that showed at times against the Hubbers. They will need to be a force against a Union/A-C Valley team that is coming off a 28-20 loss to Brockway and loves to run the football.
Mikey Card led the Falcon-Knights in rushing in Week 1 with 108 yards on 14 carries, while Dawson Camper had 10 carries for 69 yards.
The Falcon-Knights trailed 28-6 early in the third quarter before a late rally fell just short.
“I told the guys you’ve seen game speed now, you need to transport that to the practice field,” Barr said. “That’s what will help prepare us. We’re still coming together as a team and working out bugs. But the communication is great. There’s a lot of promise.”
