Take your pick; the irresistible force or the immovable object. Springfield Glendale brought its high-flying offense to Tiger Stadium Friday night, but ran smack into Waynesville’s rock solid Tiger defense.  The result was a huge 49-16 WHS Homecoming victory.

Falcon quarterback Alex Austin entered the game throwing as many as 82 passes in a game, but the Tigers thwarted him for four quarters, intercepting three passes, one for a touchdown, dropping him for a safety, and returning his goal line fumble 100 yards for another touchdown.  Austin did manage to complete 23 of 54 passes for 333 yards, but generally was unable to move his team well against Waynesville.

Tiger quarterback Varon Martinez repeatedly shook off his own team’s five lost fumbles and drove WHS again and again down field for over 400 yards total offense.  Much of that was gained by senior running back Jalen Thomas who collected 159 yards by assaulting the heart of Glendale’s defensive line. 

Reggie Walker opened  the Tiger scoring with a nine-yard run to cap a 54-yard scoring drive just three minutes into the game.  Walker celebrated that score by intercepting Austin on Glendale’s next series.  When the Tigers fumbled the ball away at the Glendale one, Austin was smothered in the end zone to make it 8-0. A 30-yard run by Walker later set up Martinez’s 15-yard td pass to Cedric Williams.  Sam Thompson converted for a 16-0 lead after one quarter. 

After stopping Glendale on fourth down, Martinez capped off a 47-yard drive by going in himself from seven yards out midway in the second period.  Glendale then came back  with a 70-yard drive of its own and the score was 22-8.  Seth Hedrick took the next kickoff at his own 15 and ripped off a 54-yard return  to the Glendale 41.  That led to a pair of first downs and a Willie Parker 7-yard score.  After trading possessions, Glendale hoped to score before halftime, but Hedrick did his magic again; this time with a 75-yard interception return and it was 35-8 at halftime. 

And Hedrick was not done having fun.  The Tigers opened the second half on the receiving end and he took that one back 50 yards.  Two more first downs set up Thomas’s 5-yard td run.   On the ensuing possession, Austin marched his Falcon squad 54 yards to the Waynesville 7.  But he fumbled the ball at the goal line and defensive back Kareem Isaac scooped it up and raced down the sideline 100 yards for the dagger in the back.  Sam Thompson kicked his fourth extra point and it was a stunning 49-8 lead with 7:26 left in the third quarter.  Glendale did manage one more touchdown on a 70-yard drive, but that only stopped the running clock.

The victory came in Coach Rick Vernon’s final regular season home game after 33 years.  But Vernon pointed out that he expects the team to earn home field advantage to start the upcoming playoffs.   The Tigers, now 4-4, conclude the regular season at Springfield Kickapoo next week.  The Chiefs find themselves in a three-way tie for the conference lead.  The Tigers and Parkview are tied for fifth.  WHS should maintain its second-place standing in Class 5 District 4 with the win. 

Senior Sydney Dixon was crowned 2014 Homecoming Queen before the game.  The Tiger Pride Marching Band performed its award-winning show at halftime and Harold York, WHS c/o 1953, was recognized  as the oldest alumna in attendance.