Wheeler sets school record in rushing for 1,000 yards 2 straight years
By Ron Johnston, rjohnston@mariettatimes.com
Perry Wheeler set school football records in both Marietta High's season opener and finale at Don Drumm Stadium.
In the 2009 lid-lifter against Morgan in late August, the senior standout rushed for 320 yards, a single-game standard, and on Friday senior night versus Gallia Academy, he became the first Tiger to gain 1,000 yards on the ground in back-to-back seasons. No other running back in the orange and black's history on the gridiron has ever rushed for 1,000 yards in more than one season.
Unfortunately, while Wheeler rushed for 152 yards on 25 carries and a touchdown, the Tigers as a team suffered a 42-6 setback to the Blue Devils in a Southeastern Ohio Athletic League football.
Nate Allison led Gallia, rushing for 333 yards on 31 carries and four touchdowns. Austin Wilson also had an 85-yard TD run, and quarterback Ethan Moore passed 12 yards to Jared Golden for another score
MHS exits with a nine-game losing streak and a 1-9 overall mark. The Tigers now trail Gallia Academy in the all-time series, 4-19.
The Mike Eddy-led Blue Devils finish with a 2-8 mark.
Marietta threatened to score early in opening period but fumbled and lost the ball at the Gallia six-yard line. The Blue Devils then proceeded to march 94 yards for the game's first touchdown. Sparking the long drive by the visitors, Allison had a 59-yard run.
Early in the second quarter, the Tigers reduced the deficit to one on Wheeler's eight-yard run to paydirt. But the Blue Devils got those points back on their next offensive possession on a 43-yard TD run by Allison, making it 14-6.
Gallia then got a break when it recovered an MHS fumble on the Tigers' 21-yard line. On the first play from scrimmage, Allison scored to extend the Blue Devils' advantage to 21-6, also the score at halftime.
At the break, Wheeler had 109 rushing yards, four shy of 1,000 of the school record, while Allison gained 189 yards.
In the third quarter, Gallia received the kickoff, and Allison capped a sustained drive with a four-yard TD run to make it 28-6.
After the ensuing kickoff, Wheeler set the school record for consecutive 1,000 yard seasons on his first touch, gaining 12 yards. But it was not enough for a first down, and the Tigers had to punt.
Just before the end of the third period, Moore hit Golden with a scoring strike to stretch the Gallia lead to 35-7.
Capitalizing on Marietta's fifth turnover of the game, Wilson ran 85 yards for a touchdown to cap Gallia's scoring on the evening.
Story from The Marietta Times 10-31-2009.