Vina shows no mercy, winning 56-6
Running back Tyler Renfrow trots back into action after a touchdown run.
By Josh Prewitt for the FCT
Riding strong momentum from last week’s thrashing 46-0 win over Waterloo, Vina didn’t let up as the Red Devils’ high octane rushing attack crushed the once-undefeated Woodville Panthers in a lopsided 56-6 win in Friday’s game at Franklin-Hester Stadium.
Vina racked up an incredible 352 yards and five touchdowns for the game.
RB/LB Tyler Renfrow, who finished the game 265 rushing yards on 27 carries for three touchdowns, had this to say after the big win against Woodville. “Everyone played great,” Renfrow said. “The offensive line blocked great for us running backs. We couldn’t do it without them. Also it was a great game from the defense, forcing turnovers throughout the game – they did a great job for us.”
Anyone who loves some ground and pound, punch-you-in-the-mouth football with big hits is definitely going to want to watch the Vina Red Devils, who started off the first quarter with a bunch of points and even bigger hits.
Vina out-scored Woodville 24-0 in the first quarter. Big hits came fast, as Austin Petree lowered the shoulder for a lights-out hit on No. 37 WR/CB Chris Campbell. QB Tanner Miller would follow up after a Panthers fumble to score on a run and two-point conversion to go up early 8-0 with 8:48 left in first quarter.
Red Devils stingy defense forced a quick three and out, allowing RB/LB Tyler Renfrow to score a rushing touchdown and two-point conversion to increase Vina’s lead to 16-0.
Vina’s hungry defense – anchored by linemen Chris Brewer, Petree, Austin Harper, Andrew Upton, Ryder Steele and Josh Cochran, followed by linebackers Renfrow and Blake Hester, and lastly the secondary group of Bradley Duncan, Blake Hardin and Jonathan Sullivan – had a fantastic defensive team effort, forcing five huge turnovers.
“We come out ready to hit,” head coach Luke Childers said. “This is the most physical game we’ve ever played.”
The first quarter was capped off by an electrifying 27-yard interception return for a touchdown by Hester, who picked off Panthers QB Nick Baker, taking it to the house with two point conversion good by Renfrow to go up big 24-0 at the end of the first.
Despite a shaky second quarter with several fumbles by the offense, the Red Devils got a huge spark on defense as Petree picked up a fumbled forced by Harper, taking it 12 yards to the endzone for his first-ever career touchdown to go up 30-0 at halftime over the Panthers.
The Red Devils came out firing in the third quarter, scoring 20 big points ended by a key interception by Upton to take a bruising 50-0 lead into the fourth.
Woodville would finally get on the board, ending Vina’s shutout bid at home, when Panthers’ Baker threw a touchdown pass to WR/FS Josh Drawbaugh to make the score 50-6 around six minutes left in the fourth quarter.
It didn’t take long as Red Devils’ Duncan returned the kickoff for a whopping 68 yards for a touchdown to put the nail in the coffin.
“I think we’re the most physical team in North Alabama,” QB Tanner Miller said after game.
“Our defense was great out there today,” Childers added. “My team loves to hit hard, and that is why we don’t go full pads most of time in practice – because we would get someone hurt.”
Vina Red Devils improve to 2-1 (1-0) and get back to region play this week, where they look to go 2-0 in the region as they play Decatur Heritage at home this Friday in Frank-Hester Stadium.
