HOLMES TOWNSHIP — Entering Friday night’s game, Wynford quarterback Brayden Campbell admitted he had never scored a rushing touchdown in his career.

“I never had a (rushing touchdown),” Campbell said. “It was nice to get one tonight.”

Campbell got more than one. The Wynford signal-caller scored four times in the first half on the ground as the Royals carried the ball 50 times, compared to just two passes, in an impressive 33-22 win Friday night.

The Royals (1-2) also took advantage of four Western Reserve (2-1) turnovers to get their first win of the season.

Campbell said that the win was important to the team.

“It’s great, it’s a great feeling,” Campbell said. “It was unbelievable. The offense played great; the defense played great. In the second half, we struggled a little bit. We have to keep going, let’s keep this taste in our mouth and win some more football games.”

Wynford coach Cyle Skidmore said that running the football was in the game plan against the Roughriders.

“Welcome to Wynford football. That’s what we do; we run the football and run and run, and we want you to stop it.”

Skidmore said that the physical nature of his team allowed them to run so much.

“I thought our guys were really physical and I am super-proud of them,” Skidmore said. “We ran a lot and sometimes that worries us a little bit, ball security and what’s going to happen here and there.

“I thought we attacked the ground game a little bit and we were able to run the ball,” he added. “This week, we practiced ball security, reflecting on our summer stuff. We do practice in the rain, and it’s for games like this.”

The Royals came out quickly and got on the board early, as Campbell scored from three yards away. After one, the Royals held a 7-0 lead.

Campbell scored again on the first play of the second period and Wynford grabbed a 13-0 lead.

The Roughriders got on the board midway through the period as quarterback Hayden Keith ran in from seven yards out, cutting the lead to 13-8.

But the Royals took advantage of two Western Reserve turnovers and capitalized twice in the final 3:06 of the quarter.

Campbell scored twice on runs of three and one yards, and the Royals held a 27-8 lead at the half.

Controversy occurred on the final drive after Campbell’s fourth touchdown. The Royals set up for a two-point conversion and tailback Anthony Evans scored on a run off right tackle.

The officials called Wynford for holding on the play, but appeared to permit Evans’ conversion, giving Wynford a 29-7 lead. The penalty yardage was walked off on the ensuing kickoff.

But, as the second half began, the officials announced that the conversion was not good and Wynford’s lead at the break was 27-8. Wynford not only did not get another try on the conversion, but the yardage was taken off on the kickoff.

“We got it, and they called a holding penalty and then they kinda double-whammied us a little bit,” Skidmore said. “They did it and we kicked the ball; they just got us double on that. They made a mistake, and they said sorry. I appreciated it out of the refs.

“They made a mistake, and they said sorry. There’s nothing you can do about it,” he added.

Evans finished the game with 132 yards on 28 carries, while running mate Bryce Locker added 99 yards on 10 carries.

And it was Evans who gave the Royals a 33-8 lead in the third quarter with a six-yard run.

Wynford had to avoid a furious Western Reserve comeback. Running back Jared Hipp, who did not carry the ball at all in the first half, finished with 96 yards on 11 carries.

Keith scored on a one-yard run late in the third period and Hipp added a three-yard run with 3:39 left in the game.

“I thought our guys started the game fast,” Skidmore said. “I think we need to look at how we can finish a whole game from start to finish. From the first quarter to the fourth quarter.

“Conditioning is that just having to practice from Monday to Thursday and just really focusing on finishing,” he added. “So, we have to get better at that.”

Box score    

Score by quarters   

Western Reserve       0            8             6           8   — 22

Wynford                      7           20            6           0   — 33

Scoring summary

First quarter

W — Brayden Campbell 3 run (Victor Arellano Cazares kick), 3:00.

Second quarter

W — Campbell 1 run (kick failed), 11:55.

WR — Hayden Keith 3 run (Hayden Dobias pass from Keith), 8:29.

W — Campbell 3 run (Anthony Evans run), 3:06.

W — Campbell 1 run (run failed), 1:24.

Third quarter

W — Evans 6 run (pass failed), 8:03.

WR — Keith 14 run (pass failed), 4:00.

Fourth quarter

WR — Jared Hipp 3 run (Hipp run), 3:39.

Individual statistics

Passing

Western Reserve Hayden Keith 13-26-2 133; Wynford: 2-2-0 11.

Rushing

Western Reserve: Jared Hipp 11-96, Hayden Keith 17-89, Landyn Weigel 1-0; Wynford Anthony Evans 28-132, Bryce Locker 10-99, Brayden Campbell 11-41, London Miller 1-9.

Receiving

Western Reserve: Chase Hipp 3-46, Hayden Dobias 5-32, Jared Hipp 1-21, Brexton Fraelich 2-15, Don Edwards 1-12, Landyn Weigel 1-6; Wynford Anthony Evans 1-11, Hunter Routson 1-1.

Team statistics 

WR              W

First downs                      17                13

Rushing                        29-185         50-272

Passes                           13-26-2         2-2-0

Yards passing                 133                12

Total yards                      318              284

Fumbles-lost                   3-2              1-1

Punts                               2-34.1         5-32.4

Penalties                         4-40            7-70