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Suggs powers Tigers

Wellsville’s Derrick Suggs runs the ball against Toronto on Friday night.

WELLSVILLE–Toronto’s Nathan Karaffa looked to tie the game with a last second touchdown pass but it came up incomplete as Wellsville scored a 40-34 victory over the rival Knights on Friday night in an Eastern Ohio Athletic Conference showdown.

Toronto fell to 4-6 and 2-5 in the league and will likely miss the playoffs in Div. VII, Region 25. Wellsville ended its season at 3-7, 2-5.

“We told our kids that we owe this game to our seniors. Everyone played an unbelievable game out there to get the victory,” said Wellsville coach Moose Ramsey.

Derrick Suggs was the Tigers’ hero as he racked up 325 yards rushing and 71 yards receiving as well as six touchdowns.

“Derrick is an amazing kid on and off the field, and everyone responded well to the game plan of getting him the ball,” Ramsey said.

Toronto got on the board first as Nathan Karaffa ran for a 46-yard touchdown at the 11:38 mark of the first quarter.

Derrick Suggs erupted on the Tiger’s first offensive play to score a 65-yard touchdown. Suggs scored another touchdown at the beginning of the second quarter to help the Tigers extend their lead to 14-6.

The Red Knights continued to charge on the ground as well with Karaffa until Kobe Herrick reached the end zone from 3 yards out to make it 14-14.

Derrick Suggs scored his third touchdown of the game late in the half to make it 21-14.

One minute later Karaffa completed a pass to Zach Stackhouse for 63 yards for a touchdown.

Wellsville wrapped up the scoring for the first half when Troy Carter found Derrick Suggs for a 71-yard touchdown pass. The Tigers led 27-21 at the half.

Wellsville got the ball to start the second half and capitalized with a 6-yard touchdown run by Suggs.

Midway through the third quarter Karaffa was able to complete a 31 yard touchdown pass to Frank Fulton. This made the score 34-28 in favor of the Tigers.

Toronto managed to tie the game after capitalizing on a Tiger fumble with 1:45 left in the third quarter.

Suggs added his fifth rushing touchdown with 9:31 left in the game to tally the final score.

Karaffa led the Red Knights with 452 yards of total offense and four touchdowns.

“Both teams worked really hard,” Toronto coach Eric Meek said. “We have a lot of great players coming back next year. It’s tough because we had so many injuries this season. We could have made the playoffs with a win tonight. I take responsibility for the loss because my message apparently wasn’t clear enough. Everything that happened tonight was a learning experience.”

The win is sparking some enthusiasm for the Tigers as they head into the offseason.

“The kids are already talking about working out in the weight room,” Ramsey said. “Our kids have a never-quit attitude. Special things are going to be happening in Wellsville.”

TORONTO: 6-15-13-0–34

WELLSVILLE: 7-20-7-6–40

SCORING

T–Nathan Karaffa 46 run (kick failed)

W–Derrick Suggs 65 run (Casey Lemasters kick)

W–Derrick Suggs 64 run (Lemasters kick)

T–Kobe Herrick 3 run (Karaffa run)

W–Derrick Suggs 7 run (Lemasters kick)

T–Zach Stackhouse 63 pass from Karaffa (Karaffa kick)

W–Derrick Suggs 71 pass from Troy Carter (Lemasters kick)

T–Frank Fulton 31 pass from araffa (Karaffa kick)

T–Karaffa 91 run (kick blocked)

W–Derrick Suggs 5 run (kick blocked)

——

T W

First downs 20 17

Total Yards 497 478

Rushes-yards 41-326 41-402

Passing 171 76

Comp-Att-Int 9-22-0 2-3-0

Punts 1-44 2-38.5

Fumbles-Lost 0-0 1-1

Penalties-Yards 1-5 6-40

——

INDIVIDUAL LEADERS

RUSHING–Toronto, Nathan Karaffa 21-244, Kobe Herrick 15-63; Wellsville, Derrick Suggs 30-325, Troy Carter 2-32, Connor Ramsey 3-27, Brandon Patterson 6-18.

PASSING–Toronto, Nathan Karrafa 9-22-171-0; Wellsville, Troy Carter 2-3-76-0.

RECEIVING–Toronto, Zach Stackhouse 4-97, Frank Fulton 3-46; Wellsville, Derrick Suggs 1-71, Brandon Patterson 1-5.

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