This story is sponsored by: Valley Communities Credit Union
By Paul Lecker
MarshfieldAreaSports.com
PITTSVILLE – The Auburndale football team left no doubt – it is playoff bound.
Auburndale piled up 505 yards rushing on 64 carries and dominated the time of possession in a 28-8 win over Pittsville on Thursday in the regular-season finale for both teams. The win ensures the Apaches of their first playoff appearance since 2005, and first in the five-year coaching career of Auburndale head coach Dean McFarlane.
Auburndale, which won its final five games of the season to finish 6-3 overall and 5-3 in the Marawood Conference, will find out its first-round playoff opponent on Friday when the WIAA releases its seven-division brackets. Auburndale was placed in Division 5. The playoff opener is set for Tuesday.
“Our coaching staff has put a lot of time in,” McFarlane said. “I told the kids, ‘Any time you put a lot of time in, you work so much harder, you have so much more confidence, you have so much more to play for.’ But the kids have to believe in it. When they see things working, they buy into it. The kids aren’t complaining about us running the ball 50 times a game, they’re OK with it because they know it’s working.
“We’re getting things rolling. It’s great for the program, great for the school.”
Pittsville couldn’t find any way to stop the Apaches’ rushing attack. Auburndale had 15 carries of 10 yards or more and pounded out 25 first downs as it progressively drove down the field.
A 15-play, 99-yard drive in the second quarter chewed up 6:27 off the clock, epitomizing Auburndale’s will to run the ball down the throat of its opponent. The Apaches possessed the ball for 33 of the 48 minutes in the game.
“We could tell them the play, how to block it, just like our coach says, we can tell them where it’s going, it’s just technique,” Auburndale quarterback C.J. Castellano said of the dominating rushing performance. “Our offensive line did a huge job. They are just amazing.”
Three seniors led the ground attack for Auburndale. Kyle Willfahrt capped off his Marawood Conference rushing title with a 235-yard, two-touchdown performance on 36 carries. Alex Lang added another 150 on 15 carries and Castellano had 118 yards and two scores.
Castellano ran 25 yards for a score to end a 78-yard drive in the first quarter and Willfahrt capped the 99-yard drive with a 2-yard scoring plunge in the second quarter to give Auburndale a 14-0 lead.
“My line is really good,” McFarlane said. “These guys put in a lot of work speed training and in the weight room, and it’s paid off. We do have a lot of threats on offense. We don’t run a lot of plays, but we have progressions we run off it and teams have to honor that. Those two or three guys that carry those progressions out are threats.”
Pittsville’s only scoring drive was aided by a 14-yard pass play from Gavin Hautala to Sawyer Ladick on a fake punt near midfield. The Panthers converted a fourth-and-13 from the 20 when Hautala hit Eric Hahn, who then pitched to Ryan Schwanebeck for the final 11 yards and a touchdown with 1:10 left in the half, making it 14-8.
Auburndale dominated the second half, putting together a 13-play, 88-yard drive on its first possession. All 13 plays were running plays, capped off by an 8-yard touchdown run by Willfahrt that gave the Apaches a 22-8 lead.
Following an interception, Auburndale needed just three plays to go 60 yards to score its final touchdown on a shifty 35-yard run by Castellano.
“This is huge,” Castellano said. “Considering we were picked last in the conference and to finally make the playoffs – the first playoffs in my four years – it’s just huge for the seniors and for this program.”
Apaches 28, Panthers 8
Auburndale 8 6 8 6 – 28
Pittsville 0 8 0 0 – 8
First quarter
A – C.J. Castellano 25 run (Kyle Willfahrt run), 2:26.
Second quarter
A – Willfahrt 2 run (pass failed), 5:11.
P – Ryan Schwanebeck 20 pass (11-yard lateral from Eric Hahn) from Gavin Hautala (Sawyer Ladick pass from Hautala), 1:10.
Third quarter
A – Willfahrt 8 run (Willfahrt run), 4:39.
Fourth quarter
A – Castellano 35 run (pass failed), 7:43.
TEAM STATISTICS
First downs: Auburndale 25, Pittsville 13.
Rushing (att-yards): Auburndale 64-505, Pittsville 18-81.
Passing (comp-att-yards-int): Auburndale 1-4-21-0, Pittsville 11-21-143-1.
Penalties: Auburndale 12-87, Pittsville 7-59.
Fumbles (total-lost): Auburndale 1-1, Pittsville 1-0.
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
Rushing: A, Kyle Willfahrt 36-235, Alex Lang 15-150, C.J. Castellano 12-118, Isaac Castellano 1-2. P, Ryan Schwanebeck 13-79, Hawk Sabin 2-7, Eric Hahn 2-6, Gavin Hautala 1-minus 11.
Passing: A, C.J. Castellano 1-4-21-0. P, Hautala 11-20-143-1, Schwanebeck 0-1-0-0.
Receiving: A, Cole Swanson 1-21. P, Hahn 4-49, Sawyer Ladick 3-38, Jordan Rayburn 2-33, Schwanebeck 2-25.
Fumble recoveries (defense): A, none. P, Hautala.
Interceptions: A, I. Castellano.
Records: Auburndale 6-3, 5-3 Marawood Conference; Pittsville 3-6, 3-5 Marawood Conference.