The Wolverines were without starting quarterback Colby Barr, who one week ago shattered the school single game passing record with 427 yards but would suffer a non-contact knee injury during practice mid-week. The junior quarterback is 203 yards from having a thousand-yard season, but Sheffield Head Coach and Colby’s father, Mike Barr understands that he has more on the horizon than taking the field against the Terrors.

“There’s a lot of accomplishments left in his life, that I feel it’s not worth it,” said Coach Barr, who made the call to play it safe and hold Colby out until they have more information on his knee.

Barr was not the only Wolverine missing Saturday, as started running back Hayden Holden was unable to play due to a prior commitment. Dylan Hardwick, Carter Campbell, and Andrew Kyler took on the running back by committee role, in an effort to fill the void left by Holden’s absence. Holden ran for 203 yards in Sheffield’s first game against the Terrors. The Wolverines as a team only ran for 99 yards, with Hardwick leading the pack gaining 52 yards off 19 carries. Hardwick also had Sheffield’s only reception, a five-yard pass from Freshman quarterback Michael Knapp.

“We finally hit what we wanted to do, running Carter and Dylan at the end,” Barr said of his shuffled players coming into their own as the game progressed.

Newly crowned Homecoming King Dylan Hardwick, cuts up field late in Saturday's 50-12 loss on Wolverine Mountain. Times Observer Photo by Cody Elms

Knapp threw just three passes in his starting debut under center, going one of three for five yards and an interception.

The Terrors 401-yard day started early in the first quarter, when Otto-Eldred quarterback Shane Magee was able to hit David Schenfield for a 33-yard touchdown just over three minutes into the game. Otto-Eldred would not only score on their opening drive, but they would also score on Sheffield’s as well, when Ray’Shene Thomas picked off a Michael Knapp pass at the 38-yard line, taking it to the house to go up 16-0.

It took just two plays on the next Terrors’ drive to add to their lead, when Magee connected with Dawson Welch for 35-yards, going up 23-0. Both Magee and Thomas would add another touchdown each, in the second quarter. Sheffield trailed Otto-Eldred 44-0 going into halftime.

Magee finished five of seven for 114 yards and three scores in the air. Jaden Prince led in rushing yards with 96, while Hunter App was close behind going six for 89 with a touchdown. Thomas and Davin Kimball both had five rushes and a score a piece, with Thomas edging Kimball in yardage by three with 45.

Otto-Eldred’s Mason Schenfield who took over under center in the second half, giving Wolverines’ Michael Smith the opportunity 20 seconds into the fourth quarter, to pull down a misfired pass at the 40-yard line, and return it Sheffield’s first points of the game.

Pictured is the Sheffield homecoming court, from left to right, in the back are Alex Eaton, Alex Richards, 2022 Homecoming Queen Sydney Smead, 2022 Homecoming King Lucas McNeal, Chase Kyler and Trenton Mead. In the front, Cali Silves, Kassidy Orinko, 2023 Homecoming Queen Paris Foster, 2023 Homecoming King Dylan Hardwick, Kadence Steffan and Peyton Bailey. Times Observer Photo by Cody Elms

With time winding down, and Otto-Eldred sitting at third and twenty from mid-field, the Wolverines were able to force a fumble a Mason Rees fumble after the freshman pulled in a Schenfield two-yard pass. With a steady rotation of running backs, Sheffield drove the distance from the Terrors 49. Andrew Kyler’s number was called on second and goal from the Terrors’ five, and the lineman turned running back was able rumble his way into the endzone with 31 seconds remaining.

“Andrew Kyler has been asking all year, and we’re a little bit deep at lineman, so let’s just pull him back and see what he can do,” Barr said of Kyler.

Barr stressed following Saturday’s defeat, that the loss of Colby Barr was a big hit to the team’s morale but gave the team a simple direction to refocus coming into the game.

“The motto Thursday, Friday, and even today was, come out on this football field and make a memory,” said Barr. “Michael Smith with the interception, and Andrew Kyler getting in the endzone. We made a memory. We accomplished what we wanted to.”

Otto-Eldred 23 21 6 0–50

Sheffield 0 0 0 12–12

First Quarter

O–David Schenfield 32 pass from Shane Magee, (Hunter App pass from Magee), 8:53

O–Ray’Shene Thomas 38 interception, (Manning Splain pass from Magee), 7:39.

O–Dawson Welch 35 pass from Magee, (Carter Wolfe kick), 5:23.

Second Quarter

O–App 25 run, (Wolfe kick), 11:13.

O–Splain 12 pass from Magee, (Wolfe kick), 6:43.

O–Thomas 26 run, (Wolfe kick), :11.

Third Quarter

O–Devin Kimball 28 run, (kick failed), 5:32.

Fourth Quarter

S–Michael Smith 40 interception, (kick failed), 11:40.

S–Andrew Kyler 5 run, (kick failed), :31.

——

O S

Offensive plays 37 39

First downs 17 7

Total Net Yards 401 104

Rushes-yards 26-282 36-99

Passing 117 5

Comp-Att-Int 7-11-1 1-3-1

Fumbles-Lost 2-1 2-1

Penalties-Yards 5-50 2-10

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INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING–OTTO-ELDRED, Prince 6-96, App 6-89-TD, Thomas 5-45-TD, Kimball 5-42-TD, Tein Caldwell 1-10, Mason Schenfield 3-0; SHEFFIELD, Hardwick 19-52, Kyler 9-31-TD, Campbell 6-26, Knapp 1-(-3), Alex Marfink 1-(-7).

PASSING–OTTO-ELDRED, Magee 5-7-114-3TD, Mason Schenfield 2-4-3-INT; SHEFFIELD, Knapp 1-3-5-INT.

RECEIVING–OTTO-ELDRED, Splain 2-36-TD, Welch 1-35-TD, David Schenfield 1-32-TD, Thomas 1-11, David Frost 2-3, Mason Rees 1-2; SHEFFIELD, Hardwick 1-5.