2 - Raiders State Football Commerative Issue Wednesday, December 18, 2013

Raiders truly had a year to remember

By KEVIN
WANNEMACHER
Sportswriter
HAVILAND Eleven seniors put on their
Wayne Trace football jerseys for their final
game last Friday at Fawcett Stadium in
Canton.
Darian Asher Layman, Jared Sherry, Jake
Gerber, Sean Durre, Korbin Showalter,
Colby Speice, Guiseppe Trapaldi, Aaron
Stoller, Devin Wenzlick, Brock Worden and
T.J. Blackmore concluded their playing
careers with a state runner-up finish, ending
a Raider journey with a record of 13-2.
It was a journey that started their freshman
year and saw this group of seniors post a
record of 32-13 in that span, never having a
record below .500.
A season ago, the Raiders finished 9-1 and
won the Green Meadows Conference.
However, the red, white and blue also just
missed a playoff berth, which proved to be a
driving force for this years squad.
It really started in the offseason last year,
commented Raider head coach Bill Speller.
The guys had a sour taste after not making
the playoffs and made a commitment to each
other and their teammates that we didnt
want to have that feeling again.
And Wayne Trace wouldnt.
The Raiders opened the year with seven
straight victories, outscoring their opponents
387-74 in that stretch. The seven-game win-
ning streak included pivotal wins over non-
league opponent Otsego as well as rival
Crestview, which provided key playoff
points.
However, the red, white and blue hit a
speed bump in week eight, falling at Tinora
in what proved to be the Green Meadows
Conference championship game by a 27-16
margin.
Wayne Trace, though, would respond. The
Raiders wrapped up the regular season with
victories of 64-16 over Paulding County
rival Antwerp and 26-6 over Fairview.
The second season saw the Raiders raise
the bar.
It started with a long road trip to North
Robinson for a game at Colonel Crawford, a
contest that the Raiders came home with a
52-28 victory.
Then came a rematch with GMC champi-
on Tinora.
The Raiders jumped in front quickly, get-
ting a 79-yard touchdown pass from Speice
to Showalter that put Wayne Trace in front 8-
0 only 15 seconds into the contest.
Wayne Trace led 16-7 after one quarter but
widened the advantage to 32-7 at the inter-
mission and never looked back in cruising to
a 40-7 victory.
The victory over the Rams also sent the
Raider football program into the regional
championship for the first time in school his-
tory.
It would also set the stage for the regional
championship game with Ada, a contest
where the red, white and blue led 22-0 after
one quarter en route to a 68-14 win.
The victory over the Bulldogs gave Wayne
Trace a school record 12th victory and put
the Raiders into the Division VI final four.
Speice tied a state record with nine touch-
downs in the win over the Bulldogs, throw-
ing for 534 yards while completing 25 of 42
attempts.
This is a tremendous group of kids and I
wouldnt trade any of them for anything,
Speller added. They get along so well
together and it is like one big family. These
kids are a very close-knit group.
Wayne Trace punched its ticket to the state
championship game by traveling to Harmon
Field in Wapakoneta, a location that the
Raiders rolled to a 57-10 victory over
Mechanicsburg.
I am just so proud of this football team
and everything it accomplished this year,
noted the Raider mentor.
They have put in so much time and the
coaching staff has put in so much time.
In Canton, a veteran-laden Kirtland squad
proved to be too much for the Raiders. The
Hornets used a 22-point second quarter en
route to a 44-16 win over the red, white and
blue.
However, Wayne Traces Speller was still
very pleased with his football team.
We had a saying, DECERTO, Speller
stated. It is a Latin term for Fight to the
Finish and we did that. We battled until the
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121 South Union Street
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Phone: 419.636.1053
Fax: 419.636.7220
Vicki Sefton
Branch Manager
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Phone: 419.258.5151
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Congratulates the Students
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DIVINE MERCY PERISH
Aaron and Noah,
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Love, Your Family
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See Raiders, page 14
Wednesday, December 18, 2013 Raiders State Football Commerative Issue - 3
Speller placed lofty goals in front of Raider football team
By JIM LANGHAM
Sports Writer
HAVILAND As Wayne Trace head football coach
Bill Speller started to see the potential grow in his devel-
oping football team this season, he began to place high-
er and higher goals in front of his players. Once the team
chemistry caught fire, Speller would occasionally men-
tion the possibility of a long ride to his Raider Nation
football team.
As we continued to improve, I didnt know how
much to keep talking about it, Speller told a gym filled
with fans that were never seated during their heros
speech. There were times when I wondered if it was
too lofty.
As they continued to improve, I was amazed at what
I saw developing in front of me. I remembered the day
that I was informed that I had been hired as the new
football coach, continued Speller. I am so glad that
Wayne Trace gave me the opportunity to develop
this program.
Speller admitted that there were a few times dur-
ing lean years when he wondered whether or not he
had made the correct decision. His first year as head
Raider coach, the team finished the season with a 1-
9 record.
I also understand that nothing in life worth hav-
ing is going to be easy, stressed the mentor. If it
was easy, everyone would have it. You have to work
for anything that is worth having.
Over the years, Spellers tenacity to remain with
the program has gained him respect among students
and the community. The entrance way to his class-
room is decorated elaborately with a large poster that
states, Coach Spellers House.
I cant say enough about the support of this com-
munity, Speller said. I am so thankful for the time
that parents put into everything.
One of the mottos that students and the communi-
ty quickly bought into was an expression that
encouraged players to fight to the finish.
The word Decerto is Latin, one that Speller said
that his players took to the final minute of the season
at the state finals.
In the end, the Raiders fought hard against peren-
nial Division VI champion, Kirtland.
Speller smiled on Saturday when he referred to the
size, strength and power of their opponents. But he
also had nothing but praise for the sportsmanship
and character of the Hornet coach and players.
They were a heck of a team; they were big, said
Speller. They have a class program over there.
Their coach (Tiger Laverde) is really a classy coach.
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IDER
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Hometown radio personality Kenny Stabler greeted head football coach
Bill Speller with a hug as fans exploded in a welcome home session on
Saturday afternoon at the Wayne Trace gym.
4 - Raiders State Football Commerative Issue Wednesday, December 18, 2013
C
ongrats
R
aiders!
Payne Nazarene Church
509 E. Orchard St. Payne 419-263-2422
CONGRATULATIONS
Wayne Trace Raiders
on Your Amazing Season!
Van Wert 419-238-1515 Scott 419-622-6151
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You are champions
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Raiders!
Football is a way of life for Speice family
By JIM LANGHAM
Sportswriter
HAVILAND Former Payne Mayor Nancy
Speice cant describe what it meant to look out
on the football field at the state finals in Canton
last Friday afternoon and see her children and
grandchildren standing on the field in various
capacities.
Oldest son, Mike, father of Colby Speice,
was the defensive coordinator for the Raiders
this year. He played on the Raiders and then
moved on to play for the University of Dayton
on a team that got to play in the Stagg Bowl.
Kenny, father of sophomore Justin Speice, also
coached for the Raiders this year.
Another grandson, Austin, Mikes son, plays
football for Bluffton University. Another
grandson, Trevor, a fifth grader, is waiting in
the wings and cheering the rest of the family
on.
All the guys were out on the field at one
time the other day, said Speice, who along
with her husband, Ray, traveled hundreds of
miles to support their family members. I cant
describe what it meant to look out and see
them there.
When asked what contributed to her fami-
lys love for football, Speice responded, That
was their life when we lived on South Main
Street in Payne. We had a whole gang of kids
around our place all of the time playing foot-
ball or baseball. That is one of the great things
about living in a small town.
Speice said that she has been overwhelmed
at the community support of the Raiders on
their way to the Division VI state finals.
I am so proud of everyone, said Speice.
The pride of the whole community for the
coaches, fans, boys, the eleven seniors is just
so great. This community is like one family.
Its nice to always hear Kenny Stabler
(local radio announcer) talk about how close
this community is and the community pride
that we share around here, continued Speice.
We are very fortunate to have this family spir-
it at Wayne Trace. Its not just Payne, its
Grover Hill, Latty, Scott, Haviland, the whole
district.
People around here have always stuck
together on everything; its no surprise to see
them do that here, but it makes you feel good
to see the family spirit, added Speice.
Theres no way to describe how special this
is; its been amazing, commented Raider
quarterback Colby Speice. I couldnt have
done anything that I did without the guys on
the team.
We are a football family, continued Colby.
Its been good and its been bad. My dad
(defensive coordinator Mike Speice) and I
have watched a lot of football together; we
watched a lot of football at home. Its been a
great ride. Our family really is a Raider
Nation.
Mike Speice said that when he played for
Wayne Trace over 20 years ago, he never
dreamed that some day there would be a team
that would go all of the way to the state finals.
Kenny Speice, also a coach, said that coach-
es and players were willing to pay the work
ethic sacrifice in order to be successful. He
noted that he spend most of his Saturday and
Sunday hours at the coaching office reviewing
games and working on strategy.
I want to thank the guys one more time for
taking us on this ride, said Speice. They gave
it all they had.
Mike and Kenny Speice took time to chat with Wayne Trace quarterback Colby Speice (cen-
ter) during a celebration at Wayne Trace High School on Saturday afternoon.
Wednesday, December 18, 2013 Raiders State Football Commerative Issue - 5
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Senior bonding with
underclassmen key
to seasons success
By JIM LANGHAM
Sportswriter
Fans laughed on Saturday after-
noon when Wayne Trace senior Sean
Durre told them about the time he
nearly got the wind knocked out of
him in practice.
It was during practice one day and
I was playing defense. Our defensive
players were hitting so hard that day.
I got hit so hard that I laid on the
ground for five minutes before I could
get up, Durre said.
Seriously, weve all been a family.
The seniors are really close; as indi-
viduals, we are nothing without each
other, continued Durre.
You fans, your support has been
important to us. We felt your support
every game out on the field. It was
amazing.
Senior players agreed that their
hearts were moved when they looked
back at U.S. 127 after their big win in
Lima and saw a line of cars as far as
they could see. Many said that it gave
them goose bumps and a challenge to
play their hearts out for their support-
ers.
We worked hard because we
knew that you (fans) believed in us,
said Durre.
Players agree that the ride was a lot
of fun, but also a lot of hard work.
Popular radio personality, Kenny
Stabler, who emceed Saturdays cele-
bration, joked with outside linebacker
and defensive end Brock Worden,
first of all referring to him as a, man
of few words.
Senior Worden, proving otherwise,
opened his remarks by telling fans, It
was absolutely crazy being out there
on the field and seeing a couple of
thousand Raider fans in the stands
cheering you on.
Worden recalled the night of the
teams only regular season loss at
Tinora as, the game that got us going
for the state run.
I got back to the locker room the
night after that loss and all I felt with
the guys was determination, said
Worden. I could see it in the guys
eyes. They were humbled but they
also wanted another chance at Tinora.
We took care of that in the play-
offs, said Worden to the burst of
thunderous applause from the fans.
You fans mean everything to us. You
were always there, win or lose.
Stabler asked Worden what he
would tell a young boy in elementary
school who asked him about being a
football player.
I would say, keep practicing, give
it full effort, never give up, you can do
it, said Worden.
I want to thank my parents and
grandparents, all of the fans and the
guys on the team, continued
Worden. I would like to give a spe-
cial thanks to both of my grandpar-
ents. When I think about this, it is all
so amazing.
Senior Jared Sherry, who reached a
mile mark by rushing for 1,000 yards
and also receiving 1,000 yards, said
that all he could say about the entire
journey was that it meant everything
to him.
Fans, supporters, players, cheer-
leaders, boosters, you all are the best
ever, said Sherry. You are why we
could go back a second time and beat
Tinora. All I can say is,
Underclassmen, pick up where we
left off next year and go play in the
shoe.
This is so amazing; I couldnt be
more thankful, said senior TJ
Blackmore. I am so glad that we
could be one big family all year. I
hope that I was a good leader; you
underclassmen, I hope you get right
back to where we were this year.
All-Ohio player Devin Wenzlick
said that he, like coach Bill Speller,
didnt know where to begin saying,
Thank you for such an amazing sea-
son.
The cheerleaders did a great job
with the fight song, said Wenzlick. I
would like to thank all of the under-
classmen, the scout team and all they
did to prepare us for the game. You
guys have got to realize the potential
that you have. You have some out-
standing talent to bring to the varsity.
Its amazing the way this program
accepts you as soon as you come
out, commented Darian Asher-
Layman, listed as a running back and
defensive back. Thats what I like
about this school. Everyone is one big
family. Thank you to everyone and I
Wayne Trace senior players took to the floor during homecoming ceremonies on Saturday afternoon to thank
fans and give their interpretation of the Raiders record setting football season.
See Seniors, page 14
PAULDING Wayne Trace jumped out to 22-0 lead in
the first 12 minutes at Paulding on Friday night to over-
power county rival Paulding, 61-20, to win the Black
Swamp Bowl.
The Raiders veteran quarterback, Colby Speice, racked
up 450 yards passing, connecting on 23-36 passes, five
for touchdowns, to lead the Wayne Trace onslaught.
Many fans were still looking for seats when Speice con-
nected with Korbin Showalter for a 91-yard pass play. The
Raiders jumped into an 8-0 lead just 19 seconds into the
game.
6 - Raiders State Football Commerative Issue Wednesday, December 18, 2013
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Raiders go 13-2: A game-by-game review
GAME 1: (1-0)
WAYNE TRACE 61, Paulding 20
HAVILAND Wayne Trace broke open a close game with
a pair of second quarter scores as the Raiders recorded a
huge 65-0 win over Otsego.
We have had this game circled on the calendar for a
year, noted Raider head coach Bill Speller. This is the
one we have been waiting on and it is a big one for both
playoff purposes and as a rivalry.
Colby Speice threw for four touchdowns and ran for
another. Jake Arend posted eight receptions for 107 yards.
GAME 2: (2-0)
WAYNE TRACE 65, Otsego 0
HAVILAND Wayne Trace didnt get off to a good start;
the visiting Crestview Knights scored on the games open-
ing possession. However, the Raiders dominated the
remainder of the opening stanza and never looked back,
rolling to a 54-41 victory over the Knights. Wayne Trace
totaled 478 yards of offense, recording 385 through the
air by Speice. This team has the ability to be very potent,
commented Raider head coach Bill Speller. We can put
five guys out there that can run and give us the opportu-
nity for a big play. That makes it tough for teams to
defend.
GAME 3: (3-0)
WAYNE TRACE 54, Crestview 41
AYERSVILLE Wayne Trace used a dominating defensive
effort and a newly found running game to cruise past
Ayersville 40-6 in Green Meadows Conference football
action. The Raiders totaled 347 rushing yards on a soggy
night, led by 167 yards from senior running back Jared
Sherry and 155 by senior quarterback Colby Speice.
Wayne Traces passing game was limited to 96 yards on
the night, but the Raiders switched to the impressive run-
ning attack.
GAME 4: (4-0)
WAYNE TRACE 40, Ayersville 6
HAVILAND Wayne Trace gave a record breaking effort
in routing visiting Holgate, 80-0. The 80 points sets a new
school record for points in a game, breaking the old mark
of 75 set against Antwerp in 1994. It was a total team
effort for the Raiders, who dominated on both sides of the
ball. Colby Speice also broke the Raider career passing
yards record by throwing for 399 yards on the evening, all
in the first half. Wayne Trace accumulated 610 yards of
total offense on the evening, including 149 rushing and
461 passing yards.
GAME 5: (5-0)
WAYNE TRACE 80, Holgate 0
EDGERTON On a rainy night in Williams County, Wayne
Trace scored 30 first quarter points and cruised to a 45-0
victory over host Edgerton. Wayne Trace finished with 165
rushing yards and 227 passing yards on the night.
Edgerton totaled 83 yards on the ground and 20 through
the air. Colby Speice paced the Raider ground game with
91 yards on 13 carries with Sherry adding 44 yards. Jared
Sherry was the top receiver on the night, catching four
passes for 104 yards. Jake Gerber chipped in three recep-
tions for 57 yards and Cole Shepherd added two catches
for 33 yards.
GAME 6: (6-0)
WAYNE TRACE 45, Edgerton 0
HAVILAND Wayne Trace had five turnovers but used a
big first half to post a win over the visiting Hicksville Aces,
43-7. The Raiders allowed only 102 yards of total offense,
including 44 on the ground, stifling the Hicksville attack.
Colby Speice had 14 tackles to lead the Raider defense
with Chuckie Chastain and Devin Wenzlick recording a
dozen each. Brock Worden and Jake Dingus picked up
eight stops a piece as well.
Wayne Trace is scoring 55 points a night offensively and
the Raider defense allows 10 points per game.
GAME 7: (7-0)
WAYNE TRACE 43, Hicksville 7
DEFIANCE In a battle for Green Meadows Conference
supremacy, it was host Tinora who took control and never
let up as the Rams cruised to a surprisingly easy 27-16
win over visiting Wayne Trace. The Rams shut down a one-
dimensional Raider offense and the Rams totaled 400
yards of offense in taking over sole possession of first
place in the league. Turnovers and the lack of any running
attack proved to be too much for the red, white and blue
to overcome. The Raiders committed four turnovers, three
via interceptions, and totaled only six yards rushing on the
night.
GAME 8: (7-1)
TINORA 27, Wayne Trace 16
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three quarters and cruised to a 57-10 victory over the
Indians.
While the Raider offense has dominated throughout the
playoff run, it was the Raider defense that stole the show
against the Indians. Our defense was outstanding tonight,
noted Raider coach Bill Speller. After the first two plays, we
just shut them down and it took them out of their game plan.
The Mechanicsburg rushing attack, which had averaged 280
yards per game, finished with only 146 against the Raiders.
GAME 14: (13-1)
WAYNE TRACE 57, Mechanics. 10
ANTWERP The Wayne Trace Raiders found their win-
ning ways and overpowered the Antwerp Archers, 64-16.
Coming off a bitter 27-16 loss at the hands of the Tinora
Rams a week earlier, the Raiders re-established them-
selves as a team ready to make a deep run in the upcom-
ing playoffs. On a senior-laden team, quarterback Colby
Speice picked apart the Archer defense, hitting 20 of 28
passes for 304 yards and four TDs through the air. Senior
targets included Korbin Showalter, who hauled in two
scores, while Devin Wenzlick and Jared Sherry, both sen-
iors, scored on passes compliments of Speice.
Wednesday, December 18, 2013 Raiders State Football Commerative Issue - 7
Raiders
Congratulations on a History
Making Season!
The McClure Family
GAME 9: (8-1)
WAYNE TRACE 64, Antwerp 16
HAVILAND Daron Showalter and Colby Speice each
returned interceptions for touchdowns to lead the Wayne
Trace Raiders to a 26-6 win over Fairview in the regular
season finale. The Raiders dominated the third quarter,
limiting Fairview to negative 14 yards of offense in the
stanza while totaling 136 yards in offense. With the win,
the red, white and blue move to 9-1 overall and wrap up
Green Meadows Conference action at 6-1. Wayne Trace
will visit North Robinson Colonel Crawford on Friday in the
first round of the Division VI, Region 20 playoffs.
GAME 10: (9-1)
WAYNE TRACE 26, Fairview 6
NORTH ROBINSON Wayne Trace got its offense back
in sync and the Raiders rolled to a 52-28 win over Colonel
Crawford in Division VI, Region 20 quarterfinal action in
Crawford County. I thought our offensive line played very
well. We were able to establish more of a running game
tonight and it allowed us to open things up in the passing
game as well, said head coach Bill Speller. Senior quar-
terback Colby Speice finished the night 30 of 49 through
the air for 346 yards, throwing five touchdown passes on
the evening. Wayne Trace ended with 26 first downs in the
contest, totaling 471 yards of offense. Jared Sherry also
wrapped up the night with 13 receptions for 163 yards.
GAME 11: (10-1)
WAYNE TRACE 52, Col. Crawford 28
LIMA Wayne Trace needed only 15 seconds to take con-
trol of the rematch with Tinora in the regional semifinals. The
red, white and blue made a dominating statement victory as
Wayne Trace rolled past the Rams, 40-7, to advance to the
regional championship for the first time in school history.
I am just so proud of this football team and the coaching
staff, the parents, fans, its a total win for Wayne Trace, com-
mented Raider head coach Bill Speller. Its one of if not
the biggest wins in school history in football. Its our first
time to the regional finals and there isnt a coaching staff or
group of players that deserve it more.
GAME 12: (11-1)
WAYNE TRACE 40, Tinora 7
LIMA Wayne Trace used its quick strike offense and
blitzed Northwest Conference champion Ada, jumping in
front 22-0 after one quarter and cruising to a 68-14 vic-
tory over the Bulldogs in the Division VI, Region 20 cham-
pionship game. The Raiders led 50-8 at the intermission
and were never threatened.
With the win, the Raiders continue a record-breaking
season that has seen them post a dozen victories for the
first time in school history and clinch a berth in the OHSAA
Final Four.
GAME 13: (12-1)
WAYNE TRACE 68, Ada 14
CANTON An outstanding season came to a disap-
pointing end for the Wayne Trace football team as Kirtland
controlled the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball
and posted a 44-16 victory over the Raiders at Fawcett
Stadium in Canton.
The Hornets ran for 410 yards in the contest and out-
gained Wayne Trace 588-281 overall to claim the Division
VI state championship with a perfect 15-0 record.
This is a tremendous group of guys and I wouldnt
trade any one of them for anything, commented Raider
head coach Bill Speller. I am so proud of what this team
has accomplished. We had a saying, DECERTO, which is
Latin for Fight to the Finish, and we did that all the way
to the state championship game.
Wayne Trace finished the day with 281 yards of total
offense. Colby Speice was 18 of 44 through the air for 262
yards while the Hornet defense limited the Raiders to 19
rushing yards on 24 attempts. Jake Arend and Jared
Sherry each picked up five receptions with Arend totaling
101 yards while Sherry posted 45. Jake Gerber also
added four catches for 50 yards. Sherry picked up 37
yards rushing over nine carries.
Wayne Trace closes the season with a record of 13-2,
setting a new school record for victories, and became the
first Paulding County football team to advance to the state
championship game.
GAME 15: (13-2)
KIRTLAND 44, Wayne Trace 16
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Wednesday, December 18, 2013 Paulding County Progress Winter Sports - 9 8 - Raiders State Football Commerative Issue Wednesday, December 18, 2013
10 - Raiders State Football Commerative Issue Wednesday, December 18, 2013
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Score by Quarters 1 2 3 4 OT T AVG
Wayne Trace 237 227 182 80 0 726 48.4
Opponents 32 81 55 58 0 226 15.1
Stats Thru Game WT Opp
15: 13 2
First Downs:
Rushing 120 87
Passing 167 61
Penalty 9 9
Total 296 157
Average per Game 19.7 10.5
Rushing:
Attempts 433 520
Yards 2,105 1,661
Average/Attempt 4.9 3.2
Touchdowns 30 19
Average Yds/Game 140 111
Passing:
Attempts 552 299
Completions 325 130
Percentage 58.9% 43.5%
Yards 5,238 1,834
Average/Attempt 9.5 6.1
Average/Completion 16.1 14.1
Average Yds/Game 350 122
Touchdowns 68 11
Interceptions 28 28
Total Offense:
Total Yards 7,343 3,495
Average 500 233
Fumbles 24 29
Fumbles Lost 13 8
Punting:
Number 26 74
Yards 889 2841
Average 34 38
Penalties:
Number 80 66
Yards 664 641
Yards/Game 44 43
Third Downs:
Conversions 78 39
Attempts 143 165
Percentage 55% 24%
Fourth Downs:
Conversions 18 9
Attempts 36 35
Percentage 50% 26%
Kick Returns Att. YDS AVG
Korbin Showalter 11 309 28.1
Tyler Showalter 10 185 18.5
Jake Dingus 4 69 17.3
D. Asher-Layman 7 68 9.7
Jake Arend 3 54 18
Jake Baksa 1 17 17
Matt Baxter 2 16 8
Jayden Sherry 1 14 14
Jake Gerber 1 11 11
Cole Shepherd 2 27 13.5
Passing: Comp. Att. Yds. TD Int. Comp.%
C. Speice 310 535 4,949 64 28 57.9%
G. Wobler 15 17 289 4 0 88.2%
Totals 325 552 5,238 68 28 58.9%
Rushing: Att. Yds. Avg. TD
Jared Sherry 161 1039 6.5 13
Colby Speice 158 544 3.4 11
Daron Showalter 27 132 4.9 1
Jake Gerber 14 92 6.6 0
Gabe Wobler 23 70 3.0 3
Rylen Asher 8 62 7.8 0
Tyler Showalter 12 50 4.2 0
D. Asher-Layman 6 22 3.7 1
Jake Dingus 6 29 4.8 0
Noah Stoller 7 19 2.7 0
Cole Shepherd 2 17 8.5 0
Korbin Showalter 2 16 8 1
Jake Baksa 1 4 4 0
Seth Saylor 1 4 4 0
Liam Marihugh 1 -3 -3 0
Sean Durre 4 8 2 0
Totals 433 2,105 4.9 30
Receiving: No. Yds. Avg. TD
Korbin Showalter 79 1679 21.3 25
Jared Sherry 67 895 13.4 7
Jake Arend 58 943 16.3 15
Jake Gerber 63 818 13.0 9
Tyler Showalter 24 388 16.2 4
Cole Shepherd 15 239 15.9 4
David Sinn 5 155 31 2
TJ Blackmore 2 38 19 1
Jake Dingus 2 30 15 0
Daron Showalter 3 20 6.7 0
Devin Wenzlick 2 21 10.5 1
Sean Durre 2 12 6 0
Matt Baxter 1 3 3 0
Jayden Sherry 1 0 0 0
D. Asher-Layman 1 -3 -3 0
Totals 325 5,238 16.1 68
Scoring: TD 1pt 2pt Total
Korbin Showalter 27 0 4 170
Jared Sherry 21 0 18 162
Jake Arend 15 0 10 110
Colby Speice 12 0 7 86
Jake Gerber 9 1 8 71
Cole Shepherd 4 0 0 24
Tyler Showalter 4 0 1 26
Gabe Wobler 3 0 0 18
David Sinn 2 0 0 12
Daron Showalter 2 0 0 12
TJ Blackmore 1 0 0 6
Jake Dingus 1 0 0 6
Devin Wenzlick 1 0 0 6
Darian Asher-Layman 1 0 0
6
Giuseppe Trapaldi 0 6 0 6
Nick Glass 0 4 0 4
Emil Stoller 0 1 0 1
Total 103 12 48 726
Punt Return Att YDS Avg. TD
Jake Dingus 12 192 16 1
Korbin Showalter 8 116 14.5 0
Jake Arend 2 23 11.5 0
Jayden Sherry 1 22 22 0
Matt Baxter 1 -1 -1 0
Field Goals/XP XP XPA
Nick Glass 4 10
Giuseppe Trapaldi 6 11
Jake Gerber 1 1
Emil Stoller 1 3
Aaron Stoller 0 1
Hank Sinn 0 1
Totals 12 27
FINAL WAYNE TRACE OFFENSIVE STATISTICS 2013
Wednesday, December 18, 2013 Raiders State Football Commerative Issue - 11
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12 - Raiders State Football Commerative Issue Wednesday, December 18, 2013
New Construction Remodeling Building Supplies & Hardware
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Well Done Wayne Trace Raiders!
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& Elise Miller
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FINAL WAYNE TRACE DEFENSIVE STATISTICS 2013
Name Assist Unasssit Total TFL Sack Int/Yards Pass FF FR QH Safety
Break Up
Tyler Showalter 83 46 129 13 2.5 1(21) 4 4 0 2 0
Colby Speice 62 48 110 19.5 2 3(28)1TD 2 0 0 2 0
Brock Worden 68 28 96 11.5 6.5 0 0 0 2 8 0
Devin Wenzlick 69 26 95 15.5 11 0 2 0 0 25 0
Riley Moore 77 13 90 9.5 4 0 1 0 0 2 0
Chuckie Chastain 67 12 79 11 3 0 0 0 0 1 0
Jake Gerber 35 36 71 5 0 4(77) 2 0 0 0 0
Jake Dingus 33 34 67 6.5 0 4(53) 10 1 1 0 0
Noah Stoller 40 13 53 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Jared Sherry 31 17 48 4.5 1.5 2(25)1TD 0 0 0 1 0
Daron Showalter 32 12 44 5.5 6.5 1(34)1TD 0 0 1 6 0
Darian Asher-Layman 25 18 43 2.5 1 0 2 0 1 1 0
Jake Arend 22 18 40 4 0 3(21) 1 0 0 0 0
Korbin Showalter 17 21 38 2 0 6(115)1TD 5 0 0 0 0
Conner Arend 26 11 37 2.5 1 0 0 0 0 2 0
TJ Blackmore 25 10 35 0.5 1.5 0 0 1 0 0 0
Sean Durre 22 9 31 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Rylen Asher 13 11 24 1.5 1 2(24) 0 0 0 0 0
Cole Shepherd 10 13 23 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0
Austin Kuhn 8 7 15 0 0 1(5) 0 0 0 0 0
Josh Reel 8 5 13 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0
Jake Baksa 8 5 13 0.5 0 1(21) 0 0 0 0 0
Hank Sinn 7 4 11 3 1 0 0 2 0 2 0
David Sinn 4 5 9 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Andy Hicks 8 0 8 0.5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Grant Gillett 7 1 8 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Matt Baxter 3 4 7 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Scott Wenninger 5 1 6 1.5 0 0 0 0 1 1 0
Justin Speice 5 0 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Seth Saylor 0 4 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Caleb Schultz 3 1 4 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0
Aaron Stoller 4 0 4 0.5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Clint Sinn 2 1 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Giuseppe Trapaldi 0 2 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Justin Pierce 1 1 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Liam Marihugh 1 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Corey Davis 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Emil Stoller 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Jon Sinn 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Nick Durre 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Steve Torman 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Cassidy Hilkey 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Jayden Sherry 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0
Wednesday, December 18, 2013 Raiders State Football Commerative Issue - 13
www.grantinsurance.com
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Congrats on a Great Season!
T
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1000 W. Wayne St. Paulding
419-399-2866
Raider Nation expands into northwest Ohio event
By JIM LANGHAM
Sportswriter
HAVILAND As the Wayne
Trace run to the state finals contin-
ued to progress, something strange
started to happen on the Raider
side of the field, said WT fan Jodi
Rowlands. Different colors started
mixing in with the traditional red
and blue Raider jackets and shirts.
There were fans from other
schools, all over the county start-
ing to come to our games, said
Rowlands.
Wayne Trace athletic director
Jim Linder said that it was nothing
to see fans wearing jackets from
Paulding, Antwerp, Lincolnview
and other surrounding schools
going through the stadium gates
beside Wayne Trace fans.
In fact, Linder said, cheerleaders
from Paulding and Lincolnview
sent flowers and notes of encour-
agement to the Raider Nation.
It wasnt just us; it was the
whole county, said Linder. This
is the first time in Paulding County
football history that a team has
reached the state finals. The entire
county was very supportive. It
became an entire Paulding County
event.
Football coach Bill Speller said
that the boundary of support
expanded even further than that.
He started receiving emails of sup-
port from schools and fans all over
northwest Ohio, especially schools
in the Green Meadows Conference
in particular.
I think that weve changed the
image of the Green Meadows
Conference forever, said Speller.
It has traditionally been known as
a basketball conference. Now the
GMC is known statewide because
of a state runners-up football
team.
Our fans told me that every-
where they went, Paulding,
Antwerp, Van Wert, all over the
area, people were stopping them
on the street and telling them that
they were cheering for the
Raiders, said Linder.
Linder said that the state football
run brought back memories from
the state championship basketball
season in 1991.
The school spirit, the enthusi-
asm, the community support, its
all there just like it was back then,
said Linder. We are so fortunate to
get these moments at Wayne Trace.
It is good for the entire school sys-
tem and for school spirit.
We are so proud to represent
Paulding County in all of this,
added Linder.
All of Paulding County should
be proud of this tournament run by
Wayne Trace, said Paulding ath-
letic director Chris Etzler. I would
like to think that it would hold that
way for all three schools. There are
no separate district divisions when
it comes to something like this.
This is a wonderful achievement
for Paulding County and we are all
proud of the Wayne Trace football
team.
At one of the countys primary
gathering places, the Paulding
County Carnegie Library, librarian
Susan Pieper said that she is over-
whelmed by the entire Raider
impact she has seen across the
county.
The library team feels a con-
nection with Raiders because our
very first Bookmobile driver,
Byron Stoller, has two boys on the
team, said Pieper. The library
team also includes the mother of a
Raider. When she (Teresa Reel)
asked for time off for the state
championship, it was difficult for
the entire library team not to pack
up and go with her.
Pieper said that she cant pin-
point why, but she gets emotional
with a feeling of pride when she
listens to Raider games on the
radio.
I had tears running down my
cheeks, said Pieper. The Raiders
represent all of our football teams.
Paulding County, like other rural
communities, is rich with family
tradition. There are cousins that
attend different schools.
County rivalries fade away and
we all root for the one team who
has achieved such a level of excel-
lence that it makes it seem possible
that, perhaps, all teams can do this.
It is that hope and that dream of
being the best that inspires all of
us, said Pieper.
Wayne Trace graduate, Jeff
Mangette, who along with his
wife, Michelle, also a WT graduate
and two children, live in Bowling
Green these days, said that he has
faithfully been following the
Raiders from their northwest Ohio
home. Mangette said that he and
See Raider Nation, page 14
14 - Raiders State Football Commerative Issue Wednesday, December 18, 2013



On a
Thrilling
Season
Raiders
419-399-4080
www.pauldingcountyhospital.com
1035 West Wayne Street ~ Paulding, OH 45879
nRAIDERS
Continued from Page 2
final game of the season and we played hard
for 48 minutes. We didnt get the win but this
team has a lot to be proud of.
Senior Devin Wenzlick also was very
proud of the Raider efforts.
Its been a great ride, Wenzlick com-
mented. I cant believe its over. It hasnt
really sunk in yet and it wont until I realize I
cant put this jersey on tomorrow.
With the basketball season around the cor-
ner, many of these football players will turn
from the gridiron to the hardwood.
But one thing wont change.
Many memories were made over the past
15 weeks, and many examples were set for
future Raiders in not only the football pro-
gram currently but ones in the years to come.
The senior class of the Wayne Trace foot-
ball team became an example of what hard
work and determination can do for a pro-
gram.
Thanks for the memories, Raiders. You are
a special group of young men. And you have
provided a dream for the next group of
Raiders, whether that be the juniors on this
years team or the little league football play-
ers of the future. A dream that has been
proven it can become a reality.
They have a class football team.
Speller said that the most difficult time
about his speech to the community at
Saturdays homecoming was trying to pass
on all of the thank yous warranted in the sit-
uation.
I told my wife this morning that if I passed
on all of the thank yous that I should, it
would take three hours, continued Speller.
This administration and its support; these
coaches are my best friends. Our wives and
our families, stand up and give them a big
round of applause. Our poor wives put up
with long days, our kids put up with a lot.
Speller melted the hearts of the crowd
when he said that on Saturday morning, when
he was still in bed, his son came in and
plopped down on the bed and said, Welcome
home, Dad.
Speller especially praised local radio per-
sonalities Kenny Stabler and Shawn Gerber
for their support. He noted that when he
needed anything on the next opponent,
Gerber would have lineups, facts, newspaper
articles and information about the upcoming
challenge in his hands within minutes.
Concerning the future of his players,
Speller said that he hopes that his players will
take a work ethic with them that will benefit
them for the rest of their lives.
These were players that always worked
hard, said Speller. I hope that they will be
better men because they were part of this pro-
gram, men with lots of character who live
quality lives.
Michelle have enjoyed watching the
Facebook light up with comments about the
Raiders.
What an unbelievable experience for the
student-athletes, students, coaches, teachers,
parents, fans and community, said Mangette.
This journey has brought together more
than just Payne, Grover Hill, Haviland and
Scott; it has brought the entire county togeth-
er.
The northwest Ohio region and many
proud alumni who live outside of the region,
and even the state, would like to let the play-
ers know how much they are behind them, on
and off the field, added Mangette.
The beauty is the way this has brought out
the connection of all of our Paulding County
residents, said Pieper. People from each of
the schools are connected to each other. We
all thank the Raiders for allowing us to dream
of achieving excellence to become a reality.
nSPELLER
Continued from Page 3
nSENIORS
Continued from Page 5
nRAIDER NATION
Continued from Page 13
look forward to seeing you in the finals next
year.
Popular foreign student Giuseppe Trapaldi
brought a roar from the crowd when he talked
about the day that he consented to be a kick-
er on the football team. Trapaldi said that he
felt comfortable with the kicking situation
because of his connection with soccer in
Europe.
When I was asked to be part of the team,
my first thought was, I am going to get killed
out there, said Trapaldi to the amusement of
the crowd. Once I got into the season, I
wished that I would have agreed to do more
than kick. I wished then that I could play
more.
I was really impressed by the crowd,
continued Trapaldi. I was impressed by the
student body and the cheerleaders. They are
as excited about football here as I was about
soccer in Europe.
Trapaldi brought a roar from the crowd when
he said that when he goes back to Europe, if
Wayne Trace goes to the state finals again next
year, they should plan on him coming back to
stand on the sidelines and cheer for the team.
If they get to the championship game, Ill
show up, said Trapaldi to the crowds
approval.
Raider Nation expands into northwest Ohio event
Wednesday, December 18, 2013 Raiders State Football Commerative Issue - 15
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Main Street Makeovers
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Incredible Season Raiders!
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Congrats on an
Amazing Season
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Grover Hill, OH 419-587-3828
RAIDERS
GREAT SEASON!
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Sounds like you had a
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RAIDERS
NICE JOB!
N&N Quick Stop
Grover Hill
419-587-3105
WOW
117 East Merrin St. Payne
419-263-2626
W
hat a
Great S
eason
R
aiders!
1015 N. Williams St. Paulding
419-399-5092
WAY TO GO RAIDERS!
Eric, Dawn, Eli, & Tanner Cook
419-263-2245
Locally Grown Beef
No Hormones, No Antibiotics
Available by side, quarter or canned
Winding Brook Stock Farm
A Season to Remember!
Pauldlng Ace Hardware
1251 N. Wllllams, Pauldlng, OH 419-399-3136
Congratulations Raiders!
BROCK As we watched your final season
of football, we did it with much joy.
We couldnt be
more proud of YOU!
Good Luck with
your future plans.
We Love You!
Mom, Dad and Dylan
Grandpa and Grandma Straley
Dan, Jill and Alex Straley
Jim, Cindy, Hayley, Kelsey and Lexie Stiverson
BROCK WORDEN