White Knoll remains undefeated with 16-0 shutout of Lexington
Timberwolves wrap up share of Region 4 title, No. 1 seed in playoffs with triumph
Lexington -- The White Knoll High School football team gathered around head coach Nick
Pelham after Friday's Region 4-AAAAA game at Lexington. Helmets off, they took a knee and looked
up solemnly as Pelham gave them a warm pep talk.
After all, the Timberwolves did shut out Lexington 16-0 and guarantee a share of the region
championship. Yet, Pelham, in his third year with the Timberwolves after serving as defensive
coordinator for Dutch Fork, understood his team’s reaction.
“Our kids understand that we’re after perfection, we’re after greatness,” he said. “We’re not
there, we’re not even close to greatness. We’re OK, we’re good, but our kids are disappointed
when it’s not perfect, and I love that, because that’s how you become really good or great. You
chase perfection.”
The Timberwolves, who improved to 8-0 on the season and 3-0 in region play, may have
reflected on a long opening drive that sputtered near the goal line, or when quarterback Landon
Sharpe threw a second-quarter interception.
They weren’t thinking about the way the defensive line ruled the line of scrimmage, the way they
attacked the Lexington (6-2, 2-1) backfield, racking up five quarterback sacks and 10 tackles for loss.
“We stopped the run in the early part of the game. We forced (Lexington head) Coach (Dustin)
Curtis to throw the ball a little bit more than he probably wanted to do, and then we could get our
pressures in,” Pelham said. “Our defensive line is quick, it’s tenacious.”
Linebackers Domenico Banks, Lincoln Ilunga and Jaiden Kimble were frequent visitors in the
Lexington backfield.
“We used Domenico Banks in nickel situations to rush the passer, so I’m really proud of him and
how he’s grown up. Lincoln is a great pass rusher, Jaiden is a great blitzer. Jaiden stayed in his lane
tonight, our nose tackle, it was an amazing job.”
On the offensive side of the ball, running back Tiyon Fanning finished the night with several
breakaway runs that pushed his rushing yards to 102 on the night.
White Knoll opened the game by taking the opening kickoff and driving 79 yards on 18 plays,
but couldn’t punch the ball in from one yard out. Lexington took over at its 1-yard line1 and moved
to the 32, but two straight Timberwolves sacks forced a fourth-and-27 at the Lexington 13.
After a long punt return put White Knoll at the Wildcats 20, Sharpe found Austin Cunningham
for a 20-yard touchdown pass to put the Timberwolves up 6-0 in the first play of the second
quarter.
Later, White Knoll’s James Smith intercepted a pass and set the Wolves up at the Wildcats’ 32. Sharpe
dove into the end zone from one yard out on the sixth play of the short drive to make it 13-0 at the 3:05
mark of the second quarter.
The Timberwolves kept that lead and added Jordy Aguilera’s 27-yard field goal with 9:35 left in
the game, but both teams battled it out between the 20-yad lines in the second half, with neither
gaining an advantage.
“Lexington’s a good team, wow Lexington is tough,” Pelham said. “They did a great job hanging
in there in the second half. The defense kept coming up and forced a missed field goal (Aguilera
missed a 28-yard field goal try late in the game). Their defense is outstanding. They coach the
kids hard and their kids are really tough.”
The Timberwolves showed their toughness as well, especially over the past three region games.
White Knoll allowed one offensive touchdown in that stretch, which included a 40-0 shutout at River
Bluff on September 28 and a landmark 17-14 victory over defending AAAAA state champion Dutch Fork
last week.
Including what Pelham said was a tough game at Lancaster on September 22 that got lopsided
late in the game, White Knoll has set itself up to win the region outright as well as finish the regular season
unbeaten. The Timberwolves play host to Chapin in the season finale on Friday.
“It was a really hard four weeks, but I’m really excited right now that we get a chance,” he said. “Wow,
undefeated in the regular season. We’re excited.”
White Knoll 0 13 0 3 – 16
Lexington 0 0 0 0 – 0
Second Quarter
WK -- Austin Cunningham 20 pass from Landon Sharpe (pass failed) 11:38
WK -- Sharpe 1 run (Jordy Aguilera kick) 3:05
Fourth Quarter
WK – Aguilera 27 field goal 9:35
WKHS LHS
First downs 12 7
Rushes-Yards 37-122 25-(-6)
Passing yards 110 98
Att-Com-Int 15-8-1 17-12-1
Fumbles-lost 0-0 4-2
Penalties-yards 7-45 7-45
Punts-Avg 3-30.3 4-40.5
INDIVIDUAL
RUSHING
WK --Tiyon Fanning 20-102, Landon Sharpe 10-13, Jaiden Kimble 4-(-1), Davontae Dingle
3-8. L -- Taiden Mines 17-(-17), Matt McAulay 5-9, Christian Sexton 1-2, Cam Morris 1-0.
PASSING
WK -- Landon Sharpe 8-15-1. L -- Taiden Mines 12-17-1.
RECEIVING
WK -- Austin Cunningham 5-55, Tiyon Fanning 1-28, Tyson Cox 1-14, C.J. Earl 1-13. L -- Cam
Sutton 3-32, Brandon Cromer 2-33, Cam Morris 1-(-7), Lincoln Hill 2-16, Tyler DeRienzo 1-4,
Zareth Owens 2-8, Jonathan Rolland 1-12.
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