MARTINSVILLE
The logjam atop the Mid-State Conference football standings became more crowded Friday night.
Whiteland’s inspired 40-21 defeat of Class 5A No. 2 Martinsville improves the Warriors record to 5-1 overall and 3-1 in the league standings.
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In a season of impressive performances by fourth-ranked Whiteland, this might have been its best yet.
“We talked all week long about the ultimate competitor,” Warriors coach Darrin Fisher said. “The ultimate competitor doesn’t worry about the score. The ultimate competitor just worries about playing this snap like it has a life and history of its own.
“Get up and play the next down whether the result is good or the result is bad. I thought our guys mentally and emotionally handled the moment really well.”
Led by tailback Jake Perry’s four touchdown runs, Whiteland continued its mastery of the Artesians on their own turf, having also won here in 2014 and 2016 by an average spread of 22 points.
Fisher’s squad never trailed, establishing the run game in the opening drive and never looking back. At halftime, the Warriors led, 28-7, and had virtually tripled Martinsville in offense, 259-95.
Perry accumulated 150 first-half rushing yards on his way to 174.
The Warriors marched 78 yards on 14 plays on the game’s opening drive, with Perry finishing it with a 1-yard run at 5:35 of the first quarter.
Martinsville answered with its own offensive fireworks, the big play being quarterback Travis Griffey’s 52-yard pass to senior wideout Michael Hoppel. Isaac Osborne’s 6-yard touchdown run tied the score, but Whiteland put together another long drive, going 75 yards in 13 plays.
Sophomore back Melvin Taylor squirted through Artesian defenders on the right side for an 11-yard scoring run. The Warriors then benefited from a little trickery when the ensuing pooch kickoff was recovered in stride by senior defensive back Trevor Larence at the Martinsville 32.
Larence, who also picked up his fourth interception of the season late in the second period, admits his eyes lit up when his coaches called the play.
“I think that started the momentum for the offense, and they were ready to come out and run the ball some more,” Larence said. “I was excited. I was ready to go down there and get the ball. This was a really big win for us. Probably the biggest one yet, I would say.”
Two plays later, senior quarterback Austin Kirkman launched a 31-yard TD strike to senior Max Brock to make it 21-7 at 9:26 of the second stanza. Perry closed the scoring before intermission with a 35-yard blast up the gut in which he shed no fewer than three would-be tacklers on his way to the end zone.
The two teams basically played even the second half. The Warriors’ defense, too, played frenzied all evening and even made the team’s last significant play by sacking Griffey on a fourth down with 1:44 remaining in the game.
Whiteland’s celebration can’t last too long, with Mooresville visiting on Friday in yet another monster conference clash.
“Again, it’s that ultimate competitor thing,” Fisher said. “When you’re a competitor, you relish the opportunity to go play somebody good. I’m proud of them for their competitor mentality tonight.”
