On the 'Dotte

Nick Smith/PrepsKC

By Jim Bradford PrepsKC Senior Writer
Posted: October 6, 2012 - 8:10 AM



When you’ve been waiting for 25 years for something, the end result of a game is much more important than how it happened.
 
For Wyandotte, the wait is over and even though it was an ugly win, it was still a win and the Bulldogs are Kansas City Kansas League champions for the first time in a quarter century with a sloppy 25-19 win over Washington.
 
“We fought hard,” said Wyandotte head coach Eddie Brown. “It was ugly, but it’s still a win. And it’s the first league title in 25 years.”
Dimonic Roden-McKinzy led the way on offense and defense, completing 15-for-25 for 210 yards and two touchdowns though the air, rushing for 48 yards on seven carries and intercepting two Washington passes on defense.
 
“We really came together out there tonight,” Roden-McKinzy said. “We just had to calm down and get things taken care of.
 
“It’s great to be a part of history in winning the league title.”
 
After jumping out to a 13-7 halftime lead, the Bulldogs saw the Wildcats tie the score twice in the second half before they were finally able to get the game winning score with five minutes to play on a 37-yard touchdown pass from Roden-McKinzy to Antonio Moore.
 
“I’m so very proud of this team,” Brown said. “I’m so proud of the way they were able to bounce back each time.”
 
The Wildcats used a long kickoff return to start the second half before Javeon Williams scored from four yards out to tie the score at 13.
 
Wyandotte (5-1) answered two minutes later when Moore busted off an 18-yard touchdown run.
 
That lead lasted until the midway mark of the fourth quarter when Kalem Harrison hooked up with Marvin Bowens on a 57-yard touchdown pass to tie the score.
 
Extra points were touch to come by Friday night. Neither team hit one after they both hit their first of the night.
 
The ugly part of the game came by way of the 14 combined penalties, another six that were declined, five fumbles — two were lost – and three interceptions.
 
It was a pair of Roden-McKinzy interceptions that put the end to a pair of Washington drives, including their final drive of the night with just seconds remaining.
 
His first came just about two minutes before, ending their Wildcats last real chance at a comeback.
 
“His leadership is something that is tough to measure,” Brown said. “The places that he has been, the success he’s had is something that he shares with these guys.
 
“His work ethic is amazing.”
 
The Wildcats fell to 3-3 on the season, but won’t hang their heads for long.
 
“We just shot ourselves in the foot all night,” Washington head coach Bryan Salsgiver said. “We feel good about what the kids did. We worked hard.
 
“We won’t keep our heads down for long. We’re not going to hang our heads by any means.”
 
Williams led all rushers with 120 yards on 16 carries. Moore has 95 on 21 carries for Wyandotte.
 
The Wildcats got on the board first thanks to a Bulldog miscue to start the game.
 
Wyandotte coughed up the opening kickoff and Washington took it down a short field and scored the game’s first points on a 12-yard touchdown run by Javeon Williams. That run capped a short, four-play drive.
 
The Bulldogs scored the next two touchdowns to take the 13-7 halftime lead.
 
On the ensuing possession, Roden-McKinzy capped a four-minute, 12-play drive with a 4-yard touchdown run to tie the score.
 
The Bulldogs went up 13-7 in the waning seconds of the first quarter when Roden-McKinzy stepped up in the pocket, avoided a sack and hit Damien Reed running up the seam for a 17-yard touchdown.
 
The Wildcats nearly capitalized on the Bulldogs second miscue of the game in the closing couple minutes of the first half. Lloyd Stanfield intercepted Roden-McKinzy at the Wildcats 40. Washington marched down to the Bulldogs 5-yard line, but came away empty handed. Williams looked to have scored on a 5-yard run with 10 seconds to play, but the touchdown was called back on an illegal hit to the helmet penalty. The Wildcats were backed up to the 15, but were unable to get another playoff before the second quarter clock expired.