Seniors star as Vandals defeat Gillespie, 42-14

Ryan Ambuehl could feel the pressure from behind him as he ran through open space on the first play of Vandalia’s third first-quarter drive.

So the senior running back kicked himself into a higher gear.

Ambuehl threw a stiff-arm and then rumbled 69 yards for Vandalia’s second touchdown of the quarter, helping set the tone of a 42-14 season-opening win against Gillespie last Friday.

“I honestly didn’t think I would get that far,” he said. “I was hoping for 10 yards max, but when I got through that hole, there was nobody there.

“I dodged a tackle, stiff-armed another guy and I was gone, but when I got to the end zone, I was tired as can be.”

Ambuehl led the Vandals in rushing, romping for 140 yards on seven carries and adding an extra 15 yards to his total after he advanced a teammate’s fumble.

Coach John Stout said the play call on Ambuehl’s touchdown run was designed to combat Gillespie’s defensive adjustments.

“We caught them slanting to our motion, so we tried to go misdirection,” Stout said. “The guy tried to arm tackle Ryan, and Ryan is hard to arm tackle.

“That was another great run by him, and hopefully the first of many this year.”

Ambuehl didn’t have the only long rush of the game, however, as senior Luke Smith sprinted 43 yards for Vandalia’s final touchdown, and a 33-yard run from senior Alex Newsom on the Vandals’ first offensive play of the season set up a 1-yard push by Smith.

Newsom later scored on a 4-yard rush, and quarterback Tim Ritchey, a senior, rushed to the end zone for scores of 2 and 15 yards.

A big question coming into the season was how the Vandals would replace Levi Ulmer and his 1,200-plus yards from last season, but Vandalia clearly showed that there would no ill effects, as the team racked up 393 yards on the ground on 44 carries for an average of 8.93 YPC.

“I felt great,” Newsom said. “We really played well as a team on offense and defense. Everybody helped out and did their jobs.”

Defensively, senior Jeff Lucken made it a habit to break into Gillespie’s backfield, recording five tackles for loss.

Lucken led the team in tackles for loss last season, but he had just 14, and if he continues playing with strong fundamentals, he is sure to record many more than that this season.

“I fired off and did my techniques,” he said. “Coach (Jason) Clay was telling us what to expect on some of their blocks.”

Senior Chase Woolsey and junior Tristin Long each recorded a solo sack during the game, and junior C.J. Runkel had two tackles for loss, while Smith and sophomore Austin Steele each had one.

But, the defense was gashed by the passing game, with Gillespie quarterback Mike Henderson able to complete six passes of more than 10 yards, including a long of 45 yards.

“We need to be able to read run or pass better,” Stout said. “Our guys got lulled into their running the ball, and then they snuck in behind us (with some passes).”

Friday, Aug. 24
Vandalia 42
Gillespie 14
G: 0-7-0-7—14
V: 14-14-7-7—42
Rushing: Ambuehl, 8-140, TD; L. Smith, 9-99, 2 TD; Newsom, 10-88, TD; Ritchey, 7-48; Robby Lott, 1-13; Dalton Smith, 5-11; Runkel, 2-0; Rodney Tedrick, 1-0; Dillon Tate, 1-(-1); Wade Cowger, 1-(-5); Team, 45-393, 6 TD.
Passing: Ritchey, 4-4, 45 yards.
Receiving: Ambuehl, 1-22; L. Smith, 2-13; Newsom, 1-10.
Defense: Lucken, 6 tackles (2 sacks, 2 TFL) and 2 assists (1 for loss); Woolsey, 6 tackles (1 sack) and 1 assist; Long, 4 tackles (1 sack) and 2 assists (1 for loss); Runkel, 4 tackles (2 for loss) and one assist; L. Smith, 4 tackles (1 for loss); Ambuehl, 5 tackles and one assist; Newsom, 4 tackles; Cowger, 3 tackles and two assists, fumble recovery; Ritchey, 1 tackle and three assists, pass deflection; Tate, tackle, fumble recovery; Steele, TFL; Jake Stone, fumble recovery; Ryne Lipsey, 2 tackles; Colton Evans, tackle; Tedrick, tackle; Jake Stewart, tackle; Levi Carroll, tackle assist.
Return: Ryan Bayles, 1-13; Carroll, 1-9; Ambuehl, 1-7.