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Roman senior Wiggins helps ruin the Raiders

Cahillites rally in second half for win over Ryan

HEY, THE BIG fellas need ink, too. Sure, the quarterbacks and speedsters rack up the stats, but what about the hurly-burlies up front?

At 6-4 and 280 pounds, Roman Catholic senior two-way lineman Gavin Wiggins was large on Saturday as the Cahillites chased down host Archbishop Ryan, 24-16.

Grunts might not get the touchdowns or the numbers, but that doesn't mean they aren't playmakers.

"On the offensive line, you're doing it for someone else to make plays, but on defense, you can be the person to make those big plays," Wiggins said.

A Youngstown State commit, Wiggins helped ruin the Raiders with several key defensive disruptions.

After the Raiders jetted to a 16-0, first-half advantage, Roman (2-2) slowly nipped at Ryan's heels until the Cahillites seized a 17-16 lead with Ethan Mahler's 18-yard field goal in the final frame.

Then, the Roxborough resident used his noggin to earn some late breathing room. With just more than a minute remaining, Ryan QB Matt Romano dropped back and plunked a pass right off the helmet of Wiggins, who penetrated the offensive line.

Junior linebacker Tom Stevens collected the carom and sprang 35 yards for the game's final score. Wiggins made sure of that by foiling Ryan's final drive with 4 seconds remaining and the ball at the Roman 10.

Wiggins bulled his blocker deep into the backfield and into Romano, who threw incomplete.

"It's a rush," said Wiggins, who also added a strip-fumble-return for 17 yards in the third. "That adrenaline rush you get from making big plays. Everyone comes and smacks you on the helmet, telling you 'Good job.' It's just a great feeling that you get."

He added: "I'm more of a person that does everything for everybody. I'm not doing it for myself."

True. The entire Roman o-line helped senior running back Dimetri Kelly rumble for 83 yards on 23 carries. Kelly and senior wideout/defensive back John Chaney added rushing touchdowns. Junior quarterback Phil DiWilliams went 5-for-14 for 34 yards and added a rushing score.

For Ryan (2-2), senior running back Samir Bullock had 120 yards on 19 totes and senior receiver/defensive back Seneca Williams added a 65-yard return TD. Romano went 10-for-26 with 104 yards and contributed a ground tally.

For Wiggins, who wants to study criminal justice in college, defense is fun but he will make his bones protecting quarterbacks and running backs, which is fine by him as long as they don't tease him.

DiWilliams knows firsthand. At left tackle, Wiggins is DiWilliams' blindside.

"He'll make fun of me at practice and I'll be like, 'One of these times I'll do the [play] from 'The Longest Yard' and just let someone go and they can [crush] you,' " Wiggins joked. "I mess with him, but I won't do it. I just mess with him and tell him I will."