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Ridgewood Spoils Wiregrass Ranch's First Home Game

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By CRISTINA LEDRA, The Tampa Tribune

Published: September 8, 2007

WESLEY CHAPEL - Compared to the week of practice the Ridgewood coaching staff put its players through following a soft opening-game effort, linebacker Ben Perry said the Rams' Friday night game against Wiregrass Ranch was a blessing.

The preparation more than paid off for Ridgewood as the Rams shut out the Bulls in Wiregrass' first home game 48-0, led by Barry Johnsonbaugh, who had a rushing and receiving touchdown.

Running back Byronell Arline had 163 yards rushing, 159 of which came in the first half, and one touchdown.

'They just put us through a hard week of practice,' said Perry, of the Rams' defense that allowed 41 yards, 'the hardest we've had so far, so to come out here in this game, it was more like a walkthrough.'

The Rams' defense allowed more than 200 yards rushing to Hudson in a Week 1 win and paid for it in practice.

The Rams carried that over to Wiregrass with touchdowns from all sides, including a 50-yard interception return from Andrew Bailey and a 35-yard punt return from Kurt Holt.

Wiregrass opted for the running clock in the third quarter after Holt's touchdown put the Rams up 41-0 with 6:22 remaining.

'I'm speechless,' Wiregrass coach Ricky Thomas said. 'There's not much to say after a 48-0 whoopin', so I'm speechless. Obviously I'm disappointed, but we just took a good ol' whoopin' tonight.'

The Rams' offense had three fumbles - one lost - within the first 13 minutes and the defense was on the field for all but 3:30 of the first quarter, partly explained by Bailey's interception return for a touchdown that put the defense right back on the field.

The Bulls were eating up the clock, but they were only in Rams territory one time in the first half, on Ridgewood's lost fumble at the Rams' 30-yard line.

'We're practicing more on fundamentals,' Rams defensive coordinator Brian Wachtel said. 'They've definitely picked up the tempo. I have a lot of guys who didn't play last year on defense that are finally starting to get comfortable in their positions. The kids work hard and they learn and they give me 100 percent every week and we just try to get better every week.'

Nearing the half, the Rams were much more in control of the game, leading 21-0, and used a play they had been cooking up for two years and never had the opportunity to use until Friday - a running play with Perry, who rarely plays on offense.

Perry slipped in for the 5-yard score with 26.5 seconds left in the first half, earning his first TD since middle school.

'It was a lot of fun,' Perry said. 'I used to play a lot of offense in middle school but then in high school we've got Byronell and other running backs so I just play defense, that's what I like to do. That was a lot of fun for me because I don't get to do it that much.'

R - Arline 10 run (Koon kick)

R - Johnsonbaugh 15 run (Koon kick)

R - Perry 5 run (kick failed)

R - Johnsonbaugh 36 pass from Haab (Koon kick)

R - Holt 35 punt return (Koon kick)

R - Golden 1 run (Koon kick)

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