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VIDEO: Plucky Warriors pull rabbit out of hat, rally to beat Cumberland in opener

Posted: September 1st 2023

By BRIAN CUNNIFF

CapeAtlanticLive.com

WILDWOOD – In the waning moments of Thursday evening’s high school football game at Maxwell Field, a terrified, obviously-out-of-place rabbit scurried across the field desperately searching for safety.

Perhaps that rabbit was a lucky charm for Wildwood.

The Warriors stopped a rushing attempt inside the 10-yard line on the final play of the game to seal a wild 28-21 victory over Cumberland in the team’s season opener.

The win was Wildwood’s first in a season opener since 2012, when eventual NFL running back Wes Hills led the Warriors to a 4-1 start on their way to a 6-4 finish.

A 16-yard touchdown run on a quarterback sneak by Junior Hans with 1:02 to play broke a 21-21 tie and gave Wildwood the lead for good in Thursday’s game.

Hans had a hand in 26 of the 28 points scored by Wildwood. He ran for two scores, tossed two others and kicked two extra points.

Wildwood surged ahead by 15-7 at the half, thanks to a long catch and run for a score by Ryan Troiano, a short touchdown run by Hans and a safety after a high shotgun snap by Cumberland.

The Warriors threatened to take control of the game in the third quarter, but failed to score after having first-and-goal inside the Colt 5-yard line.

Cumberland then scored twice to take a 21-15 lead, the second touchdown coming shortly after a Wildwood turnover.

Wildwood, however, didn’t go away. Hans tossed to James Wyers for a touchdown to tie the game midway through the fourth quarter, Wyers racing through and past the defense to the end zone after catching a short slant pass.

That set the stage for a dramatic finish. 

After Hans found the end zone on the quarterback sneak to give Wildwood the lead with a little more than a minute left, Cumberland completed a long pass to move to the Warrior 11-yard line in the final minute. But one play after an incomplete pass, the Warrior defense swarmed to stop a Colt runner well short of the end zone on the game’s final play.

Wildwood next plays at home on Friday, Sept. 8, against Schalick at 6 p.m. That game will be broadcast live by CapeAtlanticLive.com.

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