DANVILLE — From a very young age, kids in Danville play football in their back yards. There usually aren’t any set plays, just go find some open space in the field and the quarterback will try to get you the ball.
Friday, the Blue Devils varsity football team played its own version of backyard football, scrambling and throwing its way to a 52-21 victory over visiting Fredericktown in a Mid-Buckeye Conference showdown.
“We didn’t do too bad offensively,” said Danville coach Ed Honabarger. “We moved the ball, obviously decent. Bryce (Staats) was getting some good reads. They were playing up tight on us and we were able to find some openings. That turned into some big plays for us.”
The Blue Devils (4-1 overall, 2-0 MBC) racked up 452 yards offensively against the Freddies, including 294 through the air from quarterback Staats. The 294 is the second most in school history, behind Staats’ monster game of 347 against Rittman earlier this year.
Staats completed 18 of 27 passes on the night in his big game, and had 10 pass completions of more than 10 yards and four touchdowns. The senior also rushed for 115 yards and a TD.
“He’s very good at making the play, keeping the play alive and people just finding the grass,” Honabarger said. “That’s what we tell them (the receivers) — just find open grass. It’s backyard football. If it’s initially not open, they’ve got you covered, go find space. It’s his job to find you.”
