A football game that spanned three days provided two lessons.
Chase has a pretty good football team.
Polk County has the foundation to be one in its own right.
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The Wolverines offered plenty of evidence for that second point, especially on offense, in a season opener at Chase that began Thursday, finished Saturday and did so with the Trojans taking a 45-24 victory.
There were mistakes, certainly, and Chase quarterback Logan Gold made most of those costly, throwing for 379 yards and five touchdowns. But Polk County also rushed for 145 yards, threw for another 179 and moved the football effectively for much of the two game days.
Styler Blackwell, taking over much of the rushing load vacated by the graduation of Loreynzo Sanchez, carried 15 times for 120 yards. Quarterback Brody Wilkins threw three touchdown passes, one of those a 64-yard bomb to Dre Thompson.
There was enough there to offer some encouragement despite the final margin.
There was also enough Chase firepower to show why the Trojans could be a handful all season.
Polk County actually moved inside the Chase 20 on each of its first two possessions Thursday and came away empty both times.
The Wolverines took the opening kickoff to the Chase 49 and methodically drove to the 19, but consecutive losses pushed Polk backward, with Wilkins fumbling at the 32.
One play later, Gold found Dominique Wilkins for a 68-yard touchdown. Jason Hardin then threw to Brayden Mills for the 2-point conversion and an 8-0 lead.
Blackwell immediately sparked Polk’s next possession, ripping off consecutive runs of 22 and 23 yards to move the Wolverines from their 35 to the Chase 20. Thompson added a 9-yard run to the 12, but a loss on third down and incomplete fourth-down pass ended another threat.
Chase responded with an 81-yard touchdown drive, Gold hitting Trajan Littlejohn for 35 yards before eventually finding Brycen McSwain for a 14-yard touchdown. Daniel Moreno’s extra point made it 15-0 with 2:59 remaining in the first quarter.
Then came the lightning.
The game was suspended, the teams headed home and everyone reconvened at noon Saturday at Allen Stadium.
Polk County soon began working its way back into the game.
After the Wolverines punted on their first possession following the restart, consecutive bad Chase snaps eventually produced a safety, cutting the margin to 15-2.
Polk then started its next possession at the Chase 45 and needed just three plays to reach the end zone. Blackwell gained six yards before breaking a 16-yard run, then Wilkins found Sawyer Huff for a 23-yard touchdown early in the second quarter.
Wilkins added the extra point to cut the deficit to 15-9.
Chase answered with a long drive, but Polk’s defense kept the Trojans out of the end zone, forcing Moreno to kick a 26-yard field goal for an 18-9 lead.
The teams swapped turnovers, with Polk ending up with the ball near midfield. Wilkins then hit Blackwell for 22 yards on a third-and-20 and Zach McCraw for six more as Polk reached the Chase 24. A fourth-down pass fell incomplete, though, and the Trojans needed just three plays to travel 76 yards in the other direction.
Gold connected with Littlejohn for a 35-yard touchdown. The extra point was blocked, but Chase had rebuilt its lead to 24-9. The Trojans then recovered an ensuing onside kick, though Polk kept them from scoring again before halftime.
Chase then took firm control of the game early in the third quarter.
The Trojans drove 59 yards in six plays with the opening kickoff, Daylan Littlejohn scoring on a 2-yard run for a 31-9 lead.
Polk’s next possession lasted three plays as Trajan Littlejohn intercepted Wilkins at the Wolverine 12 and returned the ball to the 7. Gold soon connected with Hardin for another touchdown to make it 38-9.
Polk’s response might have been its best offensive moment of the afternoon.
Thompson gained seven yards on the first play after the kickoff. On the next snap, Wilkins found him with a pass, and Thompson did the rest, racing 64 yards for the touchdown.
Wilkins ran for the 2-point conversion, making it 38-17.
Chase answered again, though, driving 60 yards on a possession that stretched into the fourth quarter. Gold’s fifth touchdown pass of the game, a 23-yard strike to Tyrell Johnson, pushed the margin to 45-17.
Polk County had one more scoring drive left.
Taking over at its 38, the Wolverines moved across midfield before Blackwell broke loose for 35 yards to the Chase 11. Wilkins found RJ Simpson for a touchdown on the next snap, then kicked the extra point for the final points of the afternoon.
Blackwell’s 120-yard afternoon came on just 15 carries. Thompson added 28 yards on five carries.
Wilkins finished 12-of-24 for 179 yards, the three touchdowns and two interceptions. Thompson had two catches for 74 yards, with Huff grabbing five passes for 50 yards and Simpson adding two receptions for 22 yards.
Chase did most of its damage through the air. Gold completed 18-of-34 passes without an interception, with Trajan Littlejohn catching five balls for 161 yards. Dominique Wilkins had 93 receiving yards, Hardin added 66 and Johnson finished with 45.
The Trojans finished with just 44 net rushing yards.
The Wolverines (0-1) get another road test Friday at Newton-Conover.
