Windham shakes off 1st half penalties to rout Cardinal 42-6 for their first win
WINDHAM, OH- Friday night saw a battle of winless teams at Ed Liddle Field in Windham as the host Bombers welcomed in new NAC opponent Cardinal. Both teams came in with a lopsided points differential in their first four games of the season. It was Homecoming night for Windham as they shook off a rash of first half penalties to tame the Huskies 42-6.
Windham would receive the ball to start the game but were held to a three and out punt. Cardinal would take over at their own 47-yard line. After two negative plays put them in a 3rd and 13 situation, Huskies quarterback Jaiden Fix hit Brayden Page over the middle for a 36 yard gain. Aided by 35 yards in Windham penalties, they would move the ball down to the 1-yard line. The Bombers defense would come up huge holding them on 4th and goal from the 1 for a three yard loss and turnover on downs.
The Bombers defense with a big stop on 4th and goal from the 1 yard line
That defensive momentum carried over to the offense on their next possession. Bombers sophomore quarterback Bryan Smithberger broke off consecutive runs of 16 and 58 yards moving the ball to the Huskies 12-yard line where DeJuan Ramsey ran it in for the first score of the game. Alex Eye converted the two point conversion and the Bombers led 8-0 with 1:42 to play in the opening quarter.
DeJuan Ramsey with a 12-yard touchdown run in the 1st quarter for Windham
After a pair of empty possessions the Huskies would get on the board on a 70-yard screen pass that Mason Thistlewaite took to the house. The PAT was missed as they cut the Bombers lead to 8-6 with 9:22 to play in the half.
Windham would come right back on their next drive. Smithberger would hit Ethan Thornton on a 35-yard pass play into Huskies territory. Three straight penalties would push the Bombers back to the 25-yard line. DeJuan Ramsey said “no problem” as he dashed around the right side and dove into the endzone for his second touchdown. Eye once again converted the two point try and Windham took a 16-6 lead.
DeJuan Ramsey with his 2nd touchdown of the 1st half for Windham
Windham would hold the Huskies to a punt that was fumbled by Ramsey inside the 15-yard line and recovered by Cardinal. The game then took a huge momentum swing as Ramsey atoned for the muffed punt by picking off a Fix pass and returning it 95 yards for his third touchdown of the half. The two point try was good and Windham led 24-6 with 1:51 to play in the half.
The Bombers would then execute a successful onside kick recovering it at midfield. Four plays later Smithberger would run it in from 6 yards out for their second touchdown in just over a minute. The PAT was missed and Windham would take a 30-6 lead into the half.
Bryan Smithberger with a 6-yard touchdown run to end the first half for Windham
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After holding the Huskies in the first possession of the 2nd half, it was Ramsey again breaking off a 45-yard touchdown run. The two point try was no good as we entered running clock territory with the Bombers up 30 at 36-6.
Windham would round out the scoring on an Ethan Thornton pick six that he returned 30 yards for the touchdown. The PAT was missed and Windham went up 42-6.
It was a scoreless and uneventful final quarter as Windham cruised to a 42-6 win to notch their first win of the 2025 season.
DeJuan Ramsey rushed for 100 yard and 3 touchdowns to go along with the 95-yard interception return for a touchdown earning him R&S Landscaping & Excavating Player of the Game honors. Bryan Smithberger has 107 yards rushing and a touchdown along with 51 passing yards.
The Bombers will look to make it two in a row next Friday when they travel to Matthews.
