Jack Cantwell, Austin Schnieders lead West Delaware football to 35-0 rout of Marion

MANCHESTER – Memo to future West Delaware football opponents.

Watch out for No. 7.

With a myriad of motions, misdirections and inside handoffs, senior wing Jack Cantwell ran for 150 yards and two touchdowns as the Hawks routed Marion, 35-0, in the season-opening high school football game for both schools Friday night at West Delaware High School.

“Just our O-line getting on the blocks and driving people downfield, getting to the second level,” Cantwell said. “I get all the highlights and the attention, but it is really our O-line driving the game.”

Cantwell got the scoring started midway through the first quarter with an eight-yard score for West Delaware (1-0), then nearly got a second when he motioned towards the backfield, fielded an inside handoff from senior quarterback, Austin Schnieders, and raced 58 yards to the end zone. A late penalty nullified the touchdown, but a gain of 53 yards stood. Five plays later, a Schnieders touchdown run – plus a two-point toss to Cantwell – gave the Hawks a 14-0 lead at halftime.

“We knew coming in, he’s pretty dynamic,” second-year West Delaware Coach Ryan King said of Cantwell. “If we can stay on some guys long enough to get him to that second level, he can be pretty explosive and dynamic there.”

Cantwell added a 47-yard scoring sprint late in the third quarter, while Schnieders ran for two scores and threw for another in his first start under center since a lower leg injury sidelined him for two years (2022-23) before serving in a backup role last season.

“It felt great,” Schnieders said. “We come out here every single day, work our butt off. There is just nothing like it. With all my friends, being out on this field. It feels awesome.”

Schnieders ran for 67 yards and threw for 45 as the Hawks piled up 350 total yards, including 305 on the ground. The West Delaware defense held Marion (0-1) to just 106 total yards and forced three turnovers.

Junior linebacker Wyatt Johnson and junior defensive lineman Hudson Sauerbry each recovered fumbles, while junior defensive back Tyler Buesing’s fourth down interception snuffed out Marion’s attempt to cut the deficit to single digits just before halftime.

“It was great,” Buesing said. “I could definitely tell towards the end of that half that it was getting a little closer. They were approaching. The territory was getting a little smaller there and we noticed we needed a stop. To get a play like that to just completely flip the script on them real quick heading into the half … that extra boost helped us keep our foot on the gas pedal.”

Junior Tyler Davis snagged three receptions for Marion, which hosts Center Point-Urbana next week.

West Delaware will attempt to start a season 2-0 for the first time since 2020 when it visits North Fayette Valley.

“These guys knew we could do this,” King said. “Maybe outside, not so much. But our group knew coming in what they had. They put together four quarters tonight. A group that did not have a ton of varsity experience in football. A lot of positives to build from.”

West Delaware 35, Marion 0

AT MANCHESTER

MARION WEST DELAWARE

First Downs 7 16

Rushes-yards 23-36 48-305

Comp-Att-Int 6-16-1 5-8-0

Passing yards 70 45

Total yards 106 350

Punts-avg. 6-33.5 3-31.0

Fumbles-lost 2-2 2-1

Penalties-yards 6-53 6-60

Marion 0 0 0 0—0

West Delaware 6 8 13 8—35

WD – Jack Cantwell 8 run (kick failed)

WD – Austin Schnieders 9 run (Austin Schnieders pass to Jack Cantwell)

WD – Paul Beswick 15 pass from Austin Schnieders (kick blocked)

WD – Jack Cantwell 47 run (Wyatt Johnson kick)

WD – Austin Schnieders 3 run (Austin Schnieders run)

Individual Statistics

RUSHING – Marion: Matthew Danninger 2-(-1), Landon Tilkes 10-27, Noah Fischer 3-9, Lucas Stearns 3-(-15), Logan Hendricks 4-14, Colton Taylor 1-2; West Delaware: Macoy Roling 15-36, Jack Cantwell 11-150, Wesley Helle 3-15, Wyatt Johnson 2-6, Josh Sleper 1-26, Austin Schnieders 15-67, Dylan Popp 1-5.

PASSING – Marion: Lucas Stearns 5-15-1-39, Kolby Beltz 1-1-0-31, Andrew Ahmann 0-0-0-0; West Delaware: Austin Schnieders 5-8-0-45.

RECEIVING – Marion: Matthew Danninger 1-31, Aiden Baley 1-8, Tyler Davis 3-25, Kolby Beltz 1-6; West Delaware: Paul Beswick 1-15, Jack Cantwell 1-6, Tyler Buesing 1-11, Dylan Popp 2-13.

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