Waynesfield-Goshen High School delivered a significant upset on Friday night, defeating North Baltimore in a Northwest Central Conference showdown with a final score of 56-52. The Tigers, considered underdogs with computer projections favoring North Baltimore by 27 points, ended North Baltimore's 16-game regular season winning streak, which had stretched for 1,438 days, according to reports.
First-year Waynesfield-Goshen coach Dan Faraglia stated that the team's belief and hard work, developed during practices, were crucial to their success. "My mentality is that we win games on Tuesday and Wednesday, and our kids are starting to buy into it," Faraglia said. He also noted that the team approached the game with confidence and a strong offensive plan.
Sophomore quarterback Corbin Barnes led the Tigers' offense, completing 23 of 38 passes for an impressive 576 yards and seven touchdowns with one interception. Barnes connected with Branson Jordan for 10 catches, 361 yards, and five touchdowns. Trent Faraglia contributed with five catches for 66 yards and one touchdown, while Bronson Dewitt added one catch for 50 yards and a touchdown. Barnes' twin brother, Bentley Barnes, also contributed to the high-powered offense with 77 rushing yards and one touchdown.
The Tigers amassed a total of 672 yards of offense during the game. Coach Faraglia has challenged Corbin Barnes this season to embrace a leadership role, particularly given the team's youth. He emphasized Barnes' effort and ability to read progressions, ensuring the team's offensive calls were executed effectively. Faraglia also praised the team's execution, saying, "we really executed at a high level" once early mistakes were cleaned up.
On defense, Waynesfield-Goshen faced a physically larger North Baltimore team, particularly in the trenches. Coach Faraglia explained that his team rotated seven to eight players to keep them fresh and offer different looks to North Baltimore's reigning Northwest Central Conference Player of the Year, quarterback Luke Long. Faraglia highlighted the team's persistence, which led to two turnovers and four situations where they stopped North Baltimore on downs.
Following the win, Waynesfield-Goshen now holds a 5-2 overall record and a 4-1 record in the NWCC. The Tigers are set to host Hardin Northern next Friday night and control their own destiny in the race for a share of the conference title with Ridgedale and Ridgemont as their final two regular season opponents. Coach Faraglia expressed his pride in the team's performance and encouraged them to celebrate the victory with their families and friends. He recounted that one player remarked, "We seem to be a problem for teams," a sentiment Faraglia agreed with.
