As far as league openers go, it couldn't have been much better for the Douglas Tiger football team Saturday afternoon.
The Tigers rumbled to a 42-7 victory over the Wooster Colts in Reno as the Douglas defense allowed just 172 yards of total offense.
Douglas showed off more of its improving passing game in the win as quarterback David Laird completed his first four passes of the game on his way to a 92-yard, two-touchdown effort through the air.
"We were really glad to see that," Douglas coach Mike Rippee said. "It's no secret, we are going to have to be able to throw the ball as the season progresses.
"As much as we'd like to just line them up and pound the ball on the ground every play, we can't get away with that. David had been getting better every day, and the receivers made some great plays for us today as well."
Among the highlights was a 19-yard lob in the second quarter that Laird launched off his back foot with two defenders pursuing him. Receiver Parker Fellows made a tremendous grab under double-coverage and fell into the end zone for a 28-0 lead.
Wooster was called for pass interference on the play, but the penalty was declined.
Earlier in the game, Laird had a pitch and catch to big tight end Jeff Nady, who rumbled 28 yards for Douglas' first touchdown of the afternoon.
The Tiger ground game was nothing to sniff at either as Douglas rolled up 228 yards on 29 carries as a team, thanks in large part to the blocking of Nady, Parker Robertson, Jordan Volk, Mike Colyer, Curtis Hartzell and Trevor McCarthy.
Tailback Brock Peterson led the backs with 113 yards and a touchdown on 10 carries. His highlight came on 1st-and-10 from the Wooster 39 in the third quarter when he took the ball about five yards before getting lost in the middle of a cluster of Colt defenders. Peterson emerged from the other side and was corralled by two Colt defenders whom he dragged about another 15 yards to the Wooster 3. He scored on the next play.
Will Sheerin carried the ball five times for 69 yards and a score and Laird scored on a six-yard keeper in the game.
Zach McFadden returned the opening kickoff of the second half 88 yards for a touchdown.
Douglas was able to score on its first six possessions before turning it over on downs early in the fourth with most of its second-teamers in the game.
Defensively, Sean Peralta picked off his first pass of the season for the Tigers and Nady recorded two sacks.
Douglas held Wooster to seven passing yards and gave up 165 yards on the ground on 43 carries.
