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In the race for an OCC-Capital Division championship, the Big Walnut High School football team is finding out what a taut defense can produce in October.

The steam that poured from linebacker Will Studlien's body Friday seemed to symbolize the Golden Eagles' relentless pressure that for a second consecutive game blew up a high-powered offense in a 24-7 victory over Olentangy Liberty.

Both Liberty and Dublin Scioto, which Big Walnut defeated 21-7 on Oct. 6, had been averaging better than 30 points per game.

"Our defensive line up front is just freeing up so much and we've got guys who are just flying to the ball," said Studlien, whose team improved to 8-0 overall and 3-0 in the league. "We've just got playmakers back there and we're fast on our feet. But it all starts up front."

The Patriots were held to 172 total yards and 1 yard rushing, although two big plays, including Ryan Cypret's 74-yard touchdown pass to Dustin Welch late in the first half, accounted for 127 yards.

It was a long game for Cypret, who had to scramble more than throw.

"Their linebackers are very impressive and their defensive line gave us fits all night," said Liberty coach Steve Hale, whose team dropped to 6-2 and 2-1. "I think they had been waiting on this clash for some time and they showed the reasons why."

Both teams struggled to move the ball in the first half, but Big Walnut managed to take a 10-7 halftime lead thanks to a 36-yard run by Ethan Wetzel with 9:26 left in the second quarter and Andrew Dronsfield’s 22-yard field goal to close out the half.

That all changed with a nine-play, 76-yard scoring drive to open the second half. Wetzel used a controlled passing game to pick up several first downs and Jared Hogg appeared to wrestle the ball from a defender to make a 30-yard catch at the Liberty 1.
Trevor Tutorow ran it in on the next play to make it 17-7.

“At halftime our offensive line just came together and said we've got to get this thing rolling," said Wetzel, threw for 232 yards and ran for 78. "They really stepped up in the second half and led the way."

The Golden Eagles put the game out of reach on their next possession when Joe Reed made an 18-yard over-the-shoulder catch in the end zone with 11:53 left.

It helped end Liberty's run of three consecutive victories in the series, including 7-0 last season and 3-0 in 2005.

"We were just trying to find our niche and I just thought our defense saved us in that first half because we weren't moving the ball at all," Big Walnut coach Scott Wetzel said. "We got a little passing game going against them. They were packing eight in the box and we just had to loosen them up somehow.”

The win put Big Walnut in the lead to win its second-consecutive league title as it finishes the schedule at Franklin Heights on Oct. 19 and home against New Albany on Oct. 26.

"You beat the teams that are 1-6 and 0-7, but when you beat teams like this it feels pretty good to be where we're at right now," coach Wetzel said.