Banks' 3 TDs propel Watkins Memorial to victory at Johnstown

JOHNSTOWN — The Watkins Memorial football team used a balanced offense and a stifling defense to take care of business on Friday at Johnstown.

Running back Gerald Banks ran for three touchdowns and quarterback Drew Samsal threw for two more as the Warriors rolled to a 41-0 win over the host Johnnies at Frank H. Chambers Stadium. The Watkins defense held Johnstown to just 103 yards total offense and nine first downs.

“We needed to come together and have a good team win and try to put four good quarters of football together,” Watkins coach Darren Waters said. “I told them I was really proud of them. We obviously still have things we need to fix, but I was proud of the way we played as a team tonight.”

Watkins (4-1) used its advantages in size and speed to grind out 209 yards rushing. That effort was led by the junior Banks, who carried nine times for 101 yards and three scores.

“It’s special because I came here (from Pickerington North) expecting a brand new start, and that’s what I got,” Banks said. “Everybody on this team cares about each other, and it’s a family. It feels amazing I could come here and play with such a great team.”

The sophomore Samsal also held up his end as he completed 17 of 21 passes for 159 yards with two touchdowns against one interception.

“They were blitzing us in the first quarter, so we started calling some plays to the hot routes, and that helped us get it going,” Samsal said. “I was just trying to stay comfortable in the pocket. The guys up front helped me out.”

Samsal threw touchdown passes to Jaeden Ricketts and Andrew Kirk. Cooper Hunt intercepted a pass for the Warriors, and Sean Sheehan, Victor Oliver, Ralph Merz and Rocco Paschal all had multiple tackles on defense.

“They were pretty dominant tonight on defense,” Waters said. “We’ve played good team defense throughout the season.”

Quarterback Sam Marasek was 10 of 18 passing for 60 yards with an interception for Johnstown (1-4). Cornerback Tyler Poulton intercepted a pass for the Johnnies.

“We did not control the line of scrimmage like we needed to,” Johnstown coach Mike Carter said. “That put us in a bind. I felt we did play pretty tough on defense in the beginning. We just needed to be consistent all the way through.”

Watkins needed just over a minute to score a touchdown on the game’s first possession. John Apel, who caught five passes for 56 yards, ripped off a 27-yard run on an end around to help set up Banks’ 28-yard touchdown run and a quick 7-0 lead.

Poulton’s interception gave Johnstown field position at the Watkins 25-yard line. But on fourth-and-2 from the 17, Watkins’ Paschal stopped Johnstown’s Kaynen Lindsey short of the first down.

Ricketts had a 30-yard punt return to give Watkins field position at the Johnstown 27. Four plays later, Banks punched it in on a 3-yard touchdown run as the Warriors made it 13-0 early in the second quarter.

Watkins made it 20-0 late in the first half as Samsal made a perfect back shoulder throw to Ricketts in the left corner of the end zone for a 17-yard touchdown.

“That was just a one-on-one we talked about all week, and I just had to put it where he could get it and give him a shot,” Samsal said.

Johnstown threatened before the half, but had a pass fall incomplete in the end zone on the final play.

Early in the third quarter, Samsal hit Kirk on a crossing route, and Kirk picked up a block and was gone for a 22-yard TD and a 27-0 lead. Banks then ripped off a spectacular 42-yard run where he had to stop to elude a defender and then weaved through traffic as Watkins went up 34-0 late in the third quarter.

“I had to get through the hole fast,” Banks said. “The linebacker collapsed and I had to cut outside. He hit me and I saw the safety coming. I had to back up to avoid him. Then I just saw green after that. My linemen got up field with me and I had an open lane for a touchdown. None of that happens without my linemen.”

Watkins sophomore JoJo Tolliver wrapped the scoring with his 39-yard TD run early in the fourth quarter.

This article originally appeared on Newark Advocate: Gerald Banks' 3 TDs propel Watkins Memorial to victory at Johnstown