When Wyoming concluded a disappointing 2015 season ending with a first-round exit to Indian Hill, it spurred Wyoming head football coach Aaron Hanco*ck and his staff to go back to the drawing board.
Hanco*ck recalls making changes in hopes of guiding his tradition-rich program back to its former glory – and he did just that. The Cowboys secured an Ohio High School Athletic Association Division IV State Championship in 2018 and finished each regular season unbeaten since then.
Wyoming on Friday put its name into the OHSAA Records book, securing its place among the top programs in Ohio state football history.
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The Cowboys – reigning OHSAA Division IV state runner-ups – shut out Taylor 38-0 on Friday night at Bob Lewis Stadium to secure their 72nd consecutive regular-season victory, eclipsing a record previously held by the Moeller Crusaders (1978-1985) for decades.
“What a great accomplishment this is for this program...,” Hanco*ck said of his program’s record. “I couldn’t be prouder to be the head coach here at Wyoming High School. Just a great accomplishment.
"Thank you to all of the players I’ve coached, the coaching staff. We’ve been together through the whole thing and they’re just a great group of guys. We started back in 2016. When we walked off the field in 2015, we knew we needed to make some changes. We made some changes and ever since then, we haven’t lost a regular season game. It’s something special.”
Three keys to the Wyoming's victory:
- As stellar as the Cowboys’ pass game has been this year under Quaid Hauer (third in Cincinnati Hills League), their rush attack proved to be the dominant factor in tonight’s contest. Led by senior wideout D.J. Gray, the Cowboys rushed for 302 yards on the night, including 101 rushing yards and a touchdown for Gray himself – who received a variety of looks from direct snaps to jet sweeps. Sophom*ore tailback Jackson Hamilton had a standout night as well, toting 17 carries for 118 yards and a touchdown.
- Pitted against an offense averaging 26 points per contest and a quarterback with 11 passing touchdowns and just shy of 900 yards, the Cowboys' defense seemingly had a tough assignment ahead. However, their group did more than their part and rose to the occasion. Wyoming’s defense silenced the high-powered Taylor passing attack, limiting senior quarterback Jackson McGowan to 8-of-17 passes for 110 passing yards and a pair of interceptions, prompting postgame praise from Hanco*ck. It marks the second shutout of the season for the Cowboy defense, which is surrendering just 7.6 points per contest.
- As alluded to earlier, the Cowboy defense forced some tough windows for McGowan, allowing them to execute their game plan to perfection. “Oh yeah, they were a tremendous football team offensively,” Hanco*ck said. “We saw them on film and they were explosive, big play oriented, athletes all over the field. (Our) defense did a great job of shutting them down. A really good win tonight.” With a blend of three forced turnovers and a dominating time of possession, the Cowboys seldom handed the ball back to the Yellow Jackets and in turn, controlled the game.
Standout players
D.J. Gray, Wyoming: Replacing a Division I recruit of C.J. Hester’s caliber isn’t easy, but it feels like Wyoming found the guy to help lessen that loss. Gray’s versatility and ability to play both sides of the ball really stood out when watching this Cowboy team.
Gray accumulated 120 total yards, though 102 came prior to halftime. His ability to handle deceiving direct snaps and burst through gaps, secure the edge, and make tacklers miss – all not counting for his receiving ability as well – really secure Gray as the team’s go-to playmaker. On top of that, Gray also starts as a defensive back for the Cowboys defensively.
“DJ’s an extremely good athlete, we’ve got to move him around and be creative with him,” Hanco*ck said.
Jackson Hamilton, Wyoming: Though just a sophom*ore, Hamilton earned the nod as the team’s bell cow tonight and continued to produce as he has all season thus far.
His 118 rushing yards marked a new career-high for the surging tailback, who may have big shoes to fill, but certainly isn’t backing down.
Jackson McGowan, Taylor: Despite enduring a tough night and held in check, McGowan’s showcased his big play ability and talented arm under center for the Yellow Jackets.
Better days will be ahead for the senior signal caller, who now has 997 passing yards and sits at 11 touchdowns to just four interceptions on the season.
Play of the game
After consecutive big plays – a 39-yard pass and a 21-yard pass from McGowan to wideouts DJ Handy and Jeremiah Rudisell – the Yellow Jacket offense had found its way deep into Cowboy territory just midway through the first quarter.
Still trailing just 7-0, it seemed to be a prime opportunity to bounce back and tie things up. Instead, McGowan tossed up a jump ball into the endzone that Wyoming junior Billy Lyons secured for an interception.
This play proved to be critical, as the Taylor offense never really seemed to recover and Wyoming bulldozed full-speed ahead with the additional momentum.
What’s next for the Cowboys and the Yellow Jackets?
Having achieved their place in OHSAA history, the Cowboys (5-0) will look to continue extending their historic run on the road next Friday against Cincinnati Hills League foe Reading (4-1), who sits uncontested in the second spot of the conference behind Wyoming. Kickoff for the contest is slated for 7 p.m. in Reading on Friday, Sept. 22.
Taylor (2-3) will look to bounce back next week at home against Mariemont (3-2) in what could be another tough contest for the Yellow Jackets. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. on Friday.
Wyoming 38, Taylor 0
W – 7 10 14 7 – 38
T – 0 0 0 0 – 0
W: Hauer 3-yard rush (Rummer kick)
W: Rummer 38-yard field goal
W: Hamilton 11-yard rush (Rummer kick)
W: Gray 3-yard rush (Rummer kick)
W: Hauer 1-yard rush (Rummer kick)
W: Johnson-Huff 1-yard rush (Rummer kick)
