The Whitewater Wildcats overcame seven turnovers to hand the visiting Fayette County Tigers a 35-13 defeat Friday night.
Whitewater started the majority of its possessions in Fayette County territory, and the Tigers struggled often to move the ball playing without injured quarterback Daveion Nash.
Colton Clemons got the Wildcats on the scoreboard with a 20-yard touchdown run late in the first quarter, and Christian Wafford scored from 10 yards out in the middle of the second quarter.
The Wildcats had two chances to increase their lead before halftime, but Fayette County defensive back Robert Easterwood picked off two passes, one at his own 20 with just under two minutes to play and another in the end zone on the last play before intermission.
Whitewater took a 21-0 lead when Kyle Duggar reeled in a 40-yard scoring pass from Jay Ashley with 8:45 left in the third quarter. Just a few plays later, Matt Ogle picked off a Fayette County pass and took it 30 yards to the end zone.
The Tigers put points on the board midway through the fourth quarter on a 33-yard run by Vincent Bey, after which the Wildcats drove down the field and ate up as much time as they could before Ryan May scored from a yard out to make the score 35-6. The home team got the ball back to run out the clock but Easterwood, who got his third interception of the game earlier in the period, scooped up a fumble and returned it 50 yards for a touchdown with 22 seconds left.
Whitewater hosts Union Grove next Friday while Fayette County has a bye week before hosting Sandy Creek Sept. 27.
