Michigan City's QB returns as Wolves beat Bulldogs

BY RYAN METZ

Times Correspondent

CROWN POINT | Locked up in a lackluster 3-3 tie late in the second quarter at Crown Point, Michigan City got a shot in the arm from the Rodney Washington.

On a 3-and-14 at his own 20-yard line, the athletic junior quarterback -- who's been injured the past four weeks, a stretch during which the Wolves have lost three of four games -- scrambled from a Bulldog defender and had room to take off with his legs. Instead of running, however, Washington planted his feet, found his third option on the play and lit up the sky with a 60-yard toss to Tracy Rivera at the C.P. 20-yard line.

The play uncorked a bottled-up Michigan City team that would score 14 points in a one-minute stretch after the play and helped the Wolves cruise past Crown Point (3-6, 2-5 Duneland Conference) 35-3 on the regular-season finale.

"I like to keep plays alive with my feet but also keep my eyes downfield, and on that pass to Tracy I knew I could run but I tried hitting him," said Washington, a 6-foot-2, 215-pound signal caller. "This is where we were before I left, and I'm back now and we're ready to go."

Washington finished 5-of-9 for 110 yards while adding 31 rushing yards.

Michigan City (6-3, 4-3) coach Craig Buzea knows the first-year quarterback adds another dimension to a Wolves team that starts the postseason hosting Elkhart Memorial next week.

"He definitely has some play-making ability, no doubt about it," Buzea said. "That big play helped us and our defense came to play as well."

Rivera, a senior, finished the game with two receptions for 69 yards.

"That play wasn't designed for me, but I saw him and I've seen what he can do in practice and he found me," Rivera said.

Adding to the potent offense was senior running back Adam Harmon, who had three touchdowns with 111 yards rushing on 18 carries.

"It was 3-3 there in the second quarter, and before you know it was 17-3 and getting away from us and I don't think we recovered mentally well," said Crown Point coach Chip Pettit said, whose team hosts Chesterton in the sectionals.

Published in the Northwest Indiana Times on Oct. 17, 2009.