No. 21 Oilers take stout defense to unbeaten Walsh

The University of Findlay football team has had a start that just about any team would love. The Oilers are 4-0, 2-0 in the Great Midwest Athletic Conference, and this week they moved up to No. 21 in the Division II national poll. One of the biggest reasons for that has been the play of the Findlay defense. In their last three games, the Oilers have allowed 13 points. To Findlay coach Kory Allen, that success is a result of experience. "We have a veteran group out there, and I think that's showing up every Saturday," Allen said. "This is a group that's played a lot of football together…these guys have had a lot of reps together and we're getting positive results." No one exemplifies the defense's play better than senior Londyn Claxton. The defensive tackle from Flushing, Mich. has played four seasons for the Oilers. He was a second-team all-G-MAC selection as a sophomore and a first-team choice last year. This year, Claxton had nine tackles, two for a loss. "Londyn is a special combination of athleticism, intelligence and explosiveness," Allen said. "I think that's what makes him so hard to go up against." Claxton and the Findlay defense figure to be tested this week when it travels to North Canton to face another 4-0 team: The Walsh Cavaliers. Walsh's offense is led by running back Jake Gill, who averages 5.5 yards a game and better than 88 yards per game. Walsh also has a familiar face at quarterback: Elmwood graduate Hayden Wickard. Wickard, a 6-3, 200-pound redshirt sophomore who once threw for more than 3,300 yards while leading Elmwood to the regional final, has been very effective for Walsh. He thrown three touchdown passes each in two of the Cavalier wins. Allen said the Findlay's defense will need to be disciplined Saturday. "This is a team that doesn't make a lot of mistakes," Allen said of Walsh. "We have to make sure we're in the right spot at the right time." As for Findlay's offense, the Oilers are coming off another effective game from freshman quarterback Andrew Leonard. Leonard, who replaced an injured Chase Harrison in the team's win over Lake Erie in Week 3, made his first start last week against Thomas More. Leonard – who was a Mr. Football finalist at Olentangy Liberty last season – completed 13 of 22 passes for 176 yards and three TDs. "Any time you get a guy game experience and he plays in a live situation and he finds success, that gives you confidence as a coaching staff in that young man," Allen said. "That's what Andrew was able to do last week." Even so, Allen didn't say whether it would be Leonard or Harrison starting for the Oilers against Walsh. "We're expecting to go out and play and put a productive offense on the field," Allen said. Kickoff is at 1 p.m. Saturday at Larry Staudt Field.