WORDEN - Some fans compare high-scoring football games to a track meet.

If that's the case, Huntley Project was a team of Jamaican Olympic star Usain Bolts on Saturday afternoon. And despite the howling conditions, the Red Devils efforts weren't wind-aided.

Behind 51 first-quarter points, the defending state champion Red Devils defeated Whitehall 71-0 in the first round of the Class B football playoffs. Huntley Project coach Jay Santy said it is the most points scored by a Project team in the playoffs in his seven years as head coach at the school.

"I don't know what to say about it," Santy offered about the first quarter. "Our guys stepped up and executed to perfection. Whitehall may have been a little down."

Senior running back/defensive back Joe Medina said he has never been involved in a scoring onslaught like that in his football career.

"Never in my life. It's a great feeling," Medina said. "The offensive line opened some huge holes and with three outstanding running backs it's not hard to put the ball in the endzone."

From the start, the undefeated Red Devils dominated. Senior running back Casey Waldhauser took the game's first handoff and rumbled 65 yards down the sidelines for the score at the 11:47 mark and the Red Devils never looked back. A point-after kick by Spencer Clampitt made it 7-0 and the rout was on.

The Trojans then started a drive on their own 40-yard line. The first play resulted in a two-yard loss and that was followed by a false start. The ball was then snapped over quarterback Chevy Reed's head for an 18-yard loss. Reed did complete a 28-yard pass to Morgan Shaw on third-and-35 and Whitehall was forced to punt. The punt attempt netted negative-three yards as the ball was snapped over the punter's head.

Two plays later Waldhauser ran in a 33-yard score and Project was up 14-0 with 9:03 left in the opening frame.

On Whitehall's ensuing possession, Reed was intercepted (the first of three) by Medina, but the touchdown return was negated by a penalty. It didn't end up mattering as on Project's first offensive play quarterback Zach Wohlfeil connected with Shane Oberg on a 23-yard scoring strike and it was 20-0 Project with 8:34 remaining in the first.

"We knew they weren't an extremely good team but were good enough to be in the playoffs," said Waldhauser, who sports a No. 3 shaved onto both sides of his head signifying his jersey number. "We didn't overlook them and came in focused."

Following the kickoff after Oberg's score, the Trojans started on their own four-yard line. That's where Reed was sacked by defensive end Taylor Dees for a safety and a 22-0 Project lead. On the free kick, Medina fielded the ball and returned it 81 yards for the score and following the two-point conversion it was 30-0 Project with 8:01 remaining in the first quarter.

Dees, a 225-pound senior, called the defense's effort a "bull rush."

"It was exactly what I wanted," he said of the play resulting in the safety. "I came off the edge and got a move on the tackle."

On the following drive, the Trojans gained eight yards on three plays and knew they had to go for it on their own 49 facing fourth-and-two with 6:46 remaining in the frame. Reed was sacked by Lucas Knight and Whitehall turned the ball over on downs. On Project's second play of the next drive, Wohlfeil hit Medina with a screen pass that resulted in a 35-yard scoring play with 5:43 on the clock and it was 36-0 Project.

The Devils final score of the first quarter was set up when on its own 30 Whitehall fumbled and the ball was recovered by Billy Henrichs. Starting at the Whitehall 19, Clampitt took the first handoff and went 19 yards. With Logan Brown's PAT run, it was 51-0.

Wohlfeil finished a perfect 3 of 3 passing for 100 yards and was replaced at quarterback by Rico Rodriguez with two minutes remaining in the first and the Red Devils leading 51-0. Throughout the remainder of the game Project subbed liberally.

The Red Devils rolled up 363 rushing yards on 34 attempts and had 100 passing yards. Whitehall was held to six total rushing yards on 29 totes and 140 passing yards.

"Our defense has been great all year, especially against the run," Dees said. "Last week was tough for us against the pass, but this week our cornerbacks stepped up."

The Red Devils will host Baker in the quarterfinals Saturday at 1:30 p.m.

"We play Baker. They are well coached," Medina said. "We can't overlook them and come in and play hard. We've done it all year."

"Baker is always tough and will be well prepared. They have good players and are hard-nosed and tough and will have a good game plan," Santy said.

Project 71, Whitehall 0

Whitehall (3-6) - Did not score.

Huntley Project (9-0) - Casey Waldhauser 65 run (Spencer Clampitt kick) 11:47 1st; Waldhauser 33 run (Clampitt kick) 9:03 1st; Zach Wohlfeil 23 pass to Shane Oberg (kick failed) 8:21 1st; Taylor Dees sacks Chevy Reed in end zone 8:18 1st; Joe Medina 81 kickoff return (Clampitt pass to Medina) 8:01 1st; Wohlfeil 35 pass to Medina (kick failed) 5:43 1st; Wohlfeil 42 pass to Waldhauser (Clampitt kick) 4:28 1st; Clampitt 19 run (Logan Brown run) 3:38 1st; Austin Pond 12 run (run failed) 7:09 2nd; Pond 2 run (Chris Henrichs run) 0:04.3 2nd; Tyrell Frieling 4 run (run failed) 6:21 4th.

Individual Statistics

Rushing - Whitehall: Michael Gnerer 13-15, Chevy Reed 9-negative 25, Jake Young 5-15, Anthony Martin 1-1, Dylen Mead 1-0. Project: Waldhauser 3-102, Medina 1-9, Clampitt 2-27, Nick Miller 1-1, Cade Murdock 1-4, Pond 11-92, Frieling 2-23, Rico Rodriguez 3-negative 2, Brandley Peabody 1-4, Ty Oblender 4-62, T.J. Harris 5-41.

Passing - Whitehall: Reed 7-18-3 - 140. Project: Wohlfeil 3-3-0 - 100, Rodriguez 1-2-0 - 0.

Receiving - Whitehall: Morgan Shaw 1-28, Gnerer 3-55, Martin 1-32, Not available 1-13, Jerrad Todd 1-12. Project: Oberg 1-23, Medina 1-35, Waldhauser 1-42, Devin Sokoloski 1-0.