High Schools

DAYTON — Fans may have come to see Braxton Miller's arm and legs Thursday night at Welcome Stadium.

But it was senior kicker Garrett Klink's right foot that was the difference for Wayne against Lakota West.

Klink kicked two field goals in the final 2:22 — the final a 30-yarder with 4.1 seconds left — to lift the Warriors to a 20-17 victory.

"These are the first field goals I've (ever) taken. I was a little nervous," Klink said. "On the last one, I was a little pumped from the (first) kick, so I was ready."

The game-winner came after Lakota West's fumbled center-quarterback exchange with 1:35 left.

"In '99, Welcome was a magical place (in the Warriors' state title-game run)," Wayne coach Jay Minton said. "I wondered, 'Does Welcome have any magic left for us?' And if it does, please let it appear now because these kids deserve it."

Abracadabra. Cody Smith's recovery gave the ball back to Miller and company in Lakota West territory. After two Erique Geiger runs and Firebirds icing-attempt time out, Klink's kick was true.

"I just thought they were trying to make me nervous and I was already nervous enough," Klink said. "I was just trying to concentrate on the kick. It went straight in."

Moments earlier, Miller showed off a highlight-worthy play to set up Klink's 32-yarder. Miller evaded a tackler, appeared to scramble, but pulled up short of the line of scrimmage and fired a 48-yard pass down the left sideline to Rodney Camper.

"Braxton has to realize he has to be himself," Minton said of Miller, who fumbled twice (losing one) and nearly got intercepted a couple times. "Don't try to force issues."

The see-saw affair capped the doubleheader of the Skyline Chili Crosstown Showdown. Centerville defeated Lakota East, 42-14, in a game that lacked the drama of the somewhat surprising nightcap.

Lakota West took a 17-14 lead with 5:46 left when quarterback John Peters hit Alex Smith for a 2-yard touchdown pass. That capped a 13-play, 74-yard drive.

Wayne had gone up 14-10 in the third quarter when Miller ball-faked right and dove in from 6 yards out. Earlier, an Aaron Phelan 22-yard field goal and Peters to Bryan Osinski 41-yard pass put the Firebirds up 10-7.

Miller, who was 11-of-20 for 137 yards passing, was sharp as Wayne scored on a pass to Camper during the game's first possession (3-for-3 for 49 yards) for a 7-0 lead.

Lakota West's Stephen Houston ran for 122 yards on 20 carries. Peters, who was 6-of-12 for 87 yards passing, was picked off twice by Wayne's Terrence Talbott.

"We just come out and do our part on defense and get the offense back on the field," Talbott said. "That's basically all we're about."

Wayne had lost five of its previous six season openers.

Geiger led Wayne with 56 yards rushing while Camper had three catches for 68 yards. Geiger added four grabs for 20 yards. But the real star was Klink, who may have had help during his field goals.

"I knew he'd make them," Talbott said. "I was positive, because I prayed to God."

Contact this reporter at (937) 225-6951 or mgokavi@DaytonDailyNews.com.