New crop of receivers

catching Waid’s passes

By Dan Hiner

dhiner@vindy.com

Girard

Nick Malito didn’t play football until his freshman year at Girard High School. After some convincing, his parents finally let him try out for the Indians.

Now the Girard junior has posted the best season of his career. After Week 12, he’s caught 44 passes for 1,031 yards and 12 touchdowns.

Indians quarterback Mark Waid has put up impressive numbers throughout the season, but needed someone who can catch his passes.

After graduating Michael Belcik, Anthony Backus and Devin Wilson — their three top receivers last season — the Indians haven’t missed a beat with a new group this season. Belcik took the young receivers under his wing last season.

Receivers Aidan Warga, Terrance Davis and Malito, along with slot receiver Jimmy Jones, have become the lasted threats in the Indians’ offense.

“We told each other that we had to really step up to replace those guys and we’ve done a great job,” Warga said.

Warga, Davis and Malito ranked in the top 10 among local pass catchers in terms of receiving yards during the regular season. Warga caught 50 passes for 750 yards and six touchdowns and Davis caught 30 passes for 578 yards and nine scores. Jones had 426 yards and five receiving touchdowns on 22 receptions.

“We had a great receiver last year [Belcik] and now we have multiple receivers this year that became better throughout the season,” Davis said.

The receivers credited Waid for his accuracy and arm talent. They said the chemistry between the quarterback and the receivers has taken time to develop, and they were lucky to grow together over the last four years.

Waid and the receivers perfected their chemistry shortly after last season ended.

“As soon as last season was over, we were up at 5, 6 a.m. at the gym perfecting our craft — running routes, putting the ball right where it needs to be everyday,” Warga said.

The hard work in the offseason paid off for the Indians last Saturday. Girard beat Perry 42-33 in a rematch of last season’s regional semifinal.

Waid threw for 321 yards on 26-of-37 passing and threw four touchdowns. Two of those touchdown passes were to Malito, who finished with seven catches for 138 yards. The two connected on scoring throws of 57 and 22 yards.

The Indians will play another familiar opponent Saturday at Bo Rein Stadium in Niles.

Girard will play Hubbard, a rematch from early in the season. The Eagles beat Girard 48-32 in Week 2, but since then, the Indians have won their last 10 games.

Waid had a down game in the loss to the Eagles. He finished 23 of 36 for 265 yards, but also threw three interceptions.

But the past is the past, and the Indians know both teams have grown since their last meeting.

“It’s Game 2, but both teams are different,” Jones said. “Both got better offensively and defensively. It’s going to be a real good game. Come out and watch.”