Hillsboro Indians battle strong in 2nd half; fall to visiting Chillicothe
Lead Summary
By
Stephen Forsha-sforsha@gmail.com
HILLSBORO — It was a second consecutive week where the Hillsboro Indians had their share of struggles in the first half, only to play their best football in the final two quarters. That said, the deficit built in the first half was too much to make a complete comeback, as the Indians fell to the visiting Chillicothe Cavaliers, 41-27 Friday night in Week 9 at Richards Memorial Field.
This was the Indians’ first home game in three weeks, and in the Frontier Athletic Conference game on their home field the Indians didn’t have the greatest of starts in Week 9. They trailed 7-0 after three plays of offense by the Cavaliers, as CHS quarterback Mason Doughty ran a QB keeper to the end zone for six yards on first-and-goal. The PAT by Mason Siberell left the Cavaliers ahead by seven points with 10:44 on the first-quarter clock.
Two plays later by Hillsboro, they lost possession of the ball via a fumble that was recovered by Chillicothe, as Carter Boltenhouse picked up the ball and was down at the 6-yard line of CHS with 9:53 left in the first quarter.
Near the goal line of the ensuing drive, Chillicothe’s Quinlan Netter took the ball six yards for a Cavaliers touchdown with 9:39 on the clock. The PAT was good for a Cavs lead of 14-0.
“One of these days we’ll have a better start, I hope. They stayed in it and fought, and we were able to score a few touchdowns,” HHS head coach Nathan Horne said. “It’s tough to kind of get the shock of it over with and get back to playing football, and they were able to do that, I think. We fought hard the whole game.”
Hillsboro began their second drive of the game from their on 28-yard line where Dumpert had a 22-yard gain on first down for the stand out play of the drive. Eventually the Indians struggled to gain much more yardage on the drive as they had a turnover on downs with 6:02 on the clock at the CHS 40-yard line.
Three plays later, Hillsboro’s Jeven Hochstuhl recovered a fumble, giving the Indians possession of the ball at their own 30-yard line. Hillsboro had some big-yardage plays with Austin Barrett rushing for 22 yards, followed by a 25-yard run by Hochstuhl.
The Indians eventually lost the football on a fumble on a handoff attempt, recovered by the Cavaliers with 3:06 left in the first quarter. The Indians regained possession of the ball the next play when Dorian Stewart forced the fumble and it was recovered by Nic Burns with 2:59 on the first quarter clock.
After HHS had a turnover on downs, the Cavaliers reached the end zone with 6:50 left in the second quarter when Shawn Smith raced 10 yards for the score. CHS took a 21-0 lead following a PAT.
The Indians scored their first points of the game with 3:16 left in second quarter as Barrett had a 9-yard run on first-and-goal. The drive also began with a huge kickoff return by Hochstuhl. The first play of offense saw Preston Fauber run for 20 yards, and later on fourth-and-18, a screen pass by Fauber to Burns went for a gain of 26 yards.
HHS on the next play saw Barrett battle for a 7-yard touchdown run. The PAT was blocked, leaving the score 21-6 with 3:16 left in the first half.
CHS scored two plays following the Indians’ touchdown when Tayvion Galloway caught a screen pass and raced 40 yards to the end zone with 2:36 on the clock. The PAT was no good, putting the Cavaliers ahead 27-6.
HHS fumbled the football, and it was recovered by CHS with 1:16 left in the quarter. The Cavaliers took advantage and scored their fifth touchdown of the first half where Netter rushed for a 27-yard touchdown with 1:09 left in the second quarter. The PAT was good for a score of 34-6 that stood at halftime.
In the early stages of the third quarter, the Cavaliers added their sixth touchdown of the night with Netter rushing for a 26-yard touchdown with 6:56 on the clock. The PAT was good for a 41-6 Cavaliers advantage.
Hillsboro didn’t fold, as they scored a third-quarter touchdown with Fauber passing to Burns for a score. The PAT by Nick Turner left HHS down 41-13.
Maybe the biggest play of the game for HHS was a fumble recovery by Hochstuhl, who scooped up the football lost by Chillicothe and raced 60 yards to the end zone for the touchdown. The PAT was good for a 41-20 score.
In the fourth quarter for the Indians, Burns also intercepted a pass, taking the ball to the 26-yard line. Barrett eventually took the ball to the end zone for a touchdown, leaving the score 41-27 following the made PAT.
For the Indians, Fauber finished 7-for-13 for 140 yards with one touchdown pass. Hochstuhl led HHS in rushing with 15 carries for 98 yards. Barrett totaled 14 carries for 78 yards and two touchdowns, while teammate Dom Smart finished with five carries for 34 yards.
Also for the Indians, the leading receiver was Burns, who totaled four receptions for 116 yards and a touchdown.
As a team, the Indians had 230 yards rushing and 140 passing. The Cavaliers had 187 yards passing and 172 yards rushing.
“We started the game today with three freshmen in the backfield and Gator (Barrett) is a junior. That’s a lot for the future to look forward to,” Horne said. “They’re getting game time experience, so that’s something positive we can move on with. Chillicothe, they had their seconds in I think one drive there, and they put their firsts back in on defense. We were still able to move the ball, so that’s positive. The last touchdown we had was against their ones there late in the game.
“Nic Burns has got speed, he’s got height and he’s a good athlete. When we do throw the ball, we try to get it to him. Jeven had a scoop and score, so that was a good play on his part. He had a good game offensively, too. He had a couple nice runs, good cuts and so forth. Jevon’s a real hard worker, and we’re excited for what he has in the future, that’s for sure.”
For Chillicothe, Dougherty was 7-of-8 for 113 yards passing and he had one rushing score. Netter led the Cavs with nine carries for 80 yards and three rushing touchdowns. Smith finished with 11 carries for 66 yards and one touchdown. Lucas Reinhart was the Cavaliers’ reaching leader with five receptions for 95 yards.
Next for the Indians is the Week 10 regular-season finale where they will host their Highland County rival, the McClain Tigers, in the annual Rotary Bowl at 7 p.m. at Richards Memorial Field, with both teams having a chance to earn a potential playoff berth.
“It’s going to be one of those tight games. We know it’s going to be a battle,” Horne said. “That’s the motivation, right — a county rivalry. They’ll be up for it and we’ll be up for it, and it should be a good time.”
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This was the Indians’ first home game in three weeks, and in the Frontier Athletic Conference game on their home field the Indians didn’t have the greatest of starts in Week 9. They trailed 7-0 after three plays of offense by the Cavaliers, as CHS quarterback Mason Doughty ran a QB keeper to the end zone for six yards on first-and-goal. The PAT by Mason Siberell left the Cavaliers ahead by seven points with 10:44 on the first-quarter clock.
Two plays later by Hillsboro, they lost possession of the ball via a fumble that was recovered by Chillicothe, as Carter Boltenhouse picked up the ball and was down at the 6-yard line of CHS with 9:53 left in the first quarter.
Near the goal line of the ensuing drive, Chillicothe’s Quinlan Netter took the ball six yards for a Cavaliers touchdown with 9:39 on the clock. The PAT was good for a Cavs lead of 14-0.
“One of these days we’ll have a better start, I hope. They stayed in it and fought, and we were able to score a few touchdowns,” HHS head coach Nathan Horne said. “It’s tough to kind of get the shock of it over with and get back to playing football, and they were able to do that, I think. We fought hard the whole game.”
Hillsboro began their second drive of the game from their on 28-yard line where Dumpert had a 22-yard gain on first down for the stand out play of the drive. Eventually the Indians struggled to gain much more yardage on the drive as they had a turnover on downs with 6:02 on the clock at the CHS 40-yard line.
Three plays later, Hillsboro’s Jeven Hochstuhl recovered a fumble, giving the Indians possession of the ball at their own 30-yard line. Hillsboro had some big-yardage plays with Austin Barrett rushing for 22 yards, followed by a 25-yard run by Hochstuhl.
The Indians eventually lost the football on a fumble on a handoff attempt, recovered by the Cavaliers with 3:06 left in the first quarter. The Indians regained possession of the ball the next play when Dorian Stewart forced the fumble and it was recovered by Nic Burns with 2:59 on the first quarter clock.
After HHS had a turnover on downs, the Cavaliers reached the end zone with 6:50 left in the second quarter when Shawn Smith raced 10 yards for the score. CHS took a 21-0 lead following a PAT.
The Indians scored their first points of the game with 3:16 left in second quarter as Barrett had a 9-yard run on first-and-goal. The drive also began with a huge kickoff return by Hochstuhl. The first play of offense saw Preston Fauber run for 20 yards, and later on fourth-and-18, a screen pass by Fauber to Burns went for a gain of 26 yards.
HHS on the next play saw Barrett battle for a 7-yard touchdown run. The PAT was blocked, leaving the score 21-6 with 3:16 left in the first half.
CHS scored two plays following the Indians’ touchdown when Tayvion Galloway caught a screen pass and raced 40 yards to the end zone with 2:36 on the clock. The PAT was no good, putting the Cavaliers ahead 27-6.
HHS fumbled the football, and it was recovered by CHS with 1:16 left in the quarter. The Cavaliers took advantage and scored their fifth touchdown of the first half where Netter rushed for a 27-yard touchdown with 1:09 left in the second quarter. The PAT was good for a score of 34-6 that stood at halftime.
In the early stages of the third quarter, the Cavaliers added their sixth touchdown of the night with Netter rushing for a 26-yard touchdown with 6:56 on the clock. The PAT was good for a 41-6 Cavaliers advantage.
Hillsboro didn’t fold, as they scored a third-quarter touchdown with Fauber passing to Burns for a score. The PAT by Nick Turner left HHS down 41-13.
Maybe the biggest play of the game for HHS was a fumble recovery by Hochstuhl, who scooped up the football lost by Chillicothe and raced 60 yards to the end zone for the touchdown. The PAT was good for a 41-20 score.
In the fourth quarter for the Indians, Burns also intercepted a pass, taking the ball to the 26-yard line. Barrett eventually took the ball to the end zone for a touchdown, leaving the score 41-27 following the made PAT.
For the Indians, Fauber finished 7-for-13 for 140 yards with one touchdown pass. Hochstuhl led HHS in rushing with 15 carries for 98 yards. Barrett totaled 14 carries for 78 yards and two touchdowns, while teammate Dom Smart finished with five carries for 34 yards.
Also for the Indians, the leading receiver was Burns, who totaled four receptions for 116 yards and a touchdown.
As a team, the Indians had 230 yards rushing and 140 passing. The Cavaliers had 187 yards passing and 172 yards rushing.
“We started the game today with three freshmen in the backfield and Gator (Barrett) is a junior. That’s a lot for the future to look forward to,” Horne said. “They’re getting game time experience, so that’s something positive we can move on with. Chillicothe, they had their seconds in I think one drive there, and they put their firsts back in on defense. We were still able to move the ball, so that’s positive. The last touchdown we had was against their ones there late in the game.
“Nic Burns has got speed, he’s got height and he’s a good athlete. When we do throw the ball, we try to get it to him. Jeven had a scoop and score, so that was a good play on his part. He had a good game offensively, too. He had a couple nice runs, good cuts and so forth. Jevon’s a real hard worker, and we’re excited for what he has in the future, that’s for sure.”
For Chillicothe, Dougherty was 7-of-8 for 113 yards passing and he had one rushing score. Netter led the Cavs with nine carries for 80 yards and three rushing touchdowns. Smith finished with 11 carries for 66 yards and one touchdown. Lucas Reinhart was the Cavaliers’ reaching leader with five receptions for 95 yards.
Next for the Indians is the Week 10 regular-season finale where they will host their Highland County rival, the McClain Tigers, in the annual Rotary Bowl at 7 p.m. at Richards Memorial Field, with both teams having a chance to earn a potential playoff berth.
“It’s going to be one of those tight games. We know it’s going to be a battle,” Horne said. “That’s the motivation, right — a county rivalry. They’ll be up for it and we’ll be up for it, and it should be a good time.”
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