Hillsboro ends season in playoffs with loss to Tippecanoe
Lead Summary
By
Stephen Forsha-sforsha@gmail.com
By way of being the No. 14 team in Division III (Region 12), the Hillsboro Indians played in Week 11, traveling to No. 3 Tippecanoe to face the Red Devils. The Indians struggled again the now 10-win Red Devils, leading to a 42-0 loss in the first round of the 2022 OHSAA Football Playoffs.
The Indians started the game off with a couple positive plays, including gaining a first down as they cut into the first-quarter clock, with a 7-yard run by Austin Barrett on second down. The next play saw the Indians gain a first down, with Preston Fauber finding Nic Burns for a first down to the 30-yard line of Tippecanoe.
The drive continued with positive runs by Travis Ross, and on fourth down, the Indians had a turnover on downs as Tippecanoe batted the ball away on a pass to complete the opening drive.
Tippecanoe answered on their first play of offense, with Xavier Jones rushing for a 77-yard run to pay dirt to take the lead. The PAT by Bowling Green commit Jackson Kleather was good for a 7-0 lead for the home team Tippecanoe.
The Indians began their next drive with positive gains by Barrett to get to third down, but eventually the Red Devils forced a punt by the Indians to the Tippecanoe 49-yard line.
Jones continued to be responsible for all of the Red Devils’ offense, then on second-and-13, Tippecanoe quarterback Liam Poronsky found Stanley Clyne for a 44-yard touchdown reception. Following the made PAT, the Red Devils led 14-0 in the first quarter.
Hillsboro’s third offensive possession resulted in a tough possession with one yard in two plays, and on third down, the result was much better with Cam Smart having a reception off a Fauber pass for a first down.
Making it to the Red Devil side of the field, the first quarter came to a close with the Indians trailing by a 14-0 score. Later, on third-and-2 from the THS 48-yard line, an Indians run went for a loss, and the Indians were forced to punt to the Tippecanoe 17-yard line.
The Red Devils took a more complete approach on their third possession and chipped away yardage against the visiting Indians, as a pass put them in Hillsboro territory as they used a no-huddle offense.
The drive completed with a Poronsky 36-yard touchdown pass to Clyne with a pass across the middle of the field. The PAT was good for a third time, giving the Red Devils a 21-0 lead.
On their next drive, Hillsboro saw Ross gain a first down on a run with around 8:00 left in the second quarter. The next play saw Barrett gain a solid rush for a six-yard gain. Tippecanoe forced a short loss on the following play, and on third down, the Indians had an incompletion, again forcing a punt.
On the punt, Tippecanoe fumbled, with the ball recovered by Barrett. The Indians had possession of the ball on the Tippecanoe 37-yard line for a big play for the Indians. A couple plays later for the Indians wasn’t as successful, as Tippecanoe recovered an HHS fumble on the 42-yard line.
HHS regained possession of the ball off a missed field goal by Tippecanoe with 4:04 left in the second quarter. The drive ended with HHS giving up a sack by Tippecanoe, forcing the Tribe to punt and giving the Red Devils possession on their own 43-yard line.
Tippecanoe wasted little time with a 57-yard touchdown catch by Clyne off a pass by Poronsky on the first play of the drive with 2:225 left in the first half. The PAT sailed through the uprights for a 28-0 Hillsboro deficit.
Following the touchdown, Tippecanoe intercepted a Hillsboro pass. Hillsboro’s defense didn’t back down, as Dorian Stewart had a sack on the first play of the drive. The Red Devils responded with a first down pass, taking them to the HHS 32-yard line. A Clyne catch moved Tippecanoe to the Indians’ 18-yard line.
The drive ended with Tippecanoe seeing Jones rush for a 2-yard touchdown run with 35 seconds left on the second-quarter clock. Once again, the PAT was good for a 35-0 Red Devil advantage, as that score stood at halftime.
At the start of the third quarter, the Red Devils scored a touchdown on an 11-yard rush. The PAT was good, leaving the Indians trailing, 42-0.
A positive for the early stages of the third quarter for the Indians was a catch by Ross on a second down play, but HHS was forced to punt the football.
After two big hits by Stewart on defense, the Indians forced the Red Devils to punt for the first time in the game in the third quarter, as Tippecanoe began to replace players on their roster.
Hillsboro’s defense forced a punt, but on the punt the Indians fumbled the football, and it was recovered by Tippecanoe as the third quarter came to a close with HHS trailing by 42 points.
In the fourth quarter, Burns had a reception for a first down taking the Indians to their own 22-yard line, but the drive ended with a turnover on downs for Hillsboro.
Tippecanoe chipped away and reached the HHS 2-yard line with less than two minutes left in the game, but the Indians forced a turnover on downs as the game eventually came to an end with the final play of the HHS season being a Ross first down.
HHS finishes the season at 4-7 overall, as they were 1-4 in the Frontier Athletic Conference. The Indians had wins in 2022 against East Clinton (41-27), Williamsburg (48-41 in OT), Clermont Northeastern (31-12) and McClain (42-21).
In their wins in ’22, Hillsboro had a three-game winning streak from Weeks 3-5 against East Clinton, Williamsburg and CNE.
Tippecanoe has now won five consecutive games, outscoring their opponents 212-68 in that span. They are also now 6-0 at home this season. Their lone loss this season is against Xenia by a 27-22 score on Sept 23, 2022.
The Red Devils (10-1) will now face the No. 11 ranked Trotwood-Madison Rams (7-4) on Friday, Nov. 4 at 7 p.m. in the second round of the playoffs. Trotwood-Madison defeated Chaminade Julienne, 40-33 in their first-round playoff game.
The loss moves Hillsboro to 0-9 all-time in their playoff appearances. Hillsboro’s playoff years include: 1992, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1998, 2005, 2018, 2020 and 2022.
Seniors for Hillsboro are: Cam Smart, Travis Ross, Nick Turner, Bryant Cox, CJ Storer, Deegan Bloomfield, Jase Moberly, Ryan Mau and Harrison Grove.
(The Highland County Press would like to thank WSRW 101.5FM/1590AM for their help with coverage of the game.)
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The Indians started the game off with a couple positive plays, including gaining a first down as they cut into the first-quarter clock, with a 7-yard run by Austin Barrett on second down. The next play saw the Indians gain a first down, with Preston Fauber finding Nic Burns for a first down to the 30-yard line of Tippecanoe.
The drive continued with positive runs by Travis Ross, and on fourth down, the Indians had a turnover on downs as Tippecanoe batted the ball away on a pass to complete the opening drive.
Tippecanoe answered on their first play of offense, with Xavier Jones rushing for a 77-yard run to pay dirt to take the lead. The PAT by Bowling Green commit Jackson Kleather was good for a 7-0 lead for the home team Tippecanoe.
The Indians began their next drive with positive gains by Barrett to get to third down, but eventually the Red Devils forced a punt by the Indians to the Tippecanoe 49-yard line.
Jones continued to be responsible for all of the Red Devils’ offense, then on second-and-13, Tippecanoe quarterback Liam Poronsky found Stanley Clyne for a 44-yard touchdown reception. Following the made PAT, the Red Devils led 14-0 in the first quarter.
Hillsboro’s third offensive possession resulted in a tough possession with one yard in two plays, and on third down, the result was much better with Cam Smart having a reception off a Fauber pass for a first down.
Making it to the Red Devil side of the field, the first quarter came to a close with the Indians trailing by a 14-0 score. Later, on third-and-2 from the THS 48-yard line, an Indians run went for a loss, and the Indians were forced to punt to the Tippecanoe 17-yard line.
The Red Devils took a more complete approach on their third possession and chipped away yardage against the visiting Indians, as a pass put them in Hillsboro territory as they used a no-huddle offense.
The drive completed with a Poronsky 36-yard touchdown pass to Clyne with a pass across the middle of the field. The PAT was good for a third time, giving the Red Devils a 21-0 lead.
On their next drive, Hillsboro saw Ross gain a first down on a run with around 8:00 left in the second quarter. The next play saw Barrett gain a solid rush for a six-yard gain. Tippecanoe forced a short loss on the following play, and on third down, the Indians had an incompletion, again forcing a punt.
On the punt, Tippecanoe fumbled, with the ball recovered by Barrett. The Indians had possession of the ball on the Tippecanoe 37-yard line for a big play for the Indians. A couple plays later for the Indians wasn’t as successful, as Tippecanoe recovered an HHS fumble on the 42-yard line.
HHS regained possession of the ball off a missed field goal by Tippecanoe with 4:04 left in the second quarter. The drive ended with HHS giving up a sack by Tippecanoe, forcing the Tribe to punt and giving the Red Devils possession on their own 43-yard line.
Tippecanoe wasted little time with a 57-yard touchdown catch by Clyne off a pass by Poronsky on the first play of the drive with 2:225 left in the first half. The PAT sailed through the uprights for a 28-0 Hillsboro deficit.
Following the touchdown, Tippecanoe intercepted a Hillsboro pass. Hillsboro’s defense didn’t back down, as Dorian Stewart had a sack on the first play of the drive. The Red Devils responded with a first down pass, taking them to the HHS 32-yard line. A Clyne catch moved Tippecanoe to the Indians’ 18-yard line.
The drive ended with Tippecanoe seeing Jones rush for a 2-yard touchdown run with 35 seconds left on the second-quarter clock. Once again, the PAT was good for a 35-0 Red Devil advantage, as that score stood at halftime.
At the start of the third quarter, the Red Devils scored a touchdown on an 11-yard rush. The PAT was good, leaving the Indians trailing, 42-0.
A positive for the early stages of the third quarter for the Indians was a catch by Ross on a second down play, but HHS was forced to punt the football.
After two big hits by Stewart on defense, the Indians forced the Red Devils to punt for the first time in the game in the third quarter, as Tippecanoe began to replace players on their roster.
Hillsboro’s defense forced a punt, but on the punt the Indians fumbled the football, and it was recovered by Tippecanoe as the third quarter came to a close with HHS trailing by 42 points.
In the fourth quarter, Burns had a reception for a first down taking the Indians to their own 22-yard line, but the drive ended with a turnover on downs for Hillsboro.
Tippecanoe chipped away and reached the HHS 2-yard line with less than two minutes left in the game, but the Indians forced a turnover on downs as the game eventually came to an end with the final play of the HHS season being a Ross first down.
HHS finishes the season at 4-7 overall, as they were 1-4 in the Frontier Athletic Conference. The Indians had wins in 2022 against East Clinton (41-27), Williamsburg (48-41 in OT), Clermont Northeastern (31-12) and McClain (42-21).
In their wins in ’22, Hillsboro had a three-game winning streak from Weeks 3-5 against East Clinton, Williamsburg and CNE.
Tippecanoe has now won five consecutive games, outscoring their opponents 212-68 in that span. They are also now 6-0 at home this season. Their lone loss this season is against Xenia by a 27-22 score on Sept 23, 2022.
The Red Devils (10-1) will now face the No. 11 ranked Trotwood-Madison Rams (7-4) on Friday, Nov. 4 at 7 p.m. in the second round of the playoffs. Trotwood-Madison defeated Chaminade Julienne, 40-33 in their first-round playoff game.
The loss moves Hillsboro to 0-9 all-time in their playoff appearances. Hillsboro’s playoff years include: 1992, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1998, 2005, 2018, 2020 and 2022.
Seniors for Hillsboro are: Cam Smart, Travis Ross, Nick Turner, Bryant Cox, CJ Storer, Deegan Bloomfield, Jase Moberly, Ryan Mau and Harrison Grove.
(The Highland County Press would like to thank WSRW 101.5FM/1590AM for their help with coverage of the game.)
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