Jackson breaks away from Hillsboro in FAC opener

HILLSBORO — With just over 6:00 left in the second quarter, it was a one-touchdown deficit for the Hillsboro Indians at Richards Memorial Field against the Jackson Ironmen in their Week 6 Frontier Athletic Conference opener. 

By the time halftime arrived, following two Jackson touchdowns and a Hillsboro turnover, the Indians trailed 35-14. From there, the Ironmen outscored Hillsboro 20-7 in the second half, giving the visiting Ironmen a 55-21 win over the host Indians. 

Hillsboro falls to 0-1 in the FAC with the loss, and 4-2 overall, while the defending FAC champion Ironmen — who are coached by Andy Hall — improve to 4-2 overall and 1-0 in the FAC. 

“I thought the kids fought really hard, and it just kind of went down there at the end. We had too many fumbles, too many turnovers. You can’t have turnovers,” HHS head coach Nathan Horne said. “Their quarterback (Bodhi Wolford) played well and he came back tonight, and (Ryan) Seimetz … he’s their guy. Hats off to them. As for us, I was proud of the way we played, but like I said, we had too many mistakes.”

After Jackson forced a turnover on downs on Hillsboro’s first possession of the game, a drive where the Indians had a positive yardage of 22 yards on six plays, JHS scored a touchdown on their first offensive play of the FAC opener. Ryan Seimetz rushed for the 55-yard touchdown with 8:52 on the clock, as he raced for the score on a first-and-10 play from the JHS 45-yard line. The PAT converted by Thatcher Brown left Jackson in front 7-0. 

Hillsboro’s second drive of the game was much better for the Indians, with the home team putting together a 72-yard drive that went for a touchdown as the Indians found their air attack when quarterback Mason Dumpert passed to Landon Jordan for a 53-yard touchdown with 5:33 on the first-quarter clock. Cooper Swope made the extra-point kick for a 7-7 score. 

Jackson came back with a fury, scoring a touchdown on the ensuing drive, this time with a nine-play drive that began on their own 30-yard line and ended with a 4-yard touchdown run by Bodhi Wolford with 1:36 left in the first. The PAT by Brown put Jackson back in the lead at 14-7. 

The Indians punted, and again, the Ironmen eventually were celebrating another touchdown, this one being a 15-yard pass from Wolford to Seimetz with 9:54 left in the second quarter. The PAT by Brown was good for a 21-7 Ironmen lead. 

The Indians had a turnover by losing a fumble that was recovered by Seimetz of Jackson with 8:42 left in the second quarter. The Indians’ defense answered by allowing no yards off a run, two incompletions and a punt. 

Hillsboro’s offense took advantage of the momentum gained by making it a 7-point deficit again, as they began the drive from their own 26-yard line with a 6-yard run by Collin Swackhamer, followed by an 8-yard gain, and then came a Dumpert 58-yard run that nearly went the distance, taking HHS from their own 40-yard line all the way to Jackson’s 2-yard line. 

One play later, Jack Cornele barreled his way to the end zone with 6:18 left in the second. Swope’s PAT was good for a 21-14 score with HHS down by just seven points. 

Jackson did what they do best, and that was to answer Hillsboro’s touchdown with one of their own, regaining their 14-point lead. 

Jackson started this drive from their own 39-yard line, and following gains of 39 total yards on the first six plays of the drive, the 10th play of the drive ended with a run by Jackson’s Charlie Woodard around the defense of the Ironmen for six points on fourth-and-1 from the 17-yard line for the score. Brown converted the PAT for a 28-14 lead. 

The Indians saw a positive drive get away as they fumbled the football, and Jackson had Jeb Thompson recover the football with 1:02 left in the quarter from the Indians’ 45-yard line.

After a 17-yard gain, later on third down, the Ironmen added their fifth touchdown of the first half when Wolford passed to Seimetz with 14.0 left on the scoreboard on third down. Jackson made the PAT for a 35-14 lead that stood when halftime arrived. 

HHS recovered an onside kick with Zack Brown falling on the football. The Indians scored on the ensuing drive when Dumpert rushed for a 26-yard touchdown all the way to the end zone with 9:06 left in the third. Swope made the PAT for a 35-21 score with HHS trailing, as that was Hillsboro’s final score of the game. 

The Ironmen had three more touchdowns to score before calling it a game, as they made the score 42-21 with a 31-yard touchdown run by Seimetz with 3:45 left in the third quarter. Brown made his sixth PAT for the 21-point lead. 

The Indians fumbled and lost possession again with 2:17 left in the third, and it was a Wolford pass to Seimetz for a 38-yard score with 1:20 left in the third. Brown made it a 48-21 lead over HHS with the made PAT. 

Jackson’s final touchdown scored with 2:44 left in the fourth quarter when Dayton Kallner rushed for a 22-yard run to the end zone. The PAT was good for a 55-21 lead. 

Defensively for the Indians, tackle totals included: Braylon Mays (one), Dumpert (two), Cornele (five), Brown (seven), Landon Holland (five), Malachi Aber (four), John Deans (one), Swackhamer (five), Ryker Snyder (two), Connor Yochum (two) and JaHari Pitts (three).

Next for the Indians (0-1, 4-2) in Week 7 is their homecoming game on Friday, Oct. 3 at Richards Memorial Field against the Miami Trace Panthers (1-0, 6-0). MTHS defeated Chillicothe, 28-21 in Week 5 at CHS. 

Last season, Miami Trace defeated Hillsboro at MTHS by a 44-27 score. 

BOX SCORE
JHS    14 21 13 07 — 55
HHS    07 07 07 00 — 21