21 unanswered points lead to Hillsboro Indians win over Williamsburg
Lead Summary
By
Stephen Forsha-sforsha@gmail.com
WILLIAMSBURG – From the first half to the second half, the Hillsboro Indians looked like a completely different team. Their Week 4 game at Williamsburg saw the Indians go from being held scoreless and down 14 points at halftime, to rallying for 21 unanswered points, including the game-winning touchdown with nine seconds left on the clock for a 21-14 win.
The touchdown that won the game for the Indians saw senior quarterback Chris Stout scramble away from the Williamsburg defense and race toward his left as he improvised on the go on a third-and-14 play on the WBHS 29-yard line.
As Stout raced away from the defense enough to pass the football, senior wide receiver Canaan Griffith raced down the Williamsburg sideline, ahead of the defender, and while in stride caught the Stout pass for a 29-yard touchdown with 0.09 on the clock. Next, the PAT by Dylan Rigsby put the Indians ahead by seven points for the win.
“It wasn’t supposed to go that way, but Chris improvised and did a good job of scrambling and found Canaan,” Hillsboro head coach Jack O’Rourke told The Highland County Press. “They double-covered Cameron [Smart], and he was able to scramble and come back and get it that way. It worked out for us.”
Getting to that game-winning moment and celebration wasn’t easy. In fact, the Indians had to overcome miscues and strong play by the host Wildcats to get back into the game for the eventual win.
The first drives of the game for each team were complete opposite of each other. The Indians (2-2) were held to 11 net yards on the first drive and forced to punt from their own 26-yard line. When Williamsburg received possession of the ball on their own 34-yard line following a punt from Rigsby, it took the home team seven plays to reach pay dirt, including three plays of at least 10 yards each earned before their touchdown.
Williamsburg went on the scoreboard first when on second-and-11 from the Indians’ 26-yard line, Trent Bocks battled his way to a 26-yard rushing score with 4:48 left in the first quarter. They converted the PAT by Luke Lindsey for the 7-0 lead.
On the Indians’ second drive on offense, they put together some nice gains as HHS had a third down conversions off a pass from Stout to Nic Burns for a 13-yard gain. HHS eventually reached the WBHS 36-yard line but had a turnover on downs with 58 seconds left in the opening quarter.
The Wildcats (1-3) took advantage of their defensive stoppage as their offense reached the end zone on a second straight possession when Bryce Lillie rushed for a 20-yard touchdown run on first down with 10:14 left in the second quarter. The PAT was good for a second straight time, putting the Wildcats ahead by a 14-0 score.
There were no more points put on the board in the first half, though HHS did see Griffith have a 29-yard gain off a slant route to the middle of the field on a third-and-9 play.
After the halftime break was complete, there was a whole new HHS team taking the field in the second half.
“The biggest thing I talked to them about at halftime was not to be nervous and just go out there and play,” O’Rourke said. “We didn’t make a bunch of adjustments, but the few we did helped us, trying to spread the field out a little bit and trying to get them to cover from side to side.
“More than anything, it was just sticking with it and kids coming off the ball and playing hard. That’s all.”
The defense started things off in the third quarter with a turnover on downs that included a combined tackle for loss from Ethan Grooms and Jacob Tussey. On the next play, Austin Barrett flexed following a tackle for loss on a third-and-2 situation, forcing a WBHS punt.
Though HHS was unable to reach pay dirt, they had a 27-yard gain off a Stout pass to Cameron Smart on second down. The Indians’ defense forced another punt, and that’s when the momentum went to the away team Indians.
Hillsboro’s first touchdown drive of the game began with 2:18 left in the third quarter when Barrett rushed for a 5-yard gain, followed by a run of 17 yards by Stout on the QB keeper. Next, on first down from the 19-yard line of WBHS, Barrett fought his way to a 3-yard gain.
After five yards went to the Indians following a flag, on third-and-1 on the 10-yard line Derek Whitt pounded his way for a 10-yard touchdown with 22 seconds left in the third. Rigsby’s PAT was good, moving the Indians closer with a 14-7 deficit.
The HHS momentum continued on defense with Griffith intercepting a pass on third down with 11:15 remaining in regulation on the HHS 33-yard line.
With new life and momentum on their side, the Indians began the drive from their own 33 with a 16-yard gain off a rush by Stout. Next was a 3-yard rush by Whitt. On second-and-7, Smart had an outstanding dive catch near the HHS sideline, getting the ball underneath his arms for the completed catch, giving HHS a first down.
After a 5-yard gain by Whitt, 15 more yards were added to the end of the play due to a personal foul by the Wildcats. HHS lost eight yards on a sack on the ensuing play, but gained five of those yards back on an encroachment call on the hosts.
Now with a second-and-13 play, Whitt had a 1-yard carry, but more importantly the Wildcats had another 15-yard personal foul penalty, resulting in a player being sent to the sideline by the official. With the ball on the Williamsburg 8-yard line, Whitt had short-yardage carries of three and five yards for a third-and-goal from the 1-yard line situation.
On the third down play, Whitt reached the end zone for his second touchdown of the second half with 7:57 left in the game. Rigsby put the ball through the uprights, tying the score at 14-14.
Williamsburg answered by taking chunks of yardage to their advantage with short runs, but eventually the Wildcats fumbled, and the momentum went back to Hillsboro with a fumble recovery by Ayden Clemons with 4:33 left in regulation.
The Indians didn’t disappoint their fans who traveled to the game, as Hillsboro put together an 11-play drive that went 72 yards.
HHS started with a 2-yard gain off a screen reception by Smart. Next was a 10-yard rush from Whitt, who carried multiple players with him for the first down. Later in the drive, on second down, Stout rushed for a 14-yard gain. Three plays later, Stout had the aforementioned touchdown pass to Griffith to win the game.
“It definitely gives us some confidence, there’s no doubt about that,” O’Rourke said. “The one thing I can say about this group of kids is they’ve played four quarters for four straight games. They haven’t given up whatsoever.
“It’s great. Now we’ve just got to keep it going.”
Hillsboro’s victory moves them to 2-2 overall in 2021. Next week, the Indians are scheduled to face the Clermont Northeastern Rockets at CNE on Friday, Sept. 17 at 7 p.m.
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The touchdown that won the game for the Indians saw senior quarterback Chris Stout scramble away from the Williamsburg defense and race toward his left as he improvised on the go on a third-and-14 play on the WBHS 29-yard line.
As Stout raced away from the defense enough to pass the football, senior wide receiver Canaan Griffith raced down the Williamsburg sideline, ahead of the defender, and while in stride caught the Stout pass for a 29-yard touchdown with 0.09 on the clock. Next, the PAT by Dylan Rigsby put the Indians ahead by seven points for the win.
“It wasn’t supposed to go that way, but Chris improvised and did a good job of scrambling and found Canaan,” Hillsboro head coach Jack O’Rourke told The Highland County Press. “They double-covered Cameron [Smart], and he was able to scramble and come back and get it that way. It worked out for us.”
Getting to that game-winning moment and celebration wasn’t easy. In fact, the Indians had to overcome miscues and strong play by the host Wildcats to get back into the game for the eventual win.
The first drives of the game for each team were complete opposite of each other. The Indians (2-2) were held to 11 net yards on the first drive and forced to punt from their own 26-yard line. When Williamsburg received possession of the ball on their own 34-yard line following a punt from Rigsby, it took the home team seven plays to reach pay dirt, including three plays of at least 10 yards each earned before their touchdown.
Williamsburg went on the scoreboard first when on second-and-11 from the Indians’ 26-yard line, Trent Bocks battled his way to a 26-yard rushing score with 4:48 left in the first quarter. They converted the PAT by Luke Lindsey for the 7-0 lead.
On the Indians’ second drive on offense, they put together some nice gains as HHS had a third down conversions off a pass from Stout to Nic Burns for a 13-yard gain. HHS eventually reached the WBHS 36-yard line but had a turnover on downs with 58 seconds left in the opening quarter.
The Wildcats (1-3) took advantage of their defensive stoppage as their offense reached the end zone on a second straight possession when Bryce Lillie rushed for a 20-yard touchdown run on first down with 10:14 left in the second quarter. The PAT was good for a second straight time, putting the Wildcats ahead by a 14-0 score.
There were no more points put on the board in the first half, though HHS did see Griffith have a 29-yard gain off a slant route to the middle of the field on a third-and-9 play.
After the halftime break was complete, there was a whole new HHS team taking the field in the second half.
“The biggest thing I talked to them about at halftime was not to be nervous and just go out there and play,” O’Rourke said. “We didn’t make a bunch of adjustments, but the few we did helped us, trying to spread the field out a little bit and trying to get them to cover from side to side.
“More than anything, it was just sticking with it and kids coming off the ball and playing hard. That’s all.”
The defense started things off in the third quarter with a turnover on downs that included a combined tackle for loss from Ethan Grooms and Jacob Tussey. On the next play, Austin Barrett flexed following a tackle for loss on a third-and-2 situation, forcing a WBHS punt.
Though HHS was unable to reach pay dirt, they had a 27-yard gain off a Stout pass to Cameron Smart on second down. The Indians’ defense forced another punt, and that’s when the momentum went to the away team Indians.
Hillsboro’s first touchdown drive of the game began with 2:18 left in the third quarter when Barrett rushed for a 5-yard gain, followed by a run of 17 yards by Stout on the QB keeper. Next, on first down from the 19-yard line of WBHS, Barrett fought his way to a 3-yard gain.
After five yards went to the Indians following a flag, on third-and-1 on the 10-yard line Derek Whitt pounded his way for a 10-yard touchdown with 22 seconds left in the third. Rigsby’s PAT was good, moving the Indians closer with a 14-7 deficit.
The HHS momentum continued on defense with Griffith intercepting a pass on third down with 11:15 remaining in regulation on the HHS 33-yard line.
With new life and momentum on their side, the Indians began the drive from their own 33 with a 16-yard gain off a rush by Stout. Next was a 3-yard rush by Whitt. On second-and-7, Smart had an outstanding dive catch near the HHS sideline, getting the ball underneath his arms for the completed catch, giving HHS a first down.
After a 5-yard gain by Whitt, 15 more yards were added to the end of the play due to a personal foul by the Wildcats. HHS lost eight yards on a sack on the ensuing play, but gained five of those yards back on an encroachment call on the hosts.
Now with a second-and-13 play, Whitt had a 1-yard carry, but more importantly the Wildcats had another 15-yard personal foul penalty, resulting in a player being sent to the sideline by the official. With the ball on the Williamsburg 8-yard line, Whitt had short-yardage carries of three and five yards for a third-and-goal from the 1-yard line situation.
On the third down play, Whitt reached the end zone for his second touchdown of the second half with 7:57 left in the game. Rigsby put the ball through the uprights, tying the score at 14-14.
Williamsburg answered by taking chunks of yardage to their advantage with short runs, but eventually the Wildcats fumbled, and the momentum went back to Hillsboro with a fumble recovery by Ayden Clemons with 4:33 left in regulation.
The Indians didn’t disappoint their fans who traveled to the game, as Hillsboro put together an 11-play drive that went 72 yards.
HHS started with a 2-yard gain off a screen reception by Smart. Next was a 10-yard rush from Whitt, who carried multiple players with him for the first down. Later in the drive, on second down, Stout rushed for a 14-yard gain. Three plays later, Stout had the aforementioned touchdown pass to Griffith to win the game.
“It definitely gives us some confidence, there’s no doubt about that,” O’Rourke said. “The one thing I can say about this group of kids is they’ve played four quarters for four straight games. They haven’t given up whatsoever.
“It’s great. Now we’ve just got to keep it going.”
Hillsboro’s victory moves them to 2-2 overall in 2021. Next week, the Indians are scheduled to face the Clermont Northeastern Rockets at CNE on Friday, Sept. 17 at 7 p.m.
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