Burns, Swayne carry Indians to season-opening win over Western Brown
Lead Summary
By
Rory Ryan-hcpress@cinci.rr.com
MOUNT ORAB (LaRosa’s Field) – The Hillsboro Indians capitalized on a dominant ground attack and defeated the Western Brown Broncos, 30-28, to open the 2018 high school football season Friday, Aug. 24.
Senior quarterback Mason Swayne rushed for two touchdowns, and senior running backs Deon Burns and Josh Keets each carried for two more scores.
One of the game’s biggest plays of the night, however, occurred in the fourth quarter when senior lineman Lane Cluff recovered a fumble to stop a Broncos’ drive.
Hillsboro never trailed in the game, but the Western Brown no-huddle offense kept the issue undecided until the final three minutes.
Keets opened the scoring on a nine-yard run at the 7:57 mark of the first period. Swayne scampered into the end zone from three yards out for the two-point conversion and an 8-0 Indians’ lead.
Western Brown senior QB Josh Taylor quickly answered by throwing a four-yard strike to Evan Luttrell to make it 8-6. The extra point attempt was wide left.
The Indians’ defense lived by a “bend, but don’t break” effort in the second quarter. The Broncos had possession for the majority of the quarter, but two dropped passes – including one in the end zone – left them scoreless in the period.
Luke Middleton, Mark Gallimore and Sanchez Seals had big defensive stops for Coach Jack O’Rourke’s Indians in the second.
The first half ended the same as the first quarter, with Hillsboro clinging to a two-point edge at 8-6.
Gallimore returned Tanner Donathan’s second-half kickoff to the Tribe 35. After runs by Gallimore of eight yards and two straight carries by Burns for 14 more, Hillsboro moved into Western Brown territory. A 20-yard scramble by Swayne moved the chains to the WB 19.
With 7:11 left in the third, Swayne capped off the scoring drive with a six-yard touchdown run. The two-point conversion by Keets gave the Indians a 16-6 lead.
Taylor and the Broncos were just getting warmed up, though. On the ensuing drive, Taylor completed a pair of passes and carried the ball on two more plays to set up a touchdown pass to Yani Williams at the 4:06 mark, followed by a two-point conversion completion to Keegan Collins.
Meanwhile, Hillsboro continued to try and keep Taylor and the WB offense off the field by running the ball and keeping the clock moving. With Keets shaken up earlier in the game, this fell to Burns, Swayne and Gallimore.
The third period ended with Burns lumbering ahead to the Broncos’ 21-yard line and the Indians holding a 16-14 lead.
With 10:32 to play in the fourth, Keets appeared to run it in for a 15-yard touchdown. However, an illegal block was called on Gallimore and the touchdown was negated, as Hillsboro fans expressed their lack of appreciation of the call.
Swayne put the matter to rest on his next snap from Cluff, racing right for 17 yards and his second touchdown of the night and a 22-14 Hillsboro advantage.
On the change of possession, Western Brown completed a pass on its next drive but then fumbled.
After Cluff recovered the turnover, Hillsboro added a much-needed insurance score. This time, Burns found the end zone on a five-yard power run. Swayne handed it to Burns again on the conversion, and Hillsboro owned a 30-14 lead.
Taylor led the Broncos to the Hillsboro one-yard line on the next drive, then carried it himself for six points at the 9:10 mark. His pass to Gary Powell III made it 30-22, and Coach Tyler Evans’ Broncos were still alive and kicking.
After an exchange of possessions, Western Brown had the ball at its own 35 with 5:40 to go. A quick pass from Taylor to Collins gained 11 yards before Draven Stodgel made the tackle. A second pass to Collins failed to move the chains, as Justin Spears made the stop, but a 15-yard run by Taylor prompted a Hillsboro timeout with 4:28 remaining in regulation.
A touchdown and a two-point conversion would likely send the season-opener into overtime. With 3:46 on the clock, Taylor found Luttrell for the touchdown. The pass on the two-point conversion attempt was tipped and fell to the ground with Hillsboro holding on to a 30-28 lead.
From there, the game belong to Burns and the blocking of lineman Cluff, Stodgel, Max Conover, Zach Burns and Silas Simmons and tight end Reece Bloomfield. With the Broncos’ defense respecting the backfield motion and possible pitchout to Gallimore, Swayne handed the ball to Burns six consecutive times. Burns rushed for 30 yards on just those six plays, with Western Brown burning its final timeouts in the process.
With a first and 10 with just 57 seconds remaining, the Hillsboro offense went into victory formation as Swayne took a knee on the final two snaps.
Hillsboro will take its 1-0 record on the road again Friday, Aug. 31 at Goshen. The Warriors (1-0) defeated McNicholas, 21-7, in week one.
Score by quarters
HHS – 08 00 08 14 – 30
WBHS – 06 00 08 14 – 28
Senior quarterback Mason Swayne rushed for two touchdowns, and senior running backs Deon Burns and Josh Keets each carried for two more scores.
One of the game’s biggest plays of the night, however, occurred in the fourth quarter when senior lineman Lane Cluff recovered a fumble to stop a Broncos’ drive.
Hillsboro never trailed in the game, but the Western Brown no-huddle offense kept the issue undecided until the final three minutes.
Keets opened the scoring on a nine-yard run at the 7:57 mark of the first period. Swayne scampered into the end zone from three yards out for the two-point conversion and an 8-0 Indians’ lead.
Western Brown senior QB Josh Taylor quickly answered by throwing a four-yard strike to Evan Luttrell to make it 8-6. The extra point attempt was wide left.
The Indians’ defense lived by a “bend, but don’t break” effort in the second quarter. The Broncos had possession for the majority of the quarter, but two dropped passes – including one in the end zone – left them scoreless in the period.
Luke Middleton, Mark Gallimore and Sanchez Seals had big defensive stops for Coach Jack O’Rourke’s Indians in the second.
The first half ended the same as the first quarter, with Hillsboro clinging to a two-point edge at 8-6.
Gallimore returned Tanner Donathan’s second-half kickoff to the Tribe 35. After runs by Gallimore of eight yards and two straight carries by Burns for 14 more, Hillsboro moved into Western Brown territory. A 20-yard scramble by Swayne moved the chains to the WB 19.
With 7:11 left in the third, Swayne capped off the scoring drive with a six-yard touchdown run. The two-point conversion by Keets gave the Indians a 16-6 lead.
Taylor and the Broncos were just getting warmed up, though. On the ensuing drive, Taylor completed a pair of passes and carried the ball on two more plays to set up a touchdown pass to Yani Williams at the 4:06 mark, followed by a two-point conversion completion to Keegan Collins.
Meanwhile, Hillsboro continued to try and keep Taylor and the WB offense off the field by running the ball and keeping the clock moving. With Keets shaken up earlier in the game, this fell to Burns, Swayne and Gallimore.
The third period ended with Burns lumbering ahead to the Broncos’ 21-yard line and the Indians holding a 16-14 lead.
With 10:32 to play in the fourth, Keets appeared to run it in for a 15-yard touchdown. However, an illegal block was called on Gallimore and the touchdown was negated, as Hillsboro fans expressed their lack of appreciation of the call.
Swayne put the matter to rest on his next snap from Cluff, racing right for 17 yards and his second touchdown of the night and a 22-14 Hillsboro advantage.
On the change of possession, Western Brown completed a pass on its next drive but then fumbled.
After Cluff recovered the turnover, Hillsboro added a much-needed insurance score. This time, Burns found the end zone on a five-yard power run. Swayne handed it to Burns again on the conversion, and Hillsboro owned a 30-14 lead.
Taylor led the Broncos to the Hillsboro one-yard line on the next drive, then carried it himself for six points at the 9:10 mark. His pass to Gary Powell III made it 30-22, and Coach Tyler Evans’ Broncos were still alive and kicking.
After an exchange of possessions, Western Brown had the ball at its own 35 with 5:40 to go. A quick pass from Taylor to Collins gained 11 yards before Draven Stodgel made the tackle. A second pass to Collins failed to move the chains, as Justin Spears made the stop, but a 15-yard run by Taylor prompted a Hillsboro timeout with 4:28 remaining in regulation.
A touchdown and a two-point conversion would likely send the season-opener into overtime. With 3:46 on the clock, Taylor found Luttrell for the touchdown. The pass on the two-point conversion attempt was tipped and fell to the ground with Hillsboro holding on to a 30-28 lead.
From there, the game belong to Burns and the blocking of lineman Cluff, Stodgel, Max Conover, Zach Burns and Silas Simmons and tight end Reece Bloomfield. With the Broncos’ defense respecting the backfield motion and possible pitchout to Gallimore, Swayne handed the ball to Burns six consecutive times. Burns rushed for 30 yards on just those six plays, with Western Brown burning its final timeouts in the process.
With a first and 10 with just 57 seconds remaining, the Hillsboro offense went into victory formation as Swayne took a knee on the final two snaps.
Hillsboro will take its 1-0 record on the road again Friday, Aug. 31 at Goshen. The Warriors (1-0) defeated McNicholas, 21-7, in week one.
Score by quarters
HHS – 08 00 08 14 – 30
WBHS – 06 00 08 14 – 28