Cavs roll past Hillsboro, 55-0
By Rory Ryan
The Highland County Press
When the Hillsboro Indians failed to score on a fourth-and-goal from the one-yard line to start the second period, the air was lifted right out of Richards Memorial Field tonight.
Hillsboro had trailed the visiting Chillicothe Cavaliers, 14-0, with the Cavs driving deep into Indians' territory.
However, with 1:08 left in the opening quarter, Jed Asmus picked off a Calib Price pass and gave Hillsboro a first-and-goal at the 10.
A third-down pass from Toby Warrington to Brian Smith was good for nine yards, as time expired.
Coach Matt Hodge called on Warrington to run the football – with a strong backfield push from Jordan Mosley – on fourth and less than a yard. Warrington appeared to cross the goal line, but after a brief discussion the game officials decided otherwise and it was Chillicothe's football.
From there, the rout was on. The Cavaliers scored with equal ease on offense and defense in posting a 55-0 South Central Ohio League victory. The win improved CHS to 3-2, while Hillsboro fell to 2-3 midway through the 2014 season.
The 55-0 loss comes just a week after a 44-0 home loss to Wilmington.
Junior Nathan Rosenbauer got the Cavs on the board in the first period with a 25-yard touchdown run at 8:44. Jason Johanson's kick from a Jack Busch hold was good and it was a 7-0 game.
Less than three minutes later, Price, a left-handed QB, rolled left and threw left to Matt Valentine for a 13-yard touchdown strike.
An interception by Quintin Davidson appeared to set up yet another CHS score when Asmus came up with the Hillsboro interception.
With 1:08 to play in the quarter, Mosley carried for no gain on first down. Warrington's second-down attempt was incomplete. After a gain of nine on the third-down pass to Smith, the Indians were going for it on fourth down after the two teams moved to the east end zone.
Warrington took the snap from center Curran Butler and followed him up the middle with Mosley pushing from the backfield. A partisan home crowd cheered what they believed to be an Indians' score. Instead, Chillicothe took over on downs and proceeded to march 99 yards in four minutes for another score. This time, it was Rosenbauer running it in from 31 yards for a 21-0 lead.
On Hillsboro's next two possessions, the Cavaliers' defense and special teams scored back-to-back touchdowns. Devin Zehner intercepted a pass and ran it in from the 18 for one score and the Cavaliers blocked an R.J. Collard punt from the back of the end zone for another score and a 34-0 halftime lead.
With a continuous clock, the second half was little more than a formality. The Cavs' special teams – which managed to reach the backfield about the same time as the ball reached Collard – blocked another punt for another TD, this one by Landon Arledge. Davidson added another third-quarter touchdown on a 40-yard reception.
Levi Shumaker completed the scoring with a six-yard TD midway through the fourth period.
The struggling Indians travel to Clinton-Massie on Friday, Oct. 3. Chillicothe will be at McClain next Friday.
Score by quarters
CHS – 14 20 14 07 — 55
HHS – 00 00 00 00 — 00