Forsha on Football: Week 2 FAC action brought interesting results and stats
Lead Summary
By
Stephen Forsha-sforsha@gmail.com
The second week of the high school is finished, and what a weekend of games it was for the Frontier Athletic Conference on both Friday and Saturday nights throughout the area. The conference finished 3-3 in the six games played, with the winners being Chillicothe, Washington and Jackson.
Following the first two weeks of the season, only the Jackson Ironmen and Washington Blue Lions are undefeated. The rest of the conference has at least one loss following the first two games. Following the first two weeks of games, here are the standings for the FAC:
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Jackson 0-0, 2-0
Washington 0-0, 2-0
Hillsboro 0-0, 1-1
Chillicothe 0-0, 1-1
Miami Trace 0-0, 1-1
McClain 0-0, 0-2
The FAC can be a very good conference, and it will be competitive throughout the non-conference part of the season — which still has three more weeks left — but when the FAC begins against each other, all six teams should be playing better football than they are at the end of Week 2. That will bring even more excitement than the conference has had thus far in non-conference games.
• STANDOUT PERFORMANCES
In Week 2, standing out for the FAC was Washington’s Ethan Rogers-Wright. The first-year starter for the Blue Lions finished 13-of-25 for 245 yards with five touchdowns and no interceptions against Circleville. Rogers-Wright also had six rushes for 55 yards, averaging 9.2 yards per carry.
Through two games this season, Rogers-Wright has 357 passing yards (eight TD passes, four interceptions) and 89 yards rushing in games against Blanchester and Circleville.
In fact, just three quarterbacks threw for 100 or more yards in Week 2 from the FAC, with Jackson’s Jared Icenhower finishing 6-of-8 for 111 yards with one touchdown and no interceptions against Athens. Also in the 100-yard club was Miami Trace’s Dalton Mayer, who went 8-of-16 for 114 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions in the Panthers’ home opener against Wilmington.
Rushing leaders for the FAC in Week 2 included two players from Jackson who went over the century mark in Ironmen’s win over Athens. Those players were Jayden Spires, who had 25 rushes for 126 yards and one touchdown, and Brice Graham at 23 carries for 115 yards and three touchdowns.
There was also Hunter Thomas of Chillicothe, who led the conference in rushing for Week 2, finishing with 29 carries for 165 yards, averaging 5.7 yards per carry in the Cavaliers first win of the season against Mifflin.
Also averaging 5.7 yards per carry was Washington’s Jameson McCane with 12 carries for 68 yards and one touchdown for the Blue Lions. Miami Trace was led on the ground by Austin Carpenter with 11 carries for 57 yards and one touchdown.
Still in the rushing attack, Hillsboro’s leading rusher was Logan Hester, with the running back finishing with seven carries for 56 yards in the Indians’ loss to Goshen. A Highland County counterpart, McClain senior Dalton Mischal, totaled 11 carries for 69 yards.
Two wide receivers stood out in the FAC in Week 2 as well with Miami Trace’s Joshua Gilmore finishing Friday night with six receptions for 100 yards and two scores (averaging 16.7 yards per reception), and Washington’s Eli Lynch totaled five receptions for 97 yards and one touchdown.
Jackson’s Treylan Davis had one reception, but it went for a gain of 49 yards, and Hillsboro’s Keith Doughman made a spectacular leaping catch for the Indians in the second half that really stood out this weekend.
• A LOOK AHEAD
Here is the Week 3 schedule for the FAC, with all of the games being held on a Friday night for the first time this season:
- Chillicothe (1-1) at Watkins Memorial (1-1)
- Hillsboro (1-1) at East Clinton (1-1)
- Jackson (2-0) vs. Logan (0-2)
- McClain (0-2) at Zane Trace (0-2)
- Miami Trace (1-1) vs. Logan Elm (1-1)
- Washington (2-0) at Adena (2-0)
• RANDOMNESS FROM THE FAC
- In a unique stat from Highland County, both the Hillsboro Indians and McClain Tigers have scored points in just two quarters each this season, with Hillsboro not scoring a point yet in the second half and the Tigers not scoring a point in the first half this season through the first two games.
- In three of their eight quarters played, the Blue Lions have scored at least 12 points in those three quarters, having a 12-point quarter in Week 1, and this past Friday night scoring 21 points in both the second and third quarters.
- All 21 points for McClain this season have been scored in the third quarter. At one point in the third against Northwest Saturday night, the Tigers were within a touchdown of tying the game.
- Miami Trace has yet to score a point in the third quarter this season.
- Chillicothe’s Hunter Thomas has 236 yards rushing in the first two games of the season combined on 43 total carries but has yet to reach the end zone, which will most likely happen sooner rather than later.
• ONE LAST THOUGHT
A shoutout to the bands (including the Tigerettes) and cheerleaders needs to happen this week because after two games played, those students are doing an excellent job at what they do as well. I’m not musically inclined nor have any rhythm whatsoever, so props to all that they bring to the atmosphere to Friday Night Football.
As for the games played, the FAC continues their non-conference schedule this weekend, and the biggest game on the schedule could be Washington at Adena. It will be interesting to see how fresh Adena is following a week without a game (they gained a forfeit win after Elgin canceled the Week 2 contest).
Also with the FAC, four teams will be playing on the road, so fans of the conference will get a chance to see some different venues this upcoming Friday night, which is always fun to see how other schools celebrate Friday Night Football.
After two weeks, what stands out the most for you in the games you’ve watched in person or from what you have seen in highlights or on the stat sheets? Let us know, and enjoy the games.
Stephen Forsha is the sports editor of The Highland County Press.
Following the first two weeks of the season, only the Jackson Ironmen and Washington Blue Lions are undefeated. The rest of the conference has at least one loss following the first two games. Following the first two weeks of games, here are the standings for the FAC:
[[In-content Ad]]
Jackson 0-0, 2-0
Washington 0-0, 2-0
Hillsboro 0-0, 1-1
Chillicothe 0-0, 1-1
Miami Trace 0-0, 1-1
McClain 0-0, 0-2
The FAC can be a very good conference, and it will be competitive throughout the non-conference part of the season — which still has three more weeks left — but when the FAC begins against each other, all six teams should be playing better football than they are at the end of Week 2. That will bring even more excitement than the conference has had thus far in non-conference games.
• STANDOUT PERFORMANCES
In Week 2, standing out for the FAC was Washington’s Ethan Rogers-Wright. The first-year starter for the Blue Lions finished 13-of-25 for 245 yards with five touchdowns and no interceptions against Circleville. Rogers-Wright also had six rushes for 55 yards, averaging 9.2 yards per carry.
Through two games this season, Rogers-Wright has 357 passing yards (eight TD passes, four interceptions) and 89 yards rushing in games against Blanchester and Circleville.
In fact, just three quarterbacks threw for 100 or more yards in Week 2 from the FAC, with Jackson’s Jared Icenhower finishing 6-of-8 for 111 yards with one touchdown and no interceptions against Athens. Also in the 100-yard club was Miami Trace’s Dalton Mayer, who went 8-of-16 for 114 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions in the Panthers’ home opener against Wilmington.
Rushing leaders for the FAC in Week 2 included two players from Jackson who went over the century mark in Ironmen’s win over Athens. Those players were Jayden Spires, who had 25 rushes for 126 yards and one touchdown, and Brice Graham at 23 carries for 115 yards and three touchdowns.
There was also Hunter Thomas of Chillicothe, who led the conference in rushing for Week 2, finishing with 29 carries for 165 yards, averaging 5.7 yards per carry in the Cavaliers first win of the season against Mifflin.
Also averaging 5.7 yards per carry was Washington’s Jameson McCane with 12 carries for 68 yards and one touchdown for the Blue Lions. Miami Trace was led on the ground by Austin Carpenter with 11 carries for 57 yards and one touchdown.
Still in the rushing attack, Hillsboro’s leading rusher was Logan Hester, with the running back finishing with seven carries for 56 yards in the Indians’ loss to Goshen. A Highland County counterpart, McClain senior Dalton Mischal, totaled 11 carries for 69 yards.
Two wide receivers stood out in the FAC in Week 2 as well with Miami Trace’s Joshua Gilmore finishing Friday night with six receptions for 100 yards and two scores (averaging 16.7 yards per reception), and Washington’s Eli Lynch totaled five receptions for 97 yards and one touchdown.
Jackson’s Treylan Davis had one reception, but it went for a gain of 49 yards, and Hillsboro’s Keith Doughman made a spectacular leaping catch for the Indians in the second half that really stood out this weekend.
• A LOOK AHEAD
Here is the Week 3 schedule for the FAC, with all of the games being held on a Friday night for the first time this season:
- Chillicothe (1-1) at Watkins Memorial (1-1)
- Hillsboro (1-1) at East Clinton (1-1)
- Jackson (2-0) vs. Logan (0-2)
- McClain (0-2) at Zane Trace (0-2)
- Miami Trace (1-1) vs. Logan Elm (1-1)
- Washington (2-0) at Adena (2-0)
• RANDOMNESS FROM THE FAC
- In a unique stat from Highland County, both the Hillsboro Indians and McClain Tigers have scored points in just two quarters each this season, with Hillsboro not scoring a point yet in the second half and the Tigers not scoring a point in the first half this season through the first two games.
- In three of their eight quarters played, the Blue Lions have scored at least 12 points in those three quarters, having a 12-point quarter in Week 1, and this past Friday night scoring 21 points in both the second and third quarters.
- All 21 points for McClain this season have been scored in the third quarter. At one point in the third against Northwest Saturday night, the Tigers were within a touchdown of tying the game.
- Miami Trace has yet to score a point in the third quarter this season.
- Chillicothe’s Hunter Thomas has 236 yards rushing in the first two games of the season combined on 43 total carries but has yet to reach the end zone, which will most likely happen sooner rather than later.
• ONE LAST THOUGHT
A shoutout to the bands (including the Tigerettes) and cheerleaders needs to happen this week because after two games played, those students are doing an excellent job at what they do as well. I’m not musically inclined nor have any rhythm whatsoever, so props to all that they bring to the atmosphere to Friday Night Football.
As for the games played, the FAC continues their non-conference schedule this weekend, and the biggest game on the schedule could be Washington at Adena. It will be interesting to see how fresh Adena is following a week without a game (they gained a forfeit win after Elgin canceled the Week 2 contest).
Also with the FAC, four teams will be playing on the road, so fans of the conference will get a chance to see some different venues this upcoming Friday night, which is always fun to see how other schools celebrate Friday Night Football.
After two weeks, what stands out the most for you in the games you’ve watched in person or from what you have seen in highlights or on the stat sheets? Let us know, and enjoy the games.
Stephen Forsha is the sports editor of The Highland County Press.