HHS falls to Western Brown, 49-18, in season opener
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By COLIN RYAN
The Highland County Press
After playing slightly more than 12 minutes of football Friday night, the youthful Hillsboro Indians appeared to be upset minded.
It wasn't to be.
Coach Brian Spicer's squad scored two quick touchdowns midway through the first half and posted a 12-7 lead over the Western Brown Broncos, coached by Evan Dreyer.
Senior Tyrand Cumberland intercepted a Nick Woodyard pass with 35 seconds left in the first period and returned it 27 yards for a touchdown. The point after attempt was no good, and the Indians trailed, 7-6.
A few snaps later, Christian Wildey, another HHS senior, busted a 22-yard run for six points and the Tribe's first lead of the 2011 season. This time, the two-point conversion attempt failed, and it was a 12-7 game early in the second period.
From that point, though, the game was all Western Brown. The Broncos went on to outscore Hillsboro, 42-6, the rest of the way, en route to a 49-18 non-league win. (Hillsboro had defeated the Broncos in last year's season opener in Mount Orab, 35-34.)
Woodyard ran for the Broncos' first TD, a 25-yard scramble. Running back Jake Lawson scored on a five-yard run, followed by a two-point conversion on a pass from Woodyard to Zaine Clark, making it a 15-12 contest.
Later in the first half, Woodyard found Lawson for another scoring strike to make it 21-12. Hillsboro's Chase Gilliland intercepted Woodyard's pass in the end zone on the ensuing two-point conversion try.
Hillsboro's defense put up a solid goal-line stand to close out the first half, stopping the Broncos on four straight plays inside the 10-yard line.
After Hillsboro took over on downs, they managed to fumble the football with just three seconds remaining in the half. With no timeouts, Woodyard had time for one final play, but his pass attempt fell incomplete.
Cumberland, Wildey, Gilliland, Michael Stuckey and Dillon Hunick had defensive stops early on, but Woodyard and Lawson controlled the tempo with good blocking up front by the Broncos.
After a lengthy first half that included an injury timeout for Hillsboro freshman Logan Lesley, the third quarter got under way at 9:25 p.m.
The Indians received the kickoff and Wildey brought it back to the Hillsboro 32.
Craig Jackson carried the ball for a four-yard pickup, then added two more yards on second down. Quarterback Christian Cundiff then connected with Gilliland for four yards and a first down, after the measurement. Cundiff then laced a pass to Stuckey for 16 yards and another first down and the Indians were moving the football.
However, the drive stalled after a penalty for illegal procedure and an incomplete pass.
Western Brown took over and again moved downfield. A crucial fourth-down conversion on a pass to Mike Lindsey set up the touchdown that all but put the game out of reach. Two plays later, Woodyard ran it in from four yards and Justin Berkley added the PAT for a 28-12 game.
The Broncos added three more TDs, including a late fourth-quarter score to cap their first win of the new year.
Gilliland completed the Indians' scoring with a fourth-quarter kickoff return for a touchdown.
Hillsboro will take on Goshen on Friday, Sept. 2.[[In-content Ad]]
The Highland County Press
After playing slightly more than 12 minutes of football Friday night, the youthful Hillsboro Indians appeared to be upset minded.
It wasn't to be.
Coach Brian Spicer's squad scored two quick touchdowns midway through the first half and posted a 12-7 lead over the Western Brown Broncos, coached by Evan Dreyer.
Senior Tyrand Cumberland intercepted a Nick Woodyard pass with 35 seconds left in the first period and returned it 27 yards for a touchdown. The point after attempt was no good, and the Indians trailed, 7-6.
A few snaps later, Christian Wildey, another HHS senior, busted a 22-yard run for six points and the Tribe's first lead of the 2011 season. This time, the two-point conversion attempt failed, and it was a 12-7 game early in the second period.
From that point, though, the game was all Western Brown. The Broncos went on to outscore Hillsboro, 42-6, the rest of the way, en route to a 49-18 non-league win. (Hillsboro had defeated the Broncos in last year's season opener in Mount Orab, 35-34.)
Woodyard ran for the Broncos' first TD, a 25-yard scramble. Running back Jake Lawson scored on a five-yard run, followed by a two-point conversion on a pass from Woodyard to Zaine Clark, making it a 15-12 contest.
Later in the first half, Woodyard found Lawson for another scoring strike to make it 21-12. Hillsboro's Chase Gilliland intercepted Woodyard's pass in the end zone on the ensuing two-point conversion try.
Hillsboro's defense put up a solid goal-line stand to close out the first half, stopping the Broncos on four straight plays inside the 10-yard line.
After Hillsboro took over on downs, they managed to fumble the football with just three seconds remaining in the half. With no timeouts, Woodyard had time for one final play, but his pass attempt fell incomplete.
Cumberland, Wildey, Gilliland, Michael Stuckey and Dillon Hunick had defensive stops early on, but Woodyard and Lawson controlled the tempo with good blocking up front by the Broncos.
After a lengthy first half that included an injury timeout for Hillsboro freshman Logan Lesley, the third quarter got under way at 9:25 p.m.
The Indians received the kickoff and Wildey brought it back to the Hillsboro 32.
Craig Jackson carried the ball for a four-yard pickup, then added two more yards on second down. Quarterback Christian Cundiff then connected with Gilliland for four yards and a first down, after the measurement. Cundiff then laced a pass to Stuckey for 16 yards and another first down and the Indians were moving the football.
However, the drive stalled after a penalty for illegal procedure and an incomplete pass.
Western Brown took over and again moved downfield. A crucial fourth-down conversion on a pass to Mike Lindsey set up the touchdown that all but put the game out of reach. Two plays later, Woodyard ran it in from four yards and Justin Berkley added the PAT for a 28-12 game.
The Broncos added three more TDs, including a late fourth-quarter score to cap their first win of the new year.
Gilliland completed the Indians' scoring with a fourth-quarter kickoff return for a touchdown.
Hillsboro will take on Goshen on Friday, Sept. 2.[[In-content Ad]]