Hillsboro Indians shut out by Broncos to open season
Lead Summary
By
Stephen Forsha-sforsha@gmail.com
HILLSBORO — Three interceptions by Hillsboro defensive back Hunter Chain was the positive for the Indians in their season opener as they hosted the Western Brown Broncos at Richards Memorial Field.
The negative for the Indians was the Broncos scored at will for the most part at the Indians' home field, leading to a season-opening loss for the Tribe by a 40-0 score, extending the Broncos' winning streak against HHS to five straight years.
As for Chain, on the defensive side of the football, the junior had his first interception with 7:15 left in the first, gaining the turnover on a fourth-and-19 play.
Chain grabbed his second interception on a first-and-goal play with 11:53 left in the second on the Indians' 11-yard line. His final pick came with 7:18 left in the third, this time with the interception coming in the end zone, stopping a Broncos touchdown attempt.
The problem for the Indians was Western Brown was able to gain yards in huge chunks, including forcing turnovers of their own, including on the very first drive of the game.
As the quarterback of the Indians, Chain was intercepted with 10:26 left in the first on the third play of the game by Western Brown junior Jake Henderson on a third-and-11 play, giving WB the ball on the Indians' 42-yard line.
[[In-content Ad]]It took just one play for the Broncos to reach pay dirt as senior quarterback Chaiten Tomlin found fellow senior Eean Hornung for a 42-yard reception, as the senior wide receiver broke the defense of the Indians with 10:22 on the first-quarter clock.
Next, the Broncos blocked a punt, regaining possession on the Indians' 42-yard line with 8:07 in the first. This time, the drive of WB ended with the first of the aforementioned interceptions by Chain.
HHS (0-1) put a drive together, starting on their own 35-yard line, but 12 plays later, the Indians fumbled the football following a timeout, which was recovered by sophomore Seth Taylor, still in the first with 3:13 on the scoreboard.
The Broncos (1-0) took advantage of the turnover, making the score 13-0 eight plays later with Tomlin finding sophomore Carson Eyre for eight yards with 2:04 left in the first quarter. The converted PAT was made by senior Quentin Winkler.
WB regained possession again, this time off a squib kick that bounced off a player from the Indians with 2:02 on the clock. HHS responded by the second of the interceptions by Chain.
Following a three-and-out by HHS, the Broncos added to their lead when Hornung raced untouched for a one-yard score with 8:24 left in the first half. The PAT was missed for a 19-0 lead.
The Indians were forced to punt, and on their first play of the ensuing drive, Western Brown made it a 26-0 lead when Hornung caught a pass on their own 35-yard line and galloped away from the Indians' defense for 86 yards and six points.
HHS responded with one of their best drives of the game, including a 35-yard reception by Ryan Hagen on a third-and-10 play, making the catch near the side line at the 27-yard line. But the Tribe ended the drive with a punt.
Before the end of the first half, WB scored their fifth touchdown of the first half with Eli Crall scoring a 15-yard reception on a pass from Tomlin in a first-and-15 play with under a minute to go in the opening half. Crall caught the pass in the corner of the end zone for the 33-point lead.
With the running clock in effect for the entire second half, the Broncos added one final score with 12 seconds left in the third as sophomore Zach Stacy raced 35 yards on a reception for the sixth WB to the end zone. Winkler's PAT secured the final lead of 40 points.
Since the '11 season (HHS last defeated the Broncos in '10), WB has outscored HHS, 221-44 in five games.
The Indians will play at home again in Week 2, this time hosting the Goshen Warriors at Richards Memorial Field. HHS defeated Goshen, 28-7 last season.
On Friday night, the Warriors defeated Ross by a 28-20 score to move to 1-0 overall.
HILLSBORO GAME NOTES: Brian Smith had a 15-yard kickoff return in the first quarter … Connor Lowe had a tackle for loss of 9 yards … Chain had a QB keeper run of 21 yards in the first quarter … Ryan Hagan on the same drive caught a 13-yard pass for a first down … Curran Butler had a tackle for loss that went for seven yards in the fourth … Also in the fourth, Jed Asmus had a 7-yard tackle for loss.
The negative for the Indians was the Broncos scored at will for the most part at the Indians' home field, leading to a season-opening loss for the Tribe by a 40-0 score, extending the Broncos' winning streak against HHS to five straight years.
As for Chain, on the defensive side of the football, the junior had his first interception with 7:15 left in the first, gaining the turnover on a fourth-and-19 play.
Chain grabbed his second interception on a first-and-goal play with 11:53 left in the second on the Indians' 11-yard line. His final pick came with 7:18 left in the third, this time with the interception coming in the end zone, stopping a Broncos touchdown attempt.
The problem for the Indians was Western Brown was able to gain yards in huge chunks, including forcing turnovers of their own, including on the very first drive of the game.
As the quarterback of the Indians, Chain was intercepted with 10:26 left in the first on the third play of the game by Western Brown junior Jake Henderson on a third-and-11 play, giving WB the ball on the Indians' 42-yard line.
[[In-content Ad]]It took just one play for the Broncos to reach pay dirt as senior quarterback Chaiten Tomlin found fellow senior Eean Hornung for a 42-yard reception, as the senior wide receiver broke the defense of the Indians with 10:22 on the first-quarter clock.
Next, the Broncos blocked a punt, regaining possession on the Indians' 42-yard line with 8:07 in the first. This time, the drive of WB ended with the first of the aforementioned interceptions by Chain.
HHS (0-1) put a drive together, starting on their own 35-yard line, but 12 plays later, the Indians fumbled the football following a timeout, which was recovered by sophomore Seth Taylor, still in the first with 3:13 on the scoreboard.
The Broncos (1-0) took advantage of the turnover, making the score 13-0 eight plays later with Tomlin finding sophomore Carson Eyre for eight yards with 2:04 left in the first quarter. The converted PAT was made by senior Quentin Winkler.
WB regained possession again, this time off a squib kick that bounced off a player from the Indians with 2:02 on the clock. HHS responded by the second of the interceptions by Chain.
Following a three-and-out by HHS, the Broncos added to their lead when Hornung raced untouched for a one-yard score with 8:24 left in the first half. The PAT was missed for a 19-0 lead.
The Indians were forced to punt, and on their first play of the ensuing drive, Western Brown made it a 26-0 lead when Hornung caught a pass on their own 35-yard line and galloped away from the Indians' defense for 86 yards and six points.
HHS responded with one of their best drives of the game, including a 35-yard reception by Ryan Hagen on a third-and-10 play, making the catch near the side line at the 27-yard line. But the Tribe ended the drive with a punt.
Before the end of the first half, WB scored their fifth touchdown of the first half with Eli Crall scoring a 15-yard reception on a pass from Tomlin in a first-and-15 play with under a minute to go in the opening half. Crall caught the pass in the corner of the end zone for the 33-point lead.
With the running clock in effect for the entire second half, the Broncos added one final score with 12 seconds left in the third as sophomore Zach Stacy raced 35 yards on a reception for the sixth WB to the end zone. Winkler's PAT secured the final lead of 40 points.
Since the '11 season (HHS last defeated the Broncos in '10), WB has outscored HHS, 221-44 in five games.
The Indians will play at home again in Week 2, this time hosting the Goshen Warriors at Richards Memorial Field. HHS defeated Goshen, 28-7 last season.
On Friday night, the Warriors defeated Ross by a 28-20 score to move to 1-0 overall.
HILLSBORO GAME NOTES: Brian Smith had a 15-yard kickoff return in the first quarter … Connor Lowe had a tackle for loss of 9 yards … Chain had a QB keeper run of 21 yards in the first quarter … Ryan Hagan on the same drive caught a 13-yard pass for a first down … Curran Butler had a tackle for loss that went for seven yards in the fourth … Also in the fourth, Jed Asmus had a 7-yard tackle for loss.