Hillsboro Indians unable to keep pace with Western Brown
Lead Summary
By
Stephen Forsha-sforsha@gmail.com
HILLSBORO – Though there was great excitement before the game with the fans cheering loudly and the band playing the fight song, the 2021 season opener for the Hillsboro Indians didn’t go the way of the home team at Richards Memorial Field against the Western Brown Broncos.
The Indians had many penalties on offense in the first half, allowed the visiting Broncos to make big plays through the air when on defense, and a couple turnovers didn’t help the Indians either, eventually resulting in a 62-21 loss in Week 1.
By the time halftime arrived, the Broncos began to pull away from the home team Indians, leading by 28 points by a 42-14 score.
Hillsboro had the first drive of the game on offense with the Indians having a 14-yard gain on second down, with a Chris Stout pass to Ethan Grooms for the first down. The drive ended with the Indians being forced to punt, giving the ball to the Broncos.
It took Western Brown two plays to score the first points of the game, as quarterback Drew Novak rushed 78 yards to the end zone for six points with 9:17 left on the first-quarter clock. The PAT by Evan Grimes put the Broncos ahead by a 7-0 score.
Hillsboro punted on their second drive, but the defense played big their second time on the field with an interception by Canaan Griffith at the Indians’ 15-yard line with 5:37 left in the first quarter. Eleven plays later, Hillsboro was unable to capitalize on the interception, as they had a turnover on downs.
The Broncos took a 14-0 lead in the second frame with WBHS building an eight-play drive, resulting in a 1-yard touchdown run by Novak with 11:35 on the second-quarter clock. The PAT by Grimes gave the Broncos a 14-point lead.
On the ensuing drive, HHS lost the ball on a fumble by Stout after he was under heavy pressure by the Broncos’ defense with 10:26 left in the first half.
Four plays later, the Broncos were back in the end zone when on a second-and-10 play on the 17-yard line, WBHS saw Novak pass to Matthew Osborne, who was wide open in the middle of the field for a touchdown at the 9:47 mark of the second quarter. A third PAT made by Grimes put the Broncos ahead by 21 points.
The Indians (0-1) weren’t going to back down as they trailed by 21 points, instead battling back by scoring a touchdown on a drive that went 71 yards. HHS began with a 3-yard run by Travis Ross, and following a penalty on the Indians, Stout found Ross for a 5-yard gain through the air.
On third down, it was Stout finding Ross for a gain of 13 yards, putting the Indians on their own 46-yard line. The next play was a success for the Indians with Stout passing to Griffith for a 54-yard touchdown, as Griffith broke a couple tackles while in stride on his way to the end zone with 8:03 left in the second quarter. Dylan Rigsby kicked the PAT for a 21-7 score.
The Broncos (1-0) weren’t finished reaching the end zone in the second quarter, building a nine-play drive, including a fourth down conversion. The result saw Novak leap over a pile of players on a QB keeper for a 1-yard touchdown on second down with 6:32 on the second-quarter clock.
With the score having Western Brown ahead 28-7 following the PAT by Grimes, the Broncos regained possession of the ball following an interception made by Jace Beasley of WBHS with 5:02 left on the clock in the second quarter.
One play into the ensuing drive, the Broncos were back in the end zone with Novak finding Smith for a 33-yard touchdown reception with 4:55 remaining in the second frame. Grimes made another PAT for a 35-7 WBHS lead.
Hillsboro’s second touchdown of the game came following an eight-play drive where on first-and-goal Derek Whitt rushed for a 2-yard touchdown with 2:23 left in the second quarter. Rigsby’s PAT was good, leaving the score 35-14.
WBHS scored one more touchdown in the first half when Novak passed for a 69-yard touchdown pass to Smith with 1:34 on the clock in the first half. Again, Grimes made the PAT, making it a 42-14 Broncos lead, which stood going into halftime.
Western Brown scored a rushing touchdown in the third frame by Novak that went for a 55-yard gain with 9:44 left in the third quarter as the running clock went into effect. Grimes converted the PAT for a 49-14 lead.
In the fourth quarter, Stout had a 1-yard touchdown for the Indians with 8:27 left in the game. Rigsby made the PAT for the Indians’ 21st point of the game and a 49-21 score.
WBHS had two more touchdowns in the fourth quarter with Logan Campbell scoring a touchdown, and later in the fourth quarter Osborne had a receiving touchdown. The PAT was blocked by HHS, leaving the final score 62-21.
Next for the Indians is a Week 2 game on Friday, Aug. 27 at home against the Goshen Warriors at 7 p.m. in a game at Richards Memorial Field.
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The Indians had many penalties on offense in the first half, allowed the visiting Broncos to make big plays through the air when on defense, and a couple turnovers didn’t help the Indians either, eventually resulting in a 62-21 loss in Week 1.
By the time halftime arrived, the Broncos began to pull away from the home team Indians, leading by 28 points by a 42-14 score.
Hillsboro had the first drive of the game on offense with the Indians having a 14-yard gain on second down, with a Chris Stout pass to Ethan Grooms for the first down. The drive ended with the Indians being forced to punt, giving the ball to the Broncos.
It took Western Brown two plays to score the first points of the game, as quarterback Drew Novak rushed 78 yards to the end zone for six points with 9:17 left on the first-quarter clock. The PAT by Evan Grimes put the Broncos ahead by a 7-0 score.
Hillsboro punted on their second drive, but the defense played big their second time on the field with an interception by Canaan Griffith at the Indians’ 15-yard line with 5:37 left in the first quarter. Eleven plays later, Hillsboro was unable to capitalize on the interception, as they had a turnover on downs.
The Broncos took a 14-0 lead in the second frame with WBHS building an eight-play drive, resulting in a 1-yard touchdown run by Novak with 11:35 on the second-quarter clock. The PAT by Grimes gave the Broncos a 14-point lead.
On the ensuing drive, HHS lost the ball on a fumble by Stout after he was under heavy pressure by the Broncos’ defense with 10:26 left in the first half.
Four plays later, the Broncos were back in the end zone when on a second-and-10 play on the 17-yard line, WBHS saw Novak pass to Matthew Osborne, who was wide open in the middle of the field for a touchdown at the 9:47 mark of the second quarter. A third PAT made by Grimes put the Broncos ahead by 21 points.
The Indians (0-1) weren’t going to back down as they trailed by 21 points, instead battling back by scoring a touchdown on a drive that went 71 yards. HHS began with a 3-yard run by Travis Ross, and following a penalty on the Indians, Stout found Ross for a 5-yard gain through the air.
On third down, it was Stout finding Ross for a gain of 13 yards, putting the Indians on their own 46-yard line. The next play was a success for the Indians with Stout passing to Griffith for a 54-yard touchdown, as Griffith broke a couple tackles while in stride on his way to the end zone with 8:03 left in the second quarter. Dylan Rigsby kicked the PAT for a 21-7 score.
The Broncos (1-0) weren’t finished reaching the end zone in the second quarter, building a nine-play drive, including a fourth down conversion. The result saw Novak leap over a pile of players on a QB keeper for a 1-yard touchdown on second down with 6:32 on the second-quarter clock.
With the score having Western Brown ahead 28-7 following the PAT by Grimes, the Broncos regained possession of the ball following an interception made by Jace Beasley of WBHS with 5:02 left on the clock in the second quarter.
One play into the ensuing drive, the Broncos were back in the end zone with Novak finding Smith for a 33-yard touchdown reception with 4:55 remaining in the second frame. Grimes made another PAT for a 35-7 WBHS lead.
Hillsboro’s second touchdown of the game came following an eight-play drive where on first-and-goal Derek Whitt rushed for a 2-yard touchdown with 2:23 left in the second quarter. Rigsby’s PAT was good, leaving the score 35-14.
WBHS scored one more touchdown in the first half when Novak passed for a 69-yard touchdown pass to Smith with 1:34 on the clock in the first half. Again, Grimes made the PAT, making it a 42-14 Broncos lead, which stood going into halftime.
Western Brown scored a rushing touchdown in the third frame by Novak that went for a 55-yard gain with 9:44 left in the third quarter as the running clock went into effect. Grimes converted the PAT for a 49-14 lead.
In the fourth quarter, Stout had a 1-yard touchdown for the Indians with 8:27 left in the game. Rigsby made the PAT for the Indians’ 21st point of the game and a 49-21 score.
WBHS had two more touchdowns in the fourth quarter with Logan Campbell scoring a touchdown, and later in the fourth quarter Osborne had a receiving touchdown. The PAT was blocked by HHS, leaving the final score 62-21.
Next for the Indians is a Week 2 game on Friday, Aug. 27 at home against the Goshen Warriors at 7 p.m. in a game at Richards Memorial Field.
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