Hillsboro runs over CNE Rockets for 1st win of season
Lead Summary
By
Stephen Forsha-sforsha@gmail.com
A one-hour weather delay, a muddy field and playing on a Saturday night didn’t faze the Hillsboro Indians in their home opener at Richards Memorial Field in their final non-conference game of the season. Instead, the Indians used a stout rushing attack, mixed in a few big passes and rolled along to a steady defeat of the Clermont Northeastern Rockets.
The Indians (1-2) dominated the game, winning by a 42-6 score, earning their first win of the season and gaining a win over the Rockets for a third consecutive season. Last year, the Indians won 40-6, and the previous year, HHS won by a 39-0 score.
On Saturday night, the rain eventually passed, and though the night was a bit balmy, the Indians just used their rushing attack to control the clock and the pace of the game en route to their victory. Unofficially, the Indians totaled 366 yards of offense.
They set the tone on the first drive of the game, building a 12-play, 48-yard drive that ended with seven points as they scored a 5-yard touchdown off a run by Sajoun Jones, who raced around the the defense to the left pylon, stretching out in mid-air to avoid the Rockets defender, landing in the end zone for a touchdown with 6:01 left in the opening quarter. The PAT by Britton Haines put the Indians ahead by a 7-0 score.
The opening drive by the Indians consisted of all runs with rushes by Luke Gallimore, Hunter Chain, Deon Burns, Britton Haines and Brian Smith.
“We have some good kids who can run the football, and the big thing right now is we are getting better as a team,” HHS head coach Jack O’Rourke said. “The kids are getting better each week, understanding what we want done better, and we showed that (Saturday).”
Hillsboro’s defense forced a punt on a drive that included a tackle for loss from Ben McClellan, though the Indians were also forced to punt to start the second quarter. On the ensuing drive by CNE on a third-and-2 play from the HHS 18-yard line, while threatening to tie the game up, the Indians forced a fumble, as it was recovered by Deegan Boris at the 17-yard line with 8:31 left in the first half.
HHS took full advantage of the forced turnover by building a scoring drive that began with Burns (who returned to the game following an ankle injury) with a two-yard run, followed by a six-yard dash by Gallimore.
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Gallimore followed that up with a 5-yard rush, and the Tribe took a 14-point lead off a 69-yard rush to pay dirt by Josh Keets on a first-and-10 from the Indians’ 31-yard line. The score came as Keets took the handoff, raced around the defense front of the Rockets, and then he turned up the speed and rushed away for six points down the sideline of the Rockets with 6:30 remaining in the second quarter. The PAT by Haines put HHS in front by a 14-0 score.
“It was important for us to get the early lead, to get the confidence levels up and so on,” O’Rourke said. “I will give compliments to their (CNE) coaches, as that’s the best job Northeastern has done in a long time with their football program, and they are really making strides. They scared me this week to be honest, watching them on film. They are going to be somebody to be reckoned with in the future.”
Following another punt forced by the Indians, the Indians continued to use their rushing game to gain yardage, though this drive they mixed in some passes as they called 23 straight rushing plays before throwing the football against the Rockets.
HHS began what became their third scoring drive of the game on their own 47-yard line. After consecutive runs by Smith, and Burns powering his way for three yards and a first down, the Indians later on a second down play had Haines rush for five yards on a reverse.
From there, the Indians passed the football for the first time, as Chain found Burns for 16 yards on a third-and-6 play. That was continued with Gallimore and Chain each having 9-yard rushes, giving the Indians first-and-goal on the 4-yard line. As the drive moved along, the Indians were called for a 10-yard holding call, and after a play for no gain, HHS scored their third touchdown of the first half with Chain finding Haines in the end zone as time expired in the first half for a 14-yard touchdown. The PAT was converted, giving HHS a 21-0 lead at halftime.
CNE (0-3) scored their lone touchdown on the first drive of the third quarter, compiling a 14-play drive, a drive that included the Indians giving the Rockets 30 yards on two personal foul penalties. The drive ended with the Rockets’ touchdown on a 4-yard rush by Luke Rayburn. CNE went for a 2-point conversion, but Hillsboro’s Max Conover stopped the play with a tackle, keeping CNE at six points.
The Indians responded with their fourth touchdown of the game, a three-play drive that wrapped up on a 55-yard pass from Chain to Jones with one-on-one coverage, as Jones beat the defender by at least four steps, catching the pass in stride and racing untouched to the end zone with 4:12 left in the third quarter. HHS was unable to convert their 2-point conversion attempt, leaving HHS in front by a 27-6 score.
HHS forced a turnover on the next drive with Gary Vincent recovering a fumble with the clock reading 2:38 left in the third quarter, as the Indians’ defense on the drive also had two tackles for a three-yard loss by McClellan and Keets.
Hillsboro again took advantage of the turnover, scoring a fifth touchdown with 1:26 left in the third, as Smith rushed for 27 yards to the end zone. Haines’ PAT put the Tribe ahead by 34-6.
HHS came back with more defensive pressure on the Rockets, recovering a fumble on the Indians’ 26-yard line as Boris jumped on the football with 13.4 on the third-quarter clock.
The Indians added another touchdown following that turnover with 4:26 left in the third quarter. HHS built a 13-play drive of all runs, ending with a 2-yard rush on third-and-goal by Devon Gallimore. The Indians added two more points on a 2-point conversion try, with Mason Lewis taking the ball to the end zone for two points and the 42-6 lead to complete scoring for the game.
The Indians (1-2) dominated the game, winning by a 42-6 score, earning their first win of the season and gaining a win over the Rockets for a third consecutive season. Last year, the Indians won 40-6, and the previous year, HHS won by a 39-0 score.
On Saturday night, the rain eventually passed, and though the night was a bit balmy, the Indians just used their rushing attack to control the clock and the pace of the game en route to their victory. Unofficially, the Indians totaled 366 yards of offense.
They set the tone on the first drive of the game, building a 12-play, 48-yard drive that ended with seven points as they scored a 5-yard touchdown off a run by Sajoun Jones, who raced around the the defense to the left pylon, stretching out in mid-air to avoid the Rockets defender, landing in the end zone for a touchdown with 6:01 left in the opening quarter. The PAT by Britton Haines put the Indians ahead by a 7-0 score.
The opening drive by the Indians consisted of all runs with rushes by Luke Gallimore, Hunter Chain, Deon Burns, Britton Haines and Brian Smith.
“We have some good kids who can run the football, and the big thing right now is we are getting better as a team,” HHS head coach Jack O’Rourke said. “The kids are getting better each week, understanding what we want done better, and we showed that (Saturday).”
Hillsboro’s defense forced a punt on a drive that included a tackle for loss from Ben McClellan, though the Indians were also forced to punt to start the second quarter. On the ensuing drive by CNE on a third-and-2 play from the HHS 18-yard line, while threatening to tie the game up, the Indians forced a fumble, as it was recovered by Deegan Boris at the 17-yard line with 8:31 left in the first half.
HHS took full advantage of the forced turnover by building a scoring drive that began with Burns (who returned to the game following an ankle injury) with a two-yard run, followed by a six-yard dash by Gallimore.
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Gallimore followed that up with a 5-yard rush, and the Tribe took a 14-point lead off a 69-yard rush to pay dirt by Josh Keets on a first-and-10 from the Indians’ 31-yard line. The score came as Keets took the handoff, raced around the defense front of the Rockets, and then he turned up the speed and rushed away for six points down the sideline of the Rockets with 6:30 remaining in the second quarter. The PAT by Haines put HHS in front by a 14-0 score.
“It was important for us to get the early lead, to get the confidence levels up and so on,” O’Rourke said. “I will give compliments to their (CNE) coaches, as that’s the best job Northeastern has done in a long time with their football program, and they are really making strides. They scared me this week to be honest, watching them on film. They are going to be somebody to be reckoned with in the future.”
Following another punt forced by the Indians, the Indians continued to use their rushing game to gain yardage, though this drive they mixed in some passes as they called 23 straight rushing plays before throwing the football against the Rockets.
HHS began what became their third scoring drive of the game on their own 47-yard line. After consecutive runs by Smith, and Burns powering his way for three yards and a first down, the Indians later on a second down play had Haines rush for five yards on a reverse.
From there, the Indians passed the football for the first time, as Chain found Burns for 16 yards on a third-and-6 play. That was continued with Gallimore and Chain each having 9-yard rushes, giving the Indians first-and-goal on the 4-yard line. As the drive moved along, the Indians were called for a 10-yard holding call, and after a play for no gain, HHS scored their third touchdown of the first half with Chain finding Haines in the end zone as time expired in the first half for a 14-yard touchdown. The PAT was converted, giving HHS a 21-0 lead at halftime.
CNE (0-3) scored their lone touchdown on the first drive of the third quarter, compiling a 14-play drive, a drive that included the Indians giving the Rockets 30 yards on two personal foul penalties. The drive ended with the Rockets’ touchdown on a 4-yard rush by Luke Rayburn. CNE went for a 2-point conversion, but Hillsboro’s Max Conover stopped the play with a tackle, keeping CNE at six points.
The Indians responded with their fourth touchdown of the game, a three-play drive that wrapped up on a 55-yard pass from Chain to Jones with one-on-one coverage, as Jones beat the defender by at least four steps, catching the pass in stride and racing untouched to the end zone with 4:12 left in the third quarter. HHS was unable to convert their 2-point conversion attempt, leaving HHS in front by a 27-6 score.
HHS forced a turnover on the next drive with Gary Vincent recovering a fumble with the clock reading 2:38 left in the third quarter, as the Indians’ defense on the drive also had two tackles for a three-yard loss by McClellan and Keets.
Hillsboro again took advantage of the turnover, scoring a fifth touchdown with 1:26 left in the third, as Smith rushed for 27 yards to the end zone. Haines’ PAT put the Tribe ahead by 34-6.
HHS came back with more defensive pressure on the Rockets, recovering a fumble on the Indians’ 26-yard line as Boris jumped on the football with 13.4 on the third-quarter clock.
The Indians added another touchdown following that turnover with 4:26 left in the third quarter. HHS built a 13-play drive of all runs, ending with a 2-yard rush on third-and-goal by Devon Gallimore. The Indians added two more points on a 2-point conversion try, with Mason Lewis taking the ball to the end zone for two points and the 42-6 lead to complete scoring for the game.