Hillsboro unable to keep pace with Miami Trace in FAC loss
Lead Summary
By
Stephen Forsha-sforsha@gmail.com
HILLSBORO – The defense for both the Hillsboro Indians and Miami Trace Panthers had their issues at times on Friday night in Week 7 of the high school football season.
With both teams battling tough in the first half at Richards Memorial Field on homecoming for the Indians, it was the visiting Miami Trace Panthers who broke away from a 21-all tied score in the second quarter to eventually win by a 48-28 score in Frontier Athletic Conference play.
The Indians, following an 81-yard touchdown reception by HHS senior Canaan Griffith, were tied with the Panthers at 21-21 with 5:56 left in the second quarter. From that point on, the Indians eventually trailed 35-21 at halftime, and in the second half Miami Trace outscored the host Indians, 13-7 to secure the win.
The Panthers were first to strike on the scoreboard as quarterback Weston Melvin ran into the end zone on a 10-yard QB keeper with 8:08 left in the first quarter. The touchdown run by Melvin on the Panthers’ first drive of the game, plus the ensuing PAT by kicker Zachary Warnock, gave the Panthers a 7-0 advantage.
Hillsboro regrouped, then on what was their second drive of the game put together a 9-play 60-yard drive that included a 22-yard reception by Ethan Grooms from a Chris Stout pass. Later in the drive, there was a run for an 8-yard gain by Travis Ross. The play that put points on the board was a Stout pass to Griffith for a 20-yard touchdown with 4:20 left in the quarter. The PAT from Dylan Rigsby tied the score at 7-7.
On the next Miami Trace drive, the Panthers were back in the end zone with a 4-yard run by Jayden LeBeau with 1:22 left in the opening quarter. The PAT from Warnock was good for 14-7 advantage for the Panthers. This drive also included a 58-yard run by LeBeau that took the Panthers from their own 32-yard line all the way to the Hillsboro 10-yard line.
This time, the Indians took only five plays to score their second touchdown of the FAC game, as it was a 1-yard rush by Stout on a QB keeper on fourth-and-goal that gave HHS six points with 11:12 left in the second quarter.
Rigsby’s extra-point attempt sailed through the uprights for a 14-14 score. Before the touchdown, the first play of the drive was a 59-yard gain by Ross off a Stout pass on first down, which took the Indians from their own 25-yard line to the MT 8-yard line.
Miami Trace found themselves celebrating in the end zone on their third straight drive when Landen Cope caught a pass from Melvin for a 34-yard touchdown with 8:20 left in the second quarter. The PAT was good to push Miami Trace ahead, 21-14.
The Indians wasted little time in equaling the same feat of the Panthers, as HHS ended up celebrating their third touchdown of the first half. This one came off a 59-yard touchdown catch by Griffith off a Stout pass.
After catching the pass around mid-field, Griffith broke away from a tackle attempt and kept himself from falling to the ground by balancing himself with one arm. From there, he cut back to the middle of the field, then broke loose down the HHS sideline while avoiding another tackle for the touchdown. Grigsby made the PAT for the 21-21 tie with 5:56 on the second-quarter clock.
The tie was short-lived with the Panthers scoring their fourth touchdown two plays later, this one on a 77-yard rush by Melvin on a QB keeper via an option play with 5:02 remaining in the second quarter. The PAT was good by Warnock for the 28-21 advantage.
Miami Trace didn’t trail for the remainder of the game, as they added a fifth touchdown in the first half, this one with 1:14 left in the second quarter when Ashton Connell raced to the end zone off a 5-yard pass on third-and-goal. MT converted the PAT for the fifth time off a kick by Warnock for the 35-21 lead, which stood once halftime arrived.
At the start of the third frame, the Panthers built an 80-yard drive that culminated in a 2-yard run by Melvin on a QB keeper on second-and-goal with 8:13 left in the quarter. With the extra point being ruled good, the Panthers built their lead to 21 points at 42-21.
That lead later went to 48-21, as the final MTHS score came on a 1-yard run at third-and-goal by LeBeau with 2:07 remaining in the third quarter of the conference game.
Hillsboro’s final touchdown drive went 10 plays, as it included numerous runs by Austin Barrett and a 28-yard catch by Griffith. The touchdown catch was a 15-yard reception by Ross with 9:17 left in the fourth quarter. The PAT was good by Rigsby, making him 4-for-4 on the night.
The fourth quarter also saw the Indians have a blocked punt by Jordan Grove with 7:03 remaining in the game. Later in the fourth, Miami Trace’s Connell had an interception.
Hillsboro’s loss drops them to 3-4 overall and 0-2 in the FAC. Miami Trace moves to 2-0 in the FAC and 5-2 overall.
Next for the Indians in Week 8 is a road game on Friday, Oct. 8, as they will face the Chillicothe Cavaliers at 7 p.m. Miami Trace will be back in Highland County next week, as they will be taking on the McClain Tigers at 7 p.m. in an FAC showdown.
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With both teams battling tough in the first half at Richards Memorial Field on homecoming for the Indians, it was the visiting Miami Trace Panthers who broke away from a 21-all tied score in the second quarter to eventually win by a 48-28 score in Frontier Athletic Conference play.
The Indians, following an 81-yard touchdown reception by HHS senior Canaan Griffith, were tied with the Panthers at 21-21 with 5:56 left in the second quarter. From that point on, the Indians eventually trailed 35-21 at halftime, and in the second half Miami Trace outscored the host Indians, 13-7 to secure the win.
The Panthers were first to strike on the scoreboard as quarterback Weston Melvin ran into the end zone on a 10-yard QB keeper with 8:08 left in the first quarter. The touchdown run by Melvin on the Panthers’ first drive of the game, plus the ensuing PAT by kicker Zachary Warnock, gave the Panthers a 7-0 advantage.
Hillsboro regrouped, then on what was their second drive of the game put together a 9-play 60-yard drive that included a 22-yard reception by Ethan Grooms from a Chris Stout pass. Later in the drive, there was a run for an 8-yard gain by Travis Ross. The play that put points on the board was a Stout pass to Griffith for a 20-yard touchdown with 4:20 left in the quarter. The PAT from Dylan Rigsby tied the score at 7-7.
On the next Miami Trace drive, the Panthers were back in the end zone with a 4-yard run by Jayden LeBeau with 1:22 left in the opening quarter. The PAT from Warnock was good for 14-7 advantage for the Panthers. This drive also included a 58-yard run by LeBeau that took the Panthers from their own 32-yard line all the way to the Hillsboro 10-yard line.
This time, the Indians took only five plays to score their second touchdown of the FAC game, as it was a 1-yard rush by Stout on a QB keeper on fourth-and-goal that gave HHS six points with 11:12 left in the second quarter.
Rigsby’s extra-point attempt sailed through the uprights for a 14-14 score. Before the touchdown, the first play of the drive was a 59-yard gain by Ross off a Stout pass on first down, which took the Indians from their own 25-yard line to the MT 8-yard line.
Miami Trace found themselves celebrating in the end zone on their third straight drive when Landen Cope caught a pass from Melvin for a 34-yard touchdown with 8:20 left in the second quarter. The PAT was good to push Miami Trace ahead, 21-14.
The Indians wasted little time in equaling the same feat of the Panthers, as HHS ended up celebrating their third touchdown of the first half. This one came off a 59-yard touchdown catch by Griffith off a Stout pass.
After catching the pass around mid-field, Griffith broke away from a tackle attempt and kept himself from falling to the ground by balancing himself with one arm. From there, he cut back to the middle of the field, then broke loose down the HHS sideline while avoiding another tackle for the touchdown. Grigsby made the PAT for the 21-21 tie with 5:56 on the second-quarter clock.
The tie was short-lived with the Panthers scoring their fourth touchdown two plays later, this one on a 77-yard rush by Melvin on a QB keeper via an option play with 5:02 remaining in the second quarter. The PAT was good by Warnock for the 28-21 advantage.
Miami Trace didn’t trail for the remainder of the game, as they added a fifth touchdown in the first half, this one with 1:14 left in the second quarter when Ashton Connell raced to the end zone off a 5-yard pass on third-and-goal. MT converted the PAT for the fifth time off a kick by Warnock for the 35-21 lead, which stood once halftime arrived.
At the start of the third frame, the Panthers built an 80-yard drive that culminated in a 2-yard run by Melvin on a QB keeper on second-and-goal with 8:13 left in the quarter. With the extra point being ruled good, the Panthers built their lead to 21 points at 42-21.
That lead later went to 48-21, as the final MTHS score came on a 1-yard run at third-and-goal by LeBeau with 2:07 remaining in the third quarter of the conference game.
Hillsboro’s final touchdown drive went 10 plays, as it included numerous runs by Austin Barrett and a 28-yard catch by Griffith. The touchdown catch was a 15-yard reception by Ross with 9:17 left in the fourth quarter. The PAT was good by Rigsby, making him 4-for-4 on the night.
The fourth quarter also saw the Indians have a blocked punt by Jordan Grove with 7:03 remaining in the game. Later in the fourth, Miami Trace’s Connell had an interception.
Hillsboro’s loss drops them to 3-4 overall and 0-2 in the FAC. Miami Trace moves to 2-0 in the FAC and 5-2 overall.
Next for the Indians in Week 8 is a road game on Friday, Oct. 8, as they will face the Chillicothe Cavaliers at 7 p.m. Miami Trace will be back in Highland County next week, as they will be taking on the McClain Tigers at 7 p.m. in an FAC showdown.
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