Indians earn 2nd win of season; defeat Clermont Northeastern

HILLSBORO — The Hillsboro Indians and Clermont Northeastern Rockets were in the middle of play in the third quarter when the game was stopped due to an injury, and while the play of game was halted, a weather delay hit Richards Memorial Field Friday night.

The lightning continued, causing the game to be postponed with 6:30 left in the third quarter with the Indians leading the Rockets, 15-13. After resuming play Saturday afternoon, Hillsboro held on to their lead, winning 22-20 over CNE.

Both teams were forced to punt in their first possessions of the game, but Hillsboro scored the first touchdown of the game when they regained possession of the ball with 5:45 left in the first quarter.

Starting the drive on their own 30-yard line, Jayse Middleton rushed for a 9-yard gain, followed by Derek Whitt with a 1-yard run for a first down. Travis Ross continued with a 1-yard run of his own, then came a 22-yard dash by Middleton on second down, taking the Indians to the 30-yard line of CNE.

Following a flag on the Indians, Whitt had a 7-yard run, and Ross followed with a 4-yard gain. On third down, Middleton had a run for 8-yard setting up first-and-10 from the CNE 16-yard line. That’s when the Indians got on the scoreboard first with a run by Ross for 16 yards to the end zone with 42.9 left in the first quarter. The PAT by Nick Turner was good, leaving the Indians ahead, 7-0.

On the ensuing drive, the Rockets began on their own 21-yard line and 12 plays later (including having a touchdown called back), Clermont Northeastern tied the score with a 25-yard reception by Angus Krug off a pass by Kris Jenkins, as Krug was in double coverage in the end zone on fourth down. The touchdown scored at the 8:08 mark of the second quarter, followed by the PAT, left the score tied at 7-7.

HHS next had a turnover on downs, but their defense was ready to make some noise with Ethan Grooms intercepting a pass with 2:57 left in the second quarter on a third down play.

The Indians took full advantage of the turnover, as they scored their second touchdown on the game on a six-play drive that started on their own 45-yard line. On first down, it was a 7-yard gain by Whitt, followed with an 8-yard gain by Middleton. Next came a 1-yard run by Ross and another run by White, this one for eight yards.

That was followed by a 7-yard reception from Chris Stout to Canaan Griffith on third-and-1 for a first down at the CNE 25-yard line.

On first down, a Stout pass to Lawton Parry went 25 yards for a touchdown, as the reception was made in front of the end zone and he battled his way for six points with 26.4 left before the half. HHS scored two points with Ross running into the end zone, putting them ahead, 15-7.

As CNE went for yardage and a big score before the half, Grooms earned his second interception of the game, this time bobbling the ball as he fell to the ground, but gained possession with the extra effort and hand-eye coordination with 13.7 left in the first half.

The drive to start the third frame — as HHS led 15-7 — saw the Rockets score their second touchdown with 12-play drive that ended with a 1-yard run by Jenkins for six points with 6:30 left in the third frame. The 2-point try failed, leaving the Indians ahead by two points.

A delay in play was next as a player was injured before the kickoff, then came inclement weather, and that is when the game was postponed until Saturday, Oct. 24, where Hillsboro went on to win 22-20 over the Rockets.

When the game resumed, the Indians were forced to punt on their possession from the kickoff, and CNE came back with a turnover on downs. The Indians regained the football, only to have a three-and-out to complete the fourth quarter.

HHS finally put together a touchdown drive in the fourth quarter when they began the drive on their own 48-yard line. On second-and-14 from their own 45-yard line, Stout found Griffith for a 20-yard gain in double coverage for a first down. A few plays later, a pass to Griffith from Stout on third-and-6 led to the Indians adding six points, as Griffith leaped for the football in the corner of the end zone with 3:37 left in the fourth quarter. The PAT by Turner was good, putting the Indians ahead, 22-13.

CNE responded with a touchdown of their own three plays later with a 53-yard reception for a score by Krug with 2:45 left in the game. The PAT was good for the Rockets, making it a two-point game at 22-20.

HHS kept possession of the kickoff and eventually sealed the game with a 47-yard reception by Griffith as he caught a pass wide open, as he was eventually tackled at the 23-yard line of CNE. HHS gained one final first down off a run by Ross, allowing them to go into victory formation to end the game.

Next for the Hillsboro Indians (2-7) is a road game on Saturday, Oct. 31 at Portsmouth West High School at 7 p.m. to end the 2020 season.

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