Miscues haunt Hillsboro Indians in loss at Miami Trace
Lead Summary
By
Stephen Forsha-sforsha@gmail.com
EBER — Week 2 of the 2020 football season saw the Hillsboro Indians on the road for the second consecutive week. This time the defensive effort was stronger … it was just some nonexecution of plays and miscues that haunted the Indians in their Frontier Athletic Conference opener.
The Indians had their troubles on offense in clutch situations, and the special teams was hampered due to penalties on the offensive side of the ball, resulting in a 28-13 loss to the host Miami Trace Panthers.
Neither team scored points in the first quarter in the FAC opener, and after a first frame full of punts and three-and-outs, the Indians put themselves in a hole where it eventually hurt their special teams. The Indians gained possession of the football with 5:17 left in the first half, and following a play for no yards — on a drive that began on their own 16-yard line — the Indians had three straight penalties with the first two being five-yard losses, followed by a third penalty that was half the distance to the goal for a second-and-20 situation from their own 6-yard line.
Next was a loss of one yard on a rush, then after regaining that yard, the Indians punted from their own end zone, which resulted in Miami Trace’s Josh Gilmore returning the punt for a 21-yard touchdown with 2:58 left on the second-quarter clock. The PAT kicked by Zach Warnock left the Panthers ahead by a 7-0 score.
Gilmore finished with five receptions for 91 yards and two touchdowns.
The Indians (0-1, 0-2) had bad field position once again, as they were on their own 20-yard line late in the second quarter, Following a four-yard gain on a run by Cameron Roberts, the Indians had a penalty on an illegal shift, but they overcame that with a 16-yard gain for a first down on their own 38-yard line.
Another illegal shift on Hillsboro pushed the Indians back, but eventually a Miami Trace late hit penalty helped out the offense, only to see the Panthers sack the quarterback, forcing a fourth down.
Hillsboro attempted a fake punt, but to no avail as the pass by Christopher Stout was intercepted by Miami Trace’s Gilmore, who took the football to the 24-yard line with 25 seconds left in the quarter. The very first play of the drive saw Gilmore catch a 24-yard pass for six points from Weston Melvin with 19 seconds to go in the first half. Again, the PAT was good by Warnock for a 14-0 Panther lead at halftime.
Melvin finished 8-of-15 for 114 yards with 2 touchdowns and one interception.
Miscues continued for the Indians to start the third frame, with the Indians fumbling on first down, only to see Miami Trace’s Hunter McBee recover the football with 11:44 left in the third quarter. MT took full advantage of the opportunity on offense by going 40 yards on the first play of the drive with a pass from Melvin to Gilmore for the touchdown with 11:37 left in the quarter. A third straight PAT was converted by Warnock for a 21-point lead.
The ensuing drive for Hillsboro didn’t go as planned again, this time with a personal foul penalty that eventually saw them get into a third-and-42 situation from their own 4-yard line, resulting in a punt that was returned to the HHS 22-yard line.
Five plays later — including a fourth down conversion — the Panthers increased their lead with a 10-yard touchdown run by Melvin on a QB keeper with 7:08 left in the third. The PAT by Warnock left HHS trailing 28-0.
Down but not out, the Indians continued to battle, and it paid off as they built a very strong drive on the next drive. Hillsboro has positive yard gains by Roberts and Bryce Parsons, as Roberts caught a second down pass for a 22-yard gain, putting the Indians on the MT 15-yard line.
Next was a six-yard rush by Parsons, who next had a gain of five yards on a rush. On third-and-goal, the Indians battled their way to the end zone for the first time of the game, as Parsons scored six points on the 1-yard rush with 44 seconds left in the third quarter. Hillsboro kicker Nick Turner converted the PAT for a 28-7 deficit.
The Indians’ defense was very strong in the next drive by the Panthers, with the Indians forcing a turnovers on downs as Derek Whitt had a tackle for loss, and on fourth-and-6, a pass was broken up by Cameron Smart.
Regaining possession of the ball on their own 41-yard line following the TOD, a pass caught midfield by Whitt from Stout went for seven yards. Next was a pass by Stout to Scottie Eastes for a 21-yard gain and a first down.
The Indians got in a bit of a bad situation with the Tribe getting into a fourth-and-15 play, but this time they succeeded for a first down with a pass by Stout finding Travis Ross for a 22-yard gain and a first down. With HHS now on the 10-yard line, and after gaining seven yards on a five-yard penalty and a two-yard rush by Parsons, on second-and-goal the Indians reached pay dirt with a 3-yard rush by Ross for the touchdown with 5:38 left in the fourth quarter. Parsons finished the game with 42 yards rushing on 16 carries.
The Indians went for a 2-point conversion in a trick play, but it wasn’t converted, leaving the score at 28-13.
Late in the fourth, Miami Trace’s Preston Reed and Hillsboro’s Smart each had an interception.
Miami Trace (1-0, 2-0) will host the McClain Tigers (0-1, 0-2) in Week 3 on Friday, Sept. 11 at 7 p.m. The Indians will host their first home game of the season in Week 3 as they will face the Chillicothe Cavaliers (1-0, 1-1).
GAME NOTES: Stout was 13-of-30 for 123 yards passing … Roberts led Hillsboro with four receptions for 43 yards … Whitt led the Indians with six tackles, including one tackle for loss … Garrett Fannin had two tackles for loss …. Hayden Hawk had one tackle for loss.
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The Indians had their troubles on offense in clutch situations, and the special teams was hampered due to penalties on the offensive side of the ball, resulting in a 28-13 loss to the host Miami Trace Panthers.
Neither team scored points in the first quarter in the FAC opener, and after a first frame full of punts and three-and-outs, the Indians put themselves in a hole where it eventually hurt their special teams. The Indians gained possession of the football with 5:17 left in the first half, and following a play for no yards — on a drive that began on their own 16-yard line — the Indians had three straight penalties with the first two being five-yard losses, followed by a third penalty that was half the distance to the goal for a second-and-20 situation from their own 6-yard line.
Next was a loss of one yard on a rush, then after regaining that yard, the Indians punted from their own end zone, which resulted in Miami Trace’s Josh Gilmore returning the punt for a 21-yard touchdown with 2:58 left on the second-quarter clock. The PAT kicked by Zach Warnock left the Panthers ahead by a 7-0 score.
Gilmore finished with five receptions for 91 yards and two touchdowns.
The Indians (0-1, 0-2) had bad field position once again, as they were on their own 20-yard line late in the second quarter, Following a four-yard gain on a run by Cameron Roberts, the Indians had a penalty on an illegal shift, but they overcame that with a 16-yard gain for a first down on their own 38-yard line.
Another illegal shift on Hillsboro pushed the Indians back, but eventually a Miami Trace late hit penalty helped out the offense, only to see the Panthers sack the quarterback, forcing a fourth down.
Hillsboro attempted a fake punt, but to no avail as the pass by Christopher Stout was intercepted by Miami Trace’s Gilmore, who took the football to the 24-yard line with 25 seconds left in the quarter. The very first play of the drive saw Gilmore catch a 24-yard pass for six points from Weston Melvin with 19 seconds to go in the first half. Again, the PAT was good by Warnock for a 14-0 Panther lead at halftime.
Melvin finished 8-of-15 for 114 yards with 2 touchdowns and one interception.
Miscues continued for the Indians to start the third frame, with the Indians fumbling on first down, only to see Miami Trace’s Hunter McBee recover the football with 11:44 left in the third quarter. MT took full advantage of the opportunity on offense by going 40 yards on the first play of the drive with a pass from Melvin to Gilmore for the touchdown with 11:37 left in the quarter. A third straight PAT was converted by Warnock for a 21-point lead.
The ensuing drive for Hillsboro didn’t go as planned again, this time with a personal foul penalty that eventually saw them get into a third-and-42 situation from their own 4-yard line, resulting in a punt that was returned to the HHS 22-yard line.
Five plays later — including a fourth down conversion — the Panthers increased their lead with a 10-yard touchdown run by Melvin on a QB keeper with 7:08 left in the third. The PAT by Warnock left HHS trailing 28-0.
Down but not out, the Indians continued to battle, and it paid off as they built a very strong drive on the next drive. Hillsboro has positive yard gains by Roberts and Bryce Parsons, as Roberts caught a second down pass for a 22-yard gain, putting the Indians on the MT 15-yard line.
Next was a six-yard rush by Parsons, who next had a gain of five yards on a rush. On third-and-goal, the Indians battled their way to the end zone for the first time of the game, as Parsons scored six points on the 1-yard rush with 44 seconds left in the third quarter. Hillsboro kicker Nick Turner converted the PAT for a 28-7 deficit.
The Indians’ defense was very strong in the next drive by the Panthers, with the Indians forcing a turnovers on downs as Derek Whitt had a tackle for loss, and on fourth-and-6, a pass was broken up by Cameron Smart.
Regaining possession of the ball on their own 41-yard line following the TOD, a pass caught midfield by Whitt from Stout went for seven yards. Next was a pass by Stout to Scottie Eastes for a 21-yard gain and a first down.
The Indians got in a bit of a bad situation with the Tribe getting into a fourth-and-15 play, but this time they succeeded for a first down with a pass by Stout finding Travis Ross for a 22-yard gain and a first down. With HHS now on the 10-yard line, and after gaining seven yards on a five-yard penalty and a two-yard rush by Parsons, on second-and-goal the Indians reached pay dirt with a 3-yard rush by Ross for the touchdown with 5:38 left in the fourth quarter. Parsons finished the game with 42 yards rushing on 16 carries.
The Indians went for a 2-point conversion in a trick play, but it wasn’t converted, leaving the score at 28-13.
Late in the fourth, Miami Trace’s Preston Reed and Hillsboro’s Smart each had an interception.
Miami Trace (1-0, 2-0) will host the McClain Tigers (0-1, 0-2) in Week 3 on Friday, Sept. 11 at 7 p.m. The Indians will host their first home game of the season in Week 3 as they will face the Chillicothe Cavaliers (1-0, 1-1).
GAME NOTES: Stout was 13-of-30 for 123 yards passing … Roberts led Hillsboro with four receptions for 43 yards … Whitt led the Indians with six tackles, including one tackle for loss … Garrett Fannin had two tackles for loss …. Hayden Hawk had one tackle for loss.
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