HHS Indians capture Rotary Bowl in 1995

(Continued from last week.)

On Sept. 1, 1995, McClain opened their season by smacking Adena, 43-26, at Greenfield.

Sophomore quarterback Brad Campbell did not have a great night, but, Jon Soards and Aaron Penn both had good games, scoring two touchdowns each.

The Hillsboro at Bloom-Carroll game on Sept. 8 was no contest.

Junior running back Keith Ford broke away for a 78-yard touchdown run in the first quarter. Earlier, Ford had busted a 44-yard touchdown run, but it was called back due to a penalty. The extra point on the 78-yard score was missed, so the Indians settled for a 6-0 lead.

The Tribe dominated the Bulldogs completely throughout the game.

Bloom-Carroll’s Ryan Campbell returned a punt for a touchdown on the final play of the game against second stringers. The final score was Hillsboro 44, Bloom-Carroll 6.

In Bainbridge, the Paint Valley Bearcats upended McClain, 27-6. The Bearcats scored a first-period touchdown, adding the extra point, but McClain held them in check the rest of the first half.

The Bearcats drove for another score early in the third stanza, making the score 14-0, and scored again at the end of the quarter, putting the Tigers in a 21-0 hole after three.

In the fourth quarter, McClain sophomore quarterback Brad Campbell hit freshman Ryan Weller on a touchdown pass to get the visitors on the board. The final score was Paint Valley 27, McClain 6.

McClain (1-1) would host the Hillsboro Indians (2-0) on Friday, Sept. 15 in the annual Rotary Bowl game.

Hillsboro running back Keith Ford quickly took matters into his own hands when he scored on an 83-yard run on the Indians’ first offensive play. The point-after-touchdown failed and the Tribe was off to a quick 6-0 lead.

On the Indians’ second series of downs, quarterback Jason Barton rolled right on his own 35-yard line, and lofted a long pass to Cameron Williams at the McClain 25 yard line.

Williams took the ball on stride and ran it in for another touchdown, which was followed by a Barton to C.J. Captain pass for a two-point conversion.

McClain QB, Brad Campbell hit wide receiver Blaine Bergstrom with a touchdown pass in the final minute of the second quarter, and the two teams went to the locker room for the halftime break with the Indians ahead, 21-7.

The Tigers moved the ball a little better in the second half, scoring 18 points, but the red-and-white racked up 21, and the final score was Hillsboro 42, McClain 25.

The Indians brought the Rotary Bowl back to the county seat.

The Indians hosted Williamsburg Sept. 22, in the first SBAC game of the season. Like the 1994 Hillsboro vs. Williamsburg game, the Indians ran roughshod over the Wildcat defense with a running game that churned out 319 yards, which led to a 38-21 Hillsboro win.

The Indians’ offensive line continually opened huge holes for ball carriers. Swisshelm gained 101 yards, Ford had 78, Swackhamer totaled 69 and Barton 62.

With their first SBAC game out of the way, the Tribe prepared to face a young Blanchester team which would finish the season 0-10.

Blanchester was trying to rebuild, and was just not capable of battling the bigger and faster Indians on equal footing. The Indians rolled up a total of 407 yards to Blanchester’s 53.

Additionally, Barton hit on 9 of 14 passes for 131 yards and 3 TDs. The final score was Hillsboro 54, Blanchester 0.

On Oct. 6, Hillsboro hosted the SBAC’s newest member, Loveland. The Tribe posted 27 first quarter points, enjoyed a 33-0 halftime lead, and went on to trample the Tigers, 47-8. Loveland was never, really in this game.

Coach Jim Horne’s charges were beginning to attract some interest throughout the southern part of the state.

Elsewhere, the McClain Tigers (3-3) met Dayton Patterson at Welcome Stadium in Dayton. The Tigers gained 236 yards on the ground and never trailed in the game, which they won, 35-12.

Fullback Jeremy Baker gained 96 yards and halfback Jon Soards added 85. Blaine Bergstrom (playing quarterback) hit on 4 of 8 for 53 yards and a touchdown. McClain would look to go 4-3 when they hosted Miami Trace, Oct. 13.

(Continued next week.)

Bob Patton is a Highland County sports historian and a contributing writer to The Highland County Press.