Indians lose home opener to Wilmington, 28-14 WATCH THE VIDEO

Eliminate the turnovers. Five to be exact. It's as simple as that.

Five Hillsboro possessions ended with interceptions Friday, Sept. 10 as the Wilmington Hurricane spoiled the Indians' home opener with a 28-14 win at Richards Memorial Field.

   The Hurricane scored first with a touchdown at the 7:47 mark of the opening period. The touchdown was set up by an interception by Colt Briggs

at the 14-yard-line of Hillsboro.

   Hillsboro quarterback Aric Carroll put the Tribe on the board with a two-yard touchdown plunge with two minutes to go in the first quarter. Bodhi

Hawkins' kick sailed wide right and the 'Cane held a 7-6 edge. The Hillsboro scoring drive included big plays by Christian Wildey, who had a 13-yard

reception and an eight-yard run, and Kordell Ford, who had an eight-yard run from scrimmage.

   The first quarter came to a close with Wilmington ahead, 7-6.

       In the second frame, Wilmington quarterback Tyler Hodge found Brady Camp for a five-yard TD. The extra point extended the 'Cane lead to 14-6.

   Kyler White returned the ensuing kickoff to the Hillsboro 41. After a penalty on the Indians, a Carroll to Chase Gilliland pass completion left the Tribe with a third and 10. This time, Isaac Bray picked off a Carroll pass, thwarting another drive.

   Wilmington responded with a pass from Hodge to Nick Eden, good for a first down. Senior Britt Wells, with help from Gilliland stopped the  next

Wilmington play, but Hodge ran for the first down on third and five. After two offensive penalties put Wilmington in a first and 20 situation, Jerrad

Luschek and Bodhi Hawkins wrapped up Hodge. After the following play, the Indians were flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct. The Wilmington drive ended

abruptly, however, when Chris Stapleton recovered a fumble at the 3:33 mark.

   Two plays later, Eden intercepted another Carroll pass.

   "(Turnovers) that's the story, isn't it," Hillsboro Coach Brian Spicer said after the game. "Take away the five turnovers and we played well enough

to win. Obviously, you can't take them away. You can't win with five turnovers."

   Defensively, the Indians came out of the locker room for the third quarter and shut down Hodge and the Hurryin' Hurricane offense. The Indians,

however, couldn't find  the endzone, either.

   In the fourth quarter, Hillsboro scored quickly after a 37-yard bull run by Carroll followed by a 12-yard sweep for a Ford touchdown at the 10:16

mark. Hillsboro set up for a two-point conversion. There was a fumble on the play, picked up by Hillsboro, and an inadvertent whistle from the referees.

The point after attempt was replayed and Carroll converted for two, leaving it 21-14.

   With six minutes left, Hodge ran it in from five yards out, sending Wilmington in front by a 28-14 margin.

   After Mason Hunich returned the kickoff to the Indians' 32, Hillsboro moved the chains on a fourth and three play when Carroll followed linemen

Jacob Mosely, Chris Butler, Allen Shrout, Jordan Burns and Caleb Wilson for three-plus yards and a huge first down. A pass to Gilliland, a run by Ford

and another burst by Carroll moved the ball to Wilmington four-yard line with 1:34 remaining.

   It ended all too quickly for Indians' fans, though, when Eden picked off Carroll for the Hurricane's fifth interception to end the drive and seal the

'Cane victory.

   Carroll ran the ball well for the Indians, but the speedy Hurricane defensive backs closed in on too many errant passes.

   "We came out in the second half and did a good job defensively of shutting them down," Spicer said. "We didn't quit. We ran out of time at the

end."    

   Hillsboro (1-2) faces Clinton Massie on Sept. 17. Wilmington (2-1) plays Edgewood Trenton next week.

Score by quarters

WHS – 06  00  00 08 – 14

HHS – 07  14  00  07 – 28

   GAME NOTES: Defensively, Britt Wells and Chris Stapleton played outstanding games for Hillsboro. Wells, a 6-1, 185-pound senior, had the

game's biggest hit, a monster helmet shot, on WHS QB Tyler Hodge defending the Indians' goal line. Stapleton's name was called on numerous tackles. ... Dow Kiefer boomed a 61-yard spiraling punt over the return man's end. The ball was downed at the one-yard line by Chase Gilliland. ... In third quarter, Hodge was gang-tackled on third down by Christian Wildey, Bodhi Hawkins, Chris Stapleton and Chase Gillialnd for no gain. The play set up a fourth and two and a Hodge incompletion. ...It was County Fair Week for Hillsboro and school was not in session. Coach Spicer didn't use this an excuse, but it obviously was a bit of a factor.

Eliminate the turnovers. Five to be exact. It's as simple as that.

Five Hillsboro possessions ended with interceptions Friday, Sept. 10 as the Wilmington Hurricane spoiled the Indians' home opener with a 28-14 win at Richards Memorial Field.

The Hurricane scored first with a touchdown at the 7:47 mark of the opening period. The touchdown was set up by an interception by Colt Briggs at the 14-yard-line of Hillsboro.

Hillsboro quarterback Aric Carroll put the Tribe on the board with a two-yard touchdown plunge with two minutes to go in the first quarter. Bodhi Hawkins' kick sailed wide right and the 'Cane held a 7-6 edge. The Hillsboro scoring drive included big plays by Christian Wildey, who had a 13-yard reception and an eight-yard run, and Kordell Ford, who had an eight-yard run from scrimmage.

The first quarter came to a close with Wilmington ahead, 7-6.

In the second frame, Wilmington quarterback Tyler Hodge found Brady Camp for a five-yard TD. The extra point extended the 'Cane lead to 14-6.

Kyler White returned the ensuing kickoff to the Hillsboro 41. After a penalty on the Indians, a Carroll to Chase Gilliland pass completion left the Tribe with a third and 10.

This time, Isaac Bray picked off a Carroll pass, thwarting another drive.

Wilmington responded with a pass from Hodge to Nick Eden, good for a first down. Senior Britt Wells, with help from Gilliland stopped the next Wilmington play, but Hodge ran for the first down on third and five. After two offensive penalties put Wilmington in a first and 20 situation, Jerrad Luschek and Bodhi Hawkins wrapped up Hodge. After the following play, the Indians were flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct. The Wilmington drive ended abruptly, however, when Chris Stapleton recovered a fumble at the 3:33 mark.

Two plays later, Eden intercepted another Carroll pass.

"(Turnovers) that's the story, isn't it?" Hillsboro Coach Brian Spicer said after the game. "Take away the five turnovers and we played well enough to win. Obviously, you can't take them away. You can't win with five turnovers."

Defensively, the Indians came out of the locker room for the third quarter and shut down Hodge and the Hurryin' Hurricane offense. The Indians, however, couldn't find  the endzone, either.

  
In the fourth quarter, Hillsboro scored quickly after a 37-yard bull run by Carroll followed by a 12-yard sweep for a Ford touchdown at the 10:16 mark. Hillsboro set up for a two-point conversion. There was a fumble on the play, picked up by Hillsboro, and an inadvertent whistle from the referees. The point after attempt was replayed and Carroll converted for two, leaving it 21-14.

  
With six minutes left, Hodge ran it in from five yards out, sending Wilmington in front by a 28-14 margin.

  
After Mason Hunich returned the kickoff to the Indians' 32, Hillsboro moved the chains on a fourth and three play when Carroll followed linemen Jacob Mosely, Chris Butler, Allen Shrout, Jordan Burns and Caleb Wilson for three-plus yards and a huge first down. A pass to Gilliland, a run by Ford and another burst by Carroll moved the ball to Wilmington four-yard line with 1:34 remaining.

  
It ended all too quickly for Indians' fans, though, when Eden picked off Carroll for the Hurricane's fifth interception to end the drive and seal the 'Cane victory.

  
Carroll ran the ball well for the Indians, but the speedy Hurricane defensive backs closed in on too many errant passes.

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"We came out in the second half and did a good job defensively of shutting them down," Spicer said. "We didn't quit. We ran out of time at the end."    

  
Hillsboro (1-2) faces Clinton Massie on Sept. 17. Wilmington (2-1) plays Edgewood Trenton next week.

GAME NOTES: Defensively, Britt Wells and Chris Stapleton played outstanding games for Hillsboro. Wells, a 6-1, 185-pound senior, had the game's biggest hit, a monster helmet shot, on WHS QB Tyler Hodge defending the Indians' goal line. Stapleton's name was called on numerous tackles. ... Dow Kiefer boomed a 61-yard spiraling punt over the return man's end. The ball was downed at the one-yard line by Chase Gilliland. ... In third quarter, Hodge was gang-tackled on third down by Christian Wildey, Bodhi Hawkins, Chris Stapleton and Chase Gilliland for no gain. The play set up a fourth and two and a Hodge incompletion. ...It was County Fair Week for Hillsboro and school was not in session. Coach Spicer didn't use this an excuse, but it obviously was a bit of a factor.