UPDATED: Indians fall to Portsmouth West in Week 3 road game

Hillsboro and Portsmouth West both scored within the first two minutes of their Week 3 football game and went on to combine for 83 points, with five touchdowns scored in the second quarter. Despite several big-yardage plays for the Indians, including on special teams, Hillsboro fell to the host Portsmouth West Senators, 49-34 Friday.

Portsmouth West’s 49 points included five touchdowns scored by senior Jeffery Bishop, while Senators kicker Jack Holbrook made all seven extra-point attempts.

The Senators set the tone immediately with an 88-yard run from Mason Parker on the very first play of the game, taking a 7-0 lead after a PAT converted by Holbrook.

Hillsboro was quick to respond, however, with a 45-yard kickoff return by Zach Brown taking the ball to the 8-yard line. Two plays later, Austin Barrett was in the end zone on a four-yard run, with Hillsboro trailing 7-6 with 10:52 left in the first.

Jack Wagoner recovered a fumble for the Indians on Portsmouth West’s ensuing possession, but Hillsboro came up short on a 4th-and-5 play, with the Senators taking over with 6:14 left in the first.

Three plays later, the Senators were back in the end zone, with Bishop scoring his first of five touchdowns on the night on a 65-yard run. After another converted PAT by Holbrook, Portsmouth West took a 14-6 lead with 5:17 left in the first, which stood at the end of the quarter.

It was then Portsmouth West’s turn to recover a fumble late in the first quarter, which paid off with an eight-play drive that ended with Bishop back into the end zone, this time scoring on a six-yard run. After the PAT by Holbrook, the Senators led 21-6 with 10:43 left in the first half.

The Senators again scored on their next drive, following a three-and-out by the Indians. This time, it took the Senators over seven minutes of game time to score, as they drove the ball 90 yards before Bishop scored his third straight touchdown, this time on a 13-yard run. With 1:53 left in the second quarter, West took a 28-6 lead.

In less than a minute of game time, however, the Indians were back on the scoreboard. After a kickoff return by Nic Burns to the West 36-yard line, the Indians saw three straight first downs after positive gains by Jeven Hochstuhl and Barrett, then an offsides call.

That was followed by a four-yard loss, a four-yard gain by quarterback Mason Dumpert and a six-yard gain by Barrett. On 4th-and-4, a pass by Dumpert was caught by Hochstuhl in the end zone, with a converted PAT by Wes Bailey making the score 28-13 with a minute left in the first half.

The high-scoring second quarter wasn’t over, though, as Portsmouth West took over from their own 49. Quarterback Cole Tipton ran the ball to the HHS 41-yard line, and then after two failed pass attempts, he handed the ball to Hayden Lore, who ran it in 41 yards for a touchdown with 10 seconds left in the first half. The PAT by Holbrook made it 35-13.

Ten seconds was enough time for the Indians, though, because Hillsboro again scored with Brown running the kickoff back 96 yards for a touchdown as time expired. The PAT by Bailey was good, with Hillsboro still trailing 35-20 at halftime.

The Indians also scored on their first possession of the second half, with a 65-yard drive ending in a 29-yard touchdown run by Hochstuhl, bringing the score to 35-26, still in favor of West.

With more help from the Indians’ special teams, Hillsboro recovered the ensuing kickoff at the Portsmouth West 49 and took it all the way to the 1-yard line. Unfortunately, their momentum stopped when Dumpert was hit hard on a 4th-and-2 play and marked short of a first down.

Portsmouth West took the ball 99 yards into the end zone yet again, on a 13-play drive that concluded with Bishop’s fourth TD of the night on a two-yard run with less than a minute left in the third quarter. Following the PAT by Holbrook, West took a 42-26 lead into the fourth.

Each team scored one last time in the fourth quarter, beginning with Barrett barreling his way into the end zone for a two-yard touchdown run with 11:05 left in the game. Under heavy defensive pressure, Dumpert connected with Hochstuhl for a two-point conversion to bring the score to 42-34, in favor of West.

The Senators scored on their next possession for the final time of the game, with their eighth play of the drive being a 37-yard touchdown run by Bishop for his fifth trip into the end zone. Holbrook again connected with the PAT for a 49-34 lead and the eventual final score.

Hillsboro falls to 1-2 on the season, and Portsmouth West improves to 2-1.

Next for Hillsboro is their second of four straight road games, as they travel to Williamsburg (3-0). Williamsburg defeated Mariemont, 34-28 Friday.

GAME NOTES: Barrett finished the game with 146 yards rushing, unofficially, with two TDs … Hochstuhl had 75-plus yards rushing for the Indians on the night, plus an eight-yard reception and 2 TDs … Brown had a 96-yard kickoff return for a TD … Wagoner had a 32-yard reception … Jack Cornele had runs of 11 and 12 yards for the Indians … Dumpert was 3-of-8 passing for 49 yards and a touchdown … Burns had a nine-yard reception.

(Thank you to WSRW 101.5 FM, West Senators Media and Kevin Colley for assistance with stats and information.)