By Garth Shanklin
Sports Editor
Mount Healthy 18, Amelia 0
The final season for Amelia football likely didn’t begin the way head coach David Brausch and the Barons had hoped.
Neither team scored in the first quarter, but with 7:40 on the board in the second frame Tyree Roberson hauled in a 59-yard pass from Michael Crawford. The Owls’ two-point conversion attempt failed, and they had a 6-0 lead.
Less than five minutes later, Derell Williams crossed the line on an 18-yard touchdown run. His two-point conversion attempt failed, giving Mount Healthy a 12-0 lead they would take into halftime.
Lee Young scored on a two-yard run, and a failed extra point gave the Owls the 18-0 lead. They would win by that margin.
Eli Altherr led the Barons with 10 carries, but he totaled just 16 yards. Cage Meyer had nine rushing attempts for 53 yards. Meyer also threw two interceptions. Kyle Nicodemus recovered a fumble for the Barons.
Cincinnati Country Day 19, Bethel-Tate 13
Rain and turnovers dampened the Bethel-Tate Tigers’ aerial attack, as the team threw three interceptions en route to a six-point loss under new head coach Jeff Essig.
After thunder delayed the start of the game, the squads finally managed to get on the field, where CCD quickly took the lead on their first drive. Another touchdown before the end of the quarter put the Tigers behind 13-0, though the start of the second quarter was delayed by lightning. Just before 10 p.m., the teams returned to the field and shortly after, Bethel-Tate converted for their first touchdown of the game to cut the deficit to 13-7.
CCD would score less than two minutes into the second half, and the score would stay that way until the Tigers crossed into the end zone again with just over six minutes left. Bethel-Tate got the ball back with 2:11 left in the game, but could not complete the rally.
Chris Wheeler threw for 300 yards and a touchdown while completing 20 of his 45 pass attempts for the Tigers. Cooper Dunn led the team with eight catches for a total of 80 yards, though Austin Carter had the most receiving yards with 170. Carter also hauled in a touchdown for the Tigers. Steven Cooper totaled 37 yards on 12 carries on the ground, along with a score.
Fayetteville 22, Clermont Northeastern 10
The Rockets traveled to Fayetteville looking to bring the Rocket Trophy back to Owensville, but a second-half rally from Fayetteville prevented them from doing so.
The first half ended scoreless, but CNE jumped ahead 3-0 after a 29-yard field goal from Cooper Adkins with 7:30 left in the half.
It was a short-lived lead, however, as Fayetteville proceeded to take the ensuing kickoff 82 yards for a touchdown. The converted two-point attempt gave them an 8-3 lead.
CNE struck back, driving down the field and scoring on a two-yard touchdown run by Luke Newton with 2:41 left in the half.
Less than a minute into the third quarter, lightning put on quite the show, postponing the game. The teams resumed play on Saturday, Aug. 27 and Fayetteville quickly regained a 16-10 lead. They would add another touchdown with 8:27 remaining in the contest, and win by the 22-10 margin.
Princeton 35, Glen Este 7
After weather forced two separate delays, Glen Este finally took the field against Princeton on Aug. 27.
The Trojans struggled through the air, completing just 14 of 34 passes for 108 yards. They rushed for 114 yards on 24 carries, good for nearly five yards per carry.
However, the Trojans fell behind early. Princeton scored twice in the first quarter and led 21-0 at halftime. Two more touchdowns in the third made it a 35-0 contest before Glen Este’s Aaron Johnston scored on a rushing touchdown in the fourth quarter. Johnston tallied 66 of Glen Este’s rushing yards, with Chase Gambrell adding 37 more on eight carries.
Devin Williams led the team in receptions, hauling in four passes for 19 yards. Elijah Johnson caught three balls for 21 yards.
Defensively, Logan Moore forced and recovered a fumble for the Trojans, while Joey Floccari had an interception.
Ross 6, Goshen 3
Another victim of the rough weather that hit the region on Aug. 26, Goshen and Ross nearly had a location change before deciding to continue the game in Butler County.
Once the game got underway, it was a slugfest. Ross scored on their opening drive, launching a 45-yard touchdown pass to take the lead. Goshen would add a field goal in the second quarter, but numerous drives for the rest of the game came up short.
Kyle Proffitt completed just two passes in 10 attempts for 21 yards and an interception. Jimmy Strunk totaled 101 yards on 28 carries while Adam Slusher chipped in 53 yards on 11 rushes. Sebastian Abshire had an interception defensively for the Warriors.
Williamsburg 36, Deer Park 15
Nate Bogan had a huge day for Williamsburg, completing 11 of 18 passes for 126 yards and a touchdown while rushing for 154 yards and two more scores on 20 carries.
The Wildcats started the scoring late in the first quarter, with Andrew Smith scoring the first of his two touchdowns from one yard out. After Deer Park returned the ensuing kickoff for a touchdown to tie the game at 7, Bogan answered with a 30-yard scamper that put the Wildcats back on top 14-7 at the end of the first quarter.
Smith scored again from one yard in the second quarter, and Deer Park answered less than three minutes later with a three-yard touchdown run by Jordan Yelling, who also converted the two-point attempt. Williamsburg led 21-15 at the break.
After hitting Smith for a short touchdown pass to put the Wildcats ahead 28-15, Bogan struck for a nine-yard touchdown run late in the third quarter, cementing the game.
Wyatt Lefker led the Wildcats with five catches for 61 yards. Loghan Kelley tallied three reception for 43 yards. Cameron Hart was a perfect 4-for-4 on extra point attempts.
Defensively, Lefker also hauled in an interception while Brian Stears forced a fumble.
