BELLBROOK, Ohio (WDTN) – With a Tippecanoe team that won two playoff games last year, taking on a Bellbrook team that finished undefeated in the regular season.
Both teams fire a slew of starters – that’s how you start a season.
Head coach Matt Burgbacher had his game face on as he led his Red Devils onto the pitch. The Golden Eagles fly to the touchline in front of the home crowd.
Both teams are out of play, with Tippecanoe facing a fourth and a 2 on their first drive – but Bellbrook’s Ashton Ault comes in running back for a loss on the play and a turnover.
The Golden Eagles face a fourth and a 5 in their opener. Head coach Jeff Jenkins decides to go but the pass falls incomplete, the Red Devils recover the ball.
In their ensuing practice, the gift is to Cayd Everhart, and the elder finds daylight as he turns on the jets, then loses one defense after another for 52 yards to the house for a touchdown . Tippecanoe up seven to nothing.
Bellbrook firing the tricks early in the season, the back half pass goes deep in the field where Seth Borondy hauls him in for a big winner and a first down. But the Red Devils defense come up with a big play – Jason Rindler strips the ball carrier. Then he recovers the fumble and the Tippecanoe attack is back in business.
On the ensuing drive, it was Liam Poronsky who delivered a strike to Rindler, for the first time in Bellbrook territory. The practice ended with a field goal attempt, but it was wide left and Tippecanoe’s lead remained at seven-nil.
Later, it was Bellbrook’s Nick Compston who put the ‘special’ in the special teams, as the senior blocked the punt to give the Golden Eagles great field position. Moments later, it was Carson Labensky speaking on Borondy, who made a sensational take.
That leads to a one-yard touchdown dive by Labensky and the game was tied at seven.
Jenkins would see his team take the lead. Labensky moving up to the top, a perfect rainbow in the hands of Borondy inside the five.
As time is running out in the first half, Labensky rolls a left and finds a wide open Tristan Waybrant for the score to go forward – start the group, Bellbrook took a 14-7 lead into the locker room at half-time.
In the third quarter, the Red Devils defense leveled the score as Grayson Ring intercepted the pass – taking it home for a pick six. That tied it at 14, but the Golden Eagles score the final 10 points from the ball game on the board.
The Red Devils lose to the Golden Eagles 14-25.
