Bellefontaine’s defense posted its second straight shutout and a balanced offense clicked from the start for a dominating homecoming performance Friday night.
Bellefontaine’s Jack Clement catches a 25-yard touchdown pass from Dezmin Lyburtus during the second quarter of Friday’s game against Springfield Shawnee at AcuSport Stadium. (EXAMINER PHOTO | TONY BARRETT)
The Chiefs cranked out 406 yards and limited Springfield Shawnee to just 58 total yards in a 42-0 romp at AcuSport Stadium.
Bellefontaine improves to 5-3 overall and 3-0 in the Central Buckeye Conference Kenton Trail division.
With the win, the Chiefs clinched a least a share of the KT division crown. A win over Kenton Ridge in Week 10 will result in an outright title.
It would be two league championships in three years for the Chiefs.
“We told the kids that not a whole lot of high school football players get the chance to be part of two league championship teams,” said Bellefontaine head coach Toby Smith. “We certainly want to finish it off and win it outright, but it means a lot to the kids because a number goes up on the wall and it never comes down.”
Bellefontaine, which led 28-0 at halftime, enjoyed its most balanced offensive output of the season with 210 rushing yards on 34 carries and 196 passing yards.
The Chieftain defense did its job by completely shutting down the Braves’ attack. Bellefontaine has not allowed a point for eight consecutive quarters.
“This is the most complete game we have played to this point,” said Smith. “There were a few things that still need to be cleaned up, but at the end of the day we are very pleased with the outcome.”
Junior quarterback Dezmin Lyburtus had a standout night both running and throwing. He rushed for 99 yards and two touchdowns on 10 carries, while completing 14-of-16 passes for 197 yards and three touchdowns.
“This was another example of taking what the opposing defense is giving you,” said Smith. “When they were showing us certain formations, we attacked what was available to us.”
Bellefontaine’s defense set the tone early.
On Shawnee’s opening possession, it faced a fourth-and-one at the Chieftain 48-yard line. The Chiefs forced Braves’ running back Josh Nelson to fumble, with Jerome Smith picking it up and returning the ball to the Shawnee 33-yard line.
Four plays later, Lyburtus sprinted to the end zone from 14 yards out. Derek Robb booted the first of six successful extra-point attempts to give the Chiefs a 7-0 lead at the 8:16 mark of the first quarter.
Bellefontaine increased its lead to 14-0 early in the second quarter when Lyburtus found Johnny Ganson open along the Shawnee sideline. Ganson dodged a couple of Shawnee defenders and then raced all the way to the end zone for a 50-yard touchdown.
The Chiefs went up 21-0 with 6:02 left until halftime on a 26-yard touchdown run by Lyburtus.
Bellefontaine added its fourth touchdown of the first half on a 25-yard scoring strike from Lyburtus to Jack Clement with 1:20 remaining in the second quarter.
BHS picked up in the second half where it left off at halftime by marching to a touchdown on its first possession of the third quarter.
Lyburtus capped a 10-play, 68-yard drive with a 9-yard TD pass to Hayden Nease. That put the Chiefs up 35-0.
Bellefontaine finished off the Braves with a 7-yard TD run by Treston Howell with 54 seconds left in the third quarter.
Nease had a busy night with eight catches for 78 yards and eight rushes for 43 yards.
Howell had 64 rushing yards on 11 carries, Ganson made four catches for 84 yards and Clement added 35 yards on two grabs.
Shawnee mustered only 15 rushing yards on 21 carries. The Braves were 6-of-12 for 43 yards through the air.
Bellefontaine now turns its attention to Friday’s showdown at unbeaten Indian Lake.
“Our playoff lives are on the line every week now,” said Smith. “If you aren’t motivated to play with what is on the line, there is something wrong.”
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BRAVES @ CHIEFS
Bellefontaine 7 • 21 • 14 • 0 – 42
TEAM STATISTICS SS • BFN
First downs 6 • 15
Total net yards 58 • 406
Rushes/yards 21/15 • 34/210
Passing 43 • 196
Comp-att-int 6-12-0 • 15-17-0
Punts/avg 6/32.3 • 1/34
Fumbles-lost 3-2 • 1-1
Penalties-yards 5-50 • 10-100