Bellefontaine and Wapakoneta were locked in an entertaining battle when Mother Nature took over Friday night.
Bellefontaine’s Dezmin Lyburtus carries the ball down field as Wapakoneta’s Kais Chiles attempts to make the tackle during their game Friday at AcuSport Staidum. (EXAMINER PHOTO | TONY BARRETT)
The Redskins had just scored a touchdown to go up 16-14 at the 8:33 mark of the third quarter. As Wapakoneta prepared to attempt the extra-point kick, lightning was spotted and the game was halted.
With the lightning flashing several more times over the next half hour as the teams waited in their respective locker rooms, the decision was made to postpone the contest and finish it at 10:30 a.m. today at AcuSport Stadium.
“We have to reset the batteries and come back ready to play (today),” said Bellefontaine head coach Toby Smith. “We can’t do anything about the situation. We just have to make the best of it and prepare ourselves for (today).”
It was a good start for the Chiefs.
“We are in a position to win the game,” said Smith. “We have to come out and make some plays on both sides of the ball.”
The Redskins scored on their first possession of the contest. After Bellefontaine went three-and-out on its opening series, Wapakoneta took over on the Bellefontaine 45-yard line after a punt.
Wapakoneta moved inside Bellefontaine’s 10-yard line, but the Chiefs’ defense stiffened and the Redskins had to settle for a 23-yard field goal with 6:22 left in the opening quarter.
Bellefontaine answered in commanding fashion. The Chiefs marched 63 yards on 10 plays on their ensuing drive, with Hayden Nease scoring on a 1-yard rush to cap it. Derek Robb’s extra-point kick made the score 7-3 with 2:31 remaining in the first period.
The lead was short lived for the Chiefs as Wapakoneta needed just six plays on its next possession to find the end zone. Maddux Liles scored on a 3-yard run as the Redskins jumped in front 10-7 early in the second quarter.
Bellefontaine’s offense continued to click as the Chiefs followed with a eight-play, 73-yard scoring drive. Nease took an option pitch from quarterback Dezmin Lyburtus and raced 30 yards for a touchdown. Robb followed with the point after to give BHS a 14-10 lead at the 8:25 mark of the second period.
The Redskins drove deep into Bellefontaine territory late in the first half, but they missed a 32-yard field goal attempt with 15 seconds left until the intermission. That left the score 14-10 in favor of the Chiefs at halftime.
After returning the opening kick of the second half to their own 40-yard line, the Redskins put together an eight-play scoring march that was finished off with a 6-yard keeper by quarterback Manny Vorhees.
The lightning then arrived and stopped the action.
Bellefontaine ran for 114 yards in the first half and threw for another 30 yards.
The Redskins have rushed for 136 yards and passed for 91yards.