A new champion was crowned Friday atop the Three Rivers Conference as the Riverside Pirates manhandled Milton-Union 28-0 for their ninth straight win, capping off an unbeaten season in league play.
The Pirates (9-1, 7-0) churned out 343 total yards rushing and controlled the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball for much of the night en route to the convincing victory.
“It’s the best feeling ever,” Pirates head coach Bryce Hodge said after the game. “I’m so proud of our kids, our coaching staff — all that hard work they put in over the summer and into the season has paid off.”
The loss for Milton Union (7-3, 6-1) is the Bulldogs’ first conference loss in three years. Entering Friday’s season finale, the two-time defending TRC champs had won 20 consecutive conference games.
“In a very good conference, Milton-Union has been the standard,” Hodge said. “We had to go out there and earn it.”
Friday’s victory marks the seventh conference championship in Riverside school history, and the first since they shared a co-championship in the Northwest Central Conference in 2015.
Chiefs declaw Cougars in regular-season finale
Bellefontaine’s football team took care of its last business of the regular season in workmanlike fashion Friday and can now turn all of its focus to the playoffs.
The Chieftains jumped out to a 42-0 lead at halftime en route to a 42-7 victory over visiting Kenton Ridge in a Central Buckeye Conference Kenton Trail division game.
Bellefontaine closes the regular season at 8-2 overall and 4-1 in the Central Buckeye Conference. The Chiefs finished in second place in the CBC Kenton Trail standings behind champion London.
Kenton Ridge ends its season at 4-6, 1-4.
“I felt like the effort was fantastic tonight,” said Bellefontaine head coach Jason Brown. “Our kids played with great energy, the execution was good and we played complimentary football. I am proud of our kids for finishing out senior night like this.”
Tigers tame Panthers for share of OHC crown
West Liberty-Salem’s rushing attack, which has been formidable all season, is really hitting its stride down the stretch.
The Tiger’s rolled up 315 yards rushing as a team and combined for eight rushing touchdowns in a 55-0 drubbing of Fairbanks.
The WL-S victory, combined with a West Jefferson loss to Northeastern, earned the Tigers (9-1, 4-1) a share of the Ohio Heritage Conference championship in the North Division. Fairbanks drops to 2-8 (0-5).
The Tigers raced out to a 35-0 lead Friday after the first quarter and never looked back.
Lakers hold off Wildcats 15-13 in CBC battle
Indian Lake capped an impressive turnaround during the 2023 regular season
Friday by fighting off host North Union 15-13 in a Central Buckeye Conference Mad River division football game.
The Lakers, who went 1-9 last year and finished in fifth place in the CBC Mad River division, finished the regular season with a 7-3 overall mark and a 4-1 record in league play to take second place in the MR division behind champion Springfield Shawnee.
Indian Lake will now get awarded with a playoff berth. The Lakers will play on the
road next Friday during the first round of the postseason.
Indian Lake will officially learn of its first-round opponent Sunday when the final computer rankings and first-round pairings are released by the Ohio School Athletic Association.
Ben Logan tumbles to Falcons in final game
Benjamin Logan’s football team could not get its offense going Friday as it fell to host Graham 31-8 in the final game of the 2023 season.
The Raiders close out the campaign at 1-9 overall and 1-4 in the Central Buckeye Conference Mad River division.
It was the first win of the season for the Falcons (1-9, 1-4).