Bellefontaine’s football team hit visiting John Glenn with an early onslaught to put together an impressive 49-7 rout in a Division III, Region 11 playoff opener Friday at AcuSport Stadium.
The Chieftains scored on all five of their first-half possessions en route to a 35-0 halftime lead and they scored touchdowns the first two times they touched the ball in the second half to bury their Muskingum County opponent.
It was the fifth win in a row for Bellefontaine (8-3), which will get a rematch with fellow Central Buckeye Conference Kenton Trail division member London (11-0) next Friday in London.
“I really feel like our guys are playing we-over-me football,” said Bellefontaine head coach Jason Brown. “They are playing for each other and are playing unselfish football. They don’t care who gets the credit. They are happy to see their teammates have success.”
It was just the fifth home playoff game in school history and the second home win in the postseason.
“These guys want to leave a legacy,” said Brown. “To do something that had only been done once before in over 120 years of football is an achievement they should be extremely proud of.
Pirates can’t get on track in 28-5 loss to St. Henry
Riverside rolled through its conference schedule on an extended winning streak, but saw its season halted abruptly Friday by a MAC truck.
The Pirates surrendered a couple costly plays early in their playoff opener in Division VII, Region 28 against the St. Henry Redskins, and could not recover in a 28-5 loss.
St. Henry entered the playoffs as a 14th seed out of the mighty Midwest Athletic Conference, and was undaunted by a Riverside ground attack that averaged 215 yards per game during the regular season.
The Redskins held the Riverside to less than half their season average rushing, and kept the Pirates offense — which averaged 35 points per game — out of the end zone.
Indian Lake unable to keep pace with Cavaliers
Indian Lake has experienced quite the turnaround. After winning just one game last season, the Lakers went 7-3 during the regular season and earned a trip to the playoffs in Division V, Region 18.
The Lakers rallied late in the fourth quarter twice earlier this season to pull out dramatic, comeback victories against Allen East and Tecumseh; they dominated conference rivals Graham and Benjamin Logan; and held on for a gritty Week 10 victory over North Union.
But the clock struck midnight Friday for Lakers as they fell 47-0 to perennial state power Coldwater in a first-round playoff matchup.