Bellefontaine was unable to carry the momentum of a sparkling first-half performance into the second half Friday and was dealt a heartbreaking loss by visiting Troy.
Bellefontaine’s Dezmin Lyburtus makes his way into the end zone for a touchdown during Friday’s game against Troy at AcuSport Stadium. Lyburtus finished the night with 405 yards of offense. (EXAMINER PHOTO | TONY BARRETT)
More photos in slide show below
The Chiefs rolled up nearly 300 yards of offense in jumping out to a 28-7 lead at halftime, but the visiting Trojans roared back in the second half to steal a 41-36 victory in a non-league football game at AcuSport Stadium.
“Our kids played their hearts out,” said Bellefontaine head coach Toby Smith. “There is a reason why we scheduled teams like this. Our team will be better because of it. I promise you they will respond to the challenges laid before them down the line.”
Troy, which went 2-8 last season, is now 3-0 this fall. Bellefontaine drops to 1-2.
“You have to give Bellefontaine a ton of credit,” said Troy head coach Matt Burgbacher. “They left it all on the field. It’s unfortunate that someone had to lose. Bellefontaine is a really good football team.”
The Trojans put together four consecutive touchdowns after halftime for a 35-28 lead with 8:10 remaining in the game.
Bellefontaine dug deep to answer with a long scoring drive, which was capped by a dazzling 27-yard touchdown run by quarterback Dezmin Lyburtus with 1:32 remaining. That made the score 35-34.
The Chiefs elected to go for two points and Lyburtus found Jack Clement wide open in the end zone for a conversion pass that put the hosts up 36-35.
“Our kids showed a lot of character to stop their momentum and get that touchdown,” said Smith. “We had no doubts about going for two. We constantly want to put our kids in a position to be successful.”
Unfortunately for Bellefontaine, Troy had plenty of time to respond.
Three plays into the Trojans’ ensuing possession, quarterback Hayden Kotwica dumped a short pass off to tailback Josh Browder, who sprinted through the Chieftain defense for a 53-yard touchdown with 1:06 left on the clock.
Troy’s two-point conversion attempt failed, but the Trojans led 41-36.
Bellefontaine was unable to get anything going on its final possession.
“I am really proud of the way our kids responded,” said Burgbacher. “I told them at halftime that there is no 21-point play to magically put us back in the game. We had to do it one play at a time.”
Despite the loss, Bellefontaine received a gutsy effort from Lyburtus. The dynamic junior carried the ball 40 times for 235 yards and two touchdowns and completed 12 of 23 passes for 170 yards and another score.
“We knew coming in that Lyburtus was a great athlete and we really struggled to contain him in the first half,” said Burgbacher. “Fortunately, we were able to get to the locker room and regroup. Our defense stepped up and did a better job in the second half.”
The Chiefs finished with 451 yards of offense, with 293 of that coming in the first half. Troy was limited to 103 yards in the first half, but ended with 436 after its big second half.
“It was a tale of two halves,” said Burgbacher.
Bellefontaine could not have asked for a better start. The Chiefs led 14-0 at the end of the first quarter. Hayden Nease scored on a 53-yard pass from Lyburtus and Nease followed with a 2-yard run. Derek Robb made both extra-point kicks.
The Chiefs continued to roll in the second quarter. Lyburtus found the end zone on a 12-yard scamper. Robb followed with the point after to make the score 21-0 with nine minutes left until halftime.
Troy broke through for a touchdown on its ensuing possession. Kotwica finished off a long march with a 1-yard TD run for a 21-7 score.
Bellefontaine grabbed the momentum back with a 14-play, 73-yard scoring drive. Nease barreled in from a yard out and Robb booted the extra point to give the hosts a 28-7 lead at the 1:21 mark of the second quarter.
The second half was a different story as the momentum shifted heavily in Troy’s favor.
The Trojans used an 11-yard pass from from Kotwica to Hayden Jackson and a 13-yard pass from Kotwica to Browder to pull within eight points (28-20) at the end of the third quarter.
On the first play of the fourth period, Kotwica got loose for a 50-yard touchdown run. He tossed a two-point conversion pass to Jackson that knotted the score at 28-28.
Troy then went ahead on its next possession. Browder tore off a 49-yard TD gallop to give the Trojans a 35-28 advantage.
After taking over on its own 30-yard line following a Troy punt with 3:13 remaining, Bellefontaine covered 70 yards on seven plays. The 27-yard run by Lyburtus and the extra-point pass to Clement gave the Chiefs a brief one-point cushion.
The Trojans followed with a three-play 60-yard scoring drive to grab the lead for good.
Nease aided the Bellefontaine offense with 105 yards on six catches and 33 rushing yards on 10 carries.
Clement contributed 45 receiving yards on four catches.
Browder led Troy with 128 rushing yards on 12 carries and 107 receiving yards on five catches.
Kotwica was 12-of-21 passing for 184 yards and he rushed for 117 yards on 16 carries.
Bellefontaine is back in action Friday at Graham.
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{gallery}stories/SLIDESHOWS/FootballSlideshows/2016/090916_Troy-BHS{/gallery}
TROJANS @ CHIEFS
Troy 0 • 7 • 13 • 21 – 41
Bellefontaine 14 • 14 • 0 • 8 – 36
TEAM STATISTICS TR • BFN
First downs 12 • 24
Total net yards 436 • 451
Rushes/yards 30/252 • 53/281
Passing 184 • 170
Comp-att-int 12-21-0 • 12-23-0
Punts/avg 2/32 • 3/24.7
Fumbles-lost 2-0 • 1-1
Penalties-yards 6-50 • 7-66