Mount Gilead rode an amazing game from running back Jonah Barnett to a wild 64-49 win at Crooksville Friday night.
The Indians fell in an early 14-0 hole in the contest, but battled back to take the lead by the end of the first quarter. Barnett scored on runs of 56 yards and one yard and also added a two-point conversion run to help his team to a 15-14 lead after 12 minutes.
The Ceramics regained the lead with a field goal, but the Indians then tallied three straight scores to take control of the game — all on runs by Barnett. The senior back scored on carries of 78, three and five yards and Scott Page added a trio of successful extra point kicks to give the locals a 36-17 advantage.
The score was 36-20 at the half after another Crooksville field goal, but the Indians would increase that to a 30-point margin entering the fourth quarter on runs of 62 and four yards by Barnett. The Ceramics would battle back in the fourth quarter, cutting the Indian lead to eight points twice. However, both times they did, Barnett would respond, scoring from two and 77 yards to keep his team in front by two possessions.
Barnett finished with a whopping 492 yards on 38 carries, as well as all nine of his team’s touchdowns. Quarterback Tyler Bland added 32 rushing yards and 21 through the air on a completion to Cole Grace.
Cardington Pirates
Cardington jumped out to an early lead on visiting Galion and never relinquished it in claiming a 35-14 win over the Tigers Friday.
A one-yard run by Christian Huffman followed by a Brandon Steckel PAT gave the Pirates an early 7-0 lead which they held throughout the first half.
In the third quarter, they would add short scoring runs by quarterback Luke McCarrell of three yards and one yard to move up 21-0.
Galion would score late in the quarter, but the Pirates would put the game away with a pair of fourth-quarter scores.
McCarrell hit Devin Pearl for a 23-yard touchdown and Huffman added a two-yard scoring run to make the score 35-7 on Cardington’s way to a 21-point win.
Huffman finished with 110 rushing yards. McCarrell completed 13 passes for 196 yards, with Pearl catching seven for 78 of those yards.
Highland Scots
Host Heath jumped out to a fast start against Highland Friday on their way to a 54-28 win.
The Bulldogs picked up three touchdowns in the first quarter and four more in the second in taking a 48-14 lead into the half. While the Scots took the second half by a 14-6 margin, they would be unable to make up that deficit.
Jared Limings had a big day for the Scots, scoring all four of the team’s touchdowns. He had one of 72 yards in the first quarter and followed that up with a 49-yard scoring run in the second. He added a three-yard touchdown in the third quarter and a one-yard dive for points in the fourth.
