MT. ORAB — With a whole new lineup except for some of the offensive and defensive lines, things did not go well for the Hillsboro Indians in their 2020 football season opener Friday. Hosting Western Brown scored early and often on the Broncos’ way to a 62-6 victory.
“I was afraid this could happen to us tonight,” Hillsboro coach Jack O’Rourke said after the game. “When you look at our football team right now, we have a lot of new faces and a lot of inexperience, and it showed.
“But I’ll take my hat off to Western Brown because they were better prepared for us than we were prepared for them.”
The veteran coach said Hillsboro’s entire defensive backfield and linebackers, along with all the receivers, running backs and the quarterback on offense, did not play last year.
It was obvious from the beginning that Hillsboro was over-matched, but O’Rourke said he saw some positive things to build on.
Western Brown took the opening kickoff and went 75 yards on six plays, all passes, capped by a 36-yard TD pass from sophomore quarterback Drew Novak to Gary Powell with 9:55 left in the quarter. Jace Beasley’s kick was good to make it 7-0.
Hillsboro took the ensuing kickoff and fumbled on its first play from scrimmage. Western Brown recovered at the Hillsboro 30-yard line.
Six plays later Cade Chrisman plunged up the middle for touchdown from 3 yards out. The kick was good and it was 14-0 with 8:46 left in the first quarter.
The Indians managed one first down on their next possession, but had to punt after an offsides penalty and quarterback sack.
This time Western Brown went 50 yards in five plays with Novak finding Powell again for a 36-yard strike on fourth down. The kick was good and it was 21-0 with 5:05 to play in the opening quarter.
Hillsboro’s next possession ended in an interception on its third play from scrimmage. Three plays later Novak ran it in from 5 yards out, the kick was good, and it was 28-0 with 3:55 still left to play in the first quarter.
The Indians’ next possession ended in another interception, and the route was on.
By halftime it was 56-0.
With Western Brown playing almost entirely reserves in the entire second half, Hillsboro showed it was not going to quit as the third quarter got underway.
Hillsboro took the kickoff and went on a 70-yard, 10-play drive, all on the ground. Cameron Roberts broke through the left side of his line and powered his way 13 yards for the Indians’ lone touchdown. The snap on the kick was off target and with 4:33 left in the third quarter it was 56-6.
Western Brown’s Isaiah Smith closed out the scoring with a 21-yard run on the first play on the fourth quarter to account for the final score.
The second half was played with a running clock since the Broncos had a 30 or more point lead when the half started.
“I think we have a good bunch of kids and they’re gonna get better. I’m proud they kept fighting tonight,” O’Rourke said.
Next Friday the Indians open Frontier Athletic Conference action at Miami Trace.
Reach Jeff Gilliland at 937-402-2522.
