The Hillsboro Indians hosted fellow Frontier Athletic Conference opponent the Panthers of Miami Trace for Homecoming night on Oct. 4.
Miami Trace would pull off a huge upset over the Tribe 35-27.
Hillsboro and Miami Trace played every single down hard and it turned into several injuries and numerous penalty throughout the game for the two teams.
The Panthers Jayden LeBeau would be a huge factor and he started the game with a 82 yard kick return with for first kickoff of the game, Miami Trace jumped ahead 7-0 with 11:48 left in the first quarter.
Mark Gallimore would have have a seven carries and a 20 yard touchdown for the Indians first procession but they would fail an extra point attempt so the score was 6-7 with 7:21 left in the first. Hillsboro would fail to move the ball in two more processions and Quarterback Dalton Mayer would complete a 40 yard pass to Josh Gilmore that would go for a touchdown and an extra point to make the score 6-14 with 3:21 left. Neither team would be able to accomplish anything else before the quarter was over.
The second quarter started out with Hillsboro failing to get first down on a pass by Justin Spears and having to punt the ball away. LeBeau would rush for a 73 yard touchdown and a successful extra point making it 6-21 with 11:33 left in the second quarter. The Indians would have gain some yards rushing the ball with Silas Simmons, Spears, and Gallimore but a fumbled ball recovered by Luke Henry of Miami Trace would slow the Tribe down until it was their procession again, Spears threw a 16 yard pass to Simmons to build the Hillsboro team up for a 18 yard run by Justin Spears and a two point conversions, the score would be 21-14 with 6:58 left in the second quarter. The Indians would not accomplish much else the second quarter and Jayden Lebeau would rush in another touchdown for Miami Trace to make the score 14-28 with 1:48 left. Gallimore would have a 50 yard kickoff return but could not accomplish anything else before the first half was over.
The third quarter Spears and Gallimore clicked on rushing the ball and Spears would rush for a 26 yard touchdown on the Indians first procession making the score 21-28 with 6:30 left. The Panthers just couldn’t get anything going the third quarter but did move the ball fairly well.
Miami Trace would put the nail in the coffin fourth quarter after Hillsboro would have to start out with a punt. LeBeau would rush the ball down the field every play on the Panther procession that led to the final touchdown of the game 21-35 with 7:32 left in the fourth. Justin Spears would lead his teammates to the last second of the game that would lead to an interception by Caden Sweitzer of Miami Trace to lead the game.
Hillsboro will be facing off against the Cavaliers at Chillicothe on Oct. 11.
Reach Tate Erkenbrecher at 937-402-2572.
