The Hillsboro Indians got back on the field Saturday night after their game was postponed in the second quarter Friday night as they played host to the Goshen Warriors. Unfortunately, the Indians did not play as well as they had been on the night before and lost the game with a final score of 27-7.
The game picked up with the Indians on their own 42 yard-line and 3:34 to go in the half.
The Indians couldn’t get anything going on their first drive after the continuation, but neither did the Warriors after Hillsboro was forced to punt and the game went to the half with a score of 7-7.
In the second half, however, it was all Goshen.
The third quarter saw nothing happen on either side except for a huge defensive stop by the Indians after their first drive.
The Indians were forced to punt after being able to pick up one first down. Punter Deon Burns sent a punt flying down the field and after a home team bounce, the ball was pounced on at the two yard line. The Warriors tried to run the ball three times to get the ball out into the field but were snuffed out all three times and were forced to punt giving the Indians great field position.
Unfortunately, the Indians were unable to get their offense rolling and were once again forced to punt the ball on fourth down. A bad snap on the punt sent the ball flying over Burns’s head and while giving chase, Burns kicked the ball which was scooped up by a Goshen player and ran in for a touchdown to make it 14-7 after the extra point.
In the third quarter, with 6:43 to go, Goshen marched down the field and looked to be threatening another score. They took to the air and threw a pass to what looked like an open receiver, but the Hillsboro’s Britton Haines leaped into the air and snatched the ball away from the Warriors which saved the touchdown but put the Indians on their own one yard-line.
The Indians were able to pick up some good yardage on this drive but it ended in an interception that which set up another touchdown by Goshen, and after a failed point after, it was Goshen leading 20-7.
Goshen was able to score one more time before the clock ran out and the final score of the game was Goshen 27, Hillsboro 7.
“Mental lapses cost us tonight,” said Indians’ coach Matt Hodge after the game. “Mental mistakes is what got us beat tonight. For as well as we played last night, we didn’t play very well tonight. We had mistakes in all phases of the game. [Goshen] had to play two different nights as well, so that excuse goes right out the window. We just didn’t get it done. We need to finish drives and get the ball into the endzone.”
The Indians will take to the road next Friday night as they go to Clermont Northeastern for a 7:30 game.
Reach Robert Stegbauer at 937-393-3456 ext. 1679 or on Twitter @RStegbauer.
