By: Paul Holden
The 2013 campaign started a little different for the Trimble Tomcats and the Nelsonville-York Buckeyes, as this year the rivals began their seasons against each other instead of facing off to end the year.
Glouster Stadium was packed to watch the two schools face off, but the highly anticipated game was all-Tomcats from the second quarter until the final seconds ran off the clock.
After forcing the Buckeyes to a three-and-out on the game’s opening drive, the Tomcats struck first with a quarterback keep from Konner Standley to put them ahead 7-0.
But unpolished play was present throughout the game for both teams.
Late in the first quarter, Nelsonville-York lined up to punt the ball, but the snap flew over the punter's head giving the Tomcats excellent field position on the NVY 38. However, during the next play Trimble fumbled the ball and gave it right back to the Buckeyes.
The fumble set up a drive in which the Tomcats saw themselves on a fourth-and-17, but the Tomcats elected to convert the fourth down when Standley rolled out to complete a long pass to wide receiver Austin Downs to put the Tomcats inside the Buckeyes to yard line.
The conversion lead to an eventual touchdown pass from Standley to wide receiver Donovon Ross to put the Tomcats ahead 13-0.
That lead would stand going into halftime, but the second half was all about Standley and his running back Jacob Koons.
When Koons controlled the ball, he hammered the holes that the Tomcats line produced and fought for extra yards when the ball was in his hands.
With 7:44 remaining in the third, Standley pushed the ball over the line to put the Tomcats up 19-0. They attempted a two-point conversion, but failed to convert.
Late in the third quarter, the Tomcats stringed together another drive lead by Standley and Koons that put them on the nine-yard line to begin the fourth quarter, when Standley once again kept the ball and put it into the end zone.
The Tomcats elected to go for two again and Standley demonstrated his throwing abilities when he aired a ball perfectly into the hands of wide receiver Wyatt Braggs in the corner of the end zone putting the Tomcats 27-0.
The nail in coffin for the Buckeyes came when Justice Jenkins picked off Nelsonville-York quarterback Colton Adams’ pass.
After two penalties, the Tomcats saw themselves at second-and-26, but Kooner was able to once again find his receivers deep for a big gain that set up another Tomcats drive to the end zone. This time it was wide receiver Bryce Smathers that carried it into the end zone to put the Tomcats ahead 34-0.
Timble wasn’t done, as it had time for one last big play, when running back Terry Simerly took the ball 38 yards into the end zone to put the score at 40-0 after a missed point after attempt.
Flags and poor special teams were the constant problems for the Buckeyes.
The Buckeyes had five flags against them for unsportsmanlike conduct, which gave the Tomcats excellent field position.
The Buckeyes also struggled with punting the ball, as they had to deal with poor snaps and short punts, which put their defense in a tight spot against a stellar Tomcat offense.
The Tomcats’ biggest struggle was kicking the ball, as they missed two extra point conversions and a 27-yard field goal.
This was not a problem for the Tomcats against the Buckeyes, but might be a problem in close games as the season goes on.
After a rough first game the Buckeyes look to bounce back against Newark Catholic while the Tomcats aim to ride this momentum against Wahama.
ph553412@ohiou.edu
@PaulHolden33
