Beavercreek's Defense Made The Difference

 

            Beavercreek High School’s (BHS) 2017 Football Season started two weeks ago (Thursday, August 24, 2017). To begin the season, the Beavers went on the road. The team did not travel far. The Beavers ended up in nearby Xenia, Ohio. There is no better way to open up the season than taking the field against an archrival (Xenia High School). After going on the road for two weeks, BHS has now come HOME. In tonight’s (Friday, September 8, 2017) Home Opener, BHS will be facing another archrival. Tonight’s opponent is Fairborn High School (FHS). The Skyhawks vs. The Beavers is always an interesting game which to witness. To be honest, any Rivalry Game is interesting to watch. Like I have stated many times in the past, Win-Loss Records mean ABSOLUTELY NOTHING in Rivalry Games! Due to the level of competitiveness, you just do not know what is going to happen. Since a 2009 13-10 Overtime Victory, Fairborn has not defeated Beavercreek. In both the 2010 and 2011 Seasons, the teams did not play one another. In 2012, the rivalry was rekindled. Ever since that point, Beavercreek High School has won every game (in the series). Tonight, can Fairborn High School reverse the losing trend? We are about to find out.

 

            Fairborn won the Official Coin Toss. The Skyhawks has deferred until the Second Half. Beavercreek will be the receiving team. Immediately, the Beavers’ Offense went to its powerful Rushing Game. The team spread the touches around. For each play, a different player took turns running the ball. Beavercreek’s Offensive Drive started on its own 30-Yard Line. On 3^rd Down and 6, the ball rested on the 34-Yard Line. At 10:42, Chris Lawrence picked up the First Down. His run obtained 8-Yards (to the 42-Yard Line). A short time later, the team faced another 3^rd Down Play. On 3^rd Down and 7, BHS was on its own 45-Yard Line. At the snap, Quarterback Cody Hocker kept the ball himself. He reached Fairborn’s 49-Yard Line. Unfortunately, Hocker did not obtain the First Down. On 4^th Down and 1, Kaden Wenger rushed to the Skyhawks’ 41-Yard Line (8:42). For Beavercreek, Wenger’s 8-Yard Run obtained another First Down.

 

            On 2^nd Down and 8 from the 39-Yard Line, Beavercreek attempted a big play. At 7:50, Hocker threw a Deep Pass downfield. To the Beavers’ dismay, the pass was incomplete. The intended receiver dropped the ball. After a 3^rd Down Rush (by Wenger), the ball was sitting on the 34-Yard Line. On 4^th Down and 3, a Field Goal Attempt or Punt was not chosen. Instead, a play was going to be run. Once again, the ball was put into Wenger’s hands. This time, Wenger was not tackled. He reached the end zone (6:59). Marcella Cash’s Extra Point Kick was Good. By the score of 7-0, Beavercreek leads Fairborn. Upon receiving the ball, Fairborn’s Offense started on its own 31-Yard Line. The Skyhawks would not move the ball past the 34-Yard Line. On 4^th Down and 7, FHS punted (6:36). BHS’s Offense started on its own 45-Yard Line. On 2^nd Down and 16, the Beavers was backed up on its 39-Yard Line. After the snap from center, Drew Nanda picked up 17-Yards (5:47). The ball rested on Fairborn’s 44-Yard Line. On 1^st Down and 10, Hocker threw a pass to Jake Maloney. The pass was complete. Maloney was wide-open. He had a clear path to the end zone. The end zone is where he stopped running (5:30). The Extra Point Kick was No Good. However, Beavercreek led Fairborn 13-0.

 

            After an Onside Kick, Fairborn received the ball on its own 45-Yard Line. The Skyhawks’ Special Teams Unit recovered the Onside Kick. On 1^st Down, Wesley Watts completed a 7-Yard Pass to Gage Barron. On 2^nd Down and 3 from Beavercreek’s 48-Yard Line, Trevor Smith rushed the ball to the 42-Yard Line (4:41). On 2^nd Down and 10, Smith picked up 4-Yards. The Skyhawks’ Offense now faced a critical Third Down Play. On 3^rd Down and 6, the ball was on the Beavers’ 38-Yard Line. Watts completed a Touchdown Pass to Shaunn Monroe (3:37). Damion Day’s Extra Point Kick was Good. Fairborn trails Beavercreek 13-7.  With 2:18 remaining in the 1^st Quarter, Beavercreek faced a 3^rd Down and 6 on its own 37-Yard Line. Hocker completed a pass to Wenger (2:18). However, there was an added bonus. Fairborn’s Defense was assessed a Personal Foul (Face Mask Violation) (2:17). That penalty moved the ball to FHS’s 45-Yard Line.

 

            Led by the rushing of only Wenger, the ball reached Fairborn’s 36-Yard Line. With 11-Seconds remaining in the 1^st Quarter, Beavercreek faced a 4^th Down and 1. The Beavers ran the ball. The First Down was not obtained. At the end of the 1^st Quarter, Beavercreek leads Fairborn 13-7. At the 11:49 mark of the 2^nd Quarter, Fairborn had a 3^rd Down and 5 on its own 40-Yard Line. Watts completed the First Down Pass to Dawson Blakley. Blakley obtained 12-Yards. The ball was on the Beavers’ 48-Yard Line. From that point, the Skyhawks had trouble moving the ball. With the ball on the Beavers’ 42, it was 4^th Down and 4. FHS’s Offense decided not to Punt the ball. That was an unwise decision. Watts went on to throw an Incomplete Pass (9:35). The ball turned over on downs. It was not long before Fairborn regained possession. On 1^st Down and 10, Beavercreek made a rush. During the process, the ball was fumbled. Fairborn recovered the loose ball (9:28).  

 

            With the ball on Beavercreek’s 40-Yard Line, Fairborn was given new life. On 4^th Down and 8, the ball was on the 38-Yard Line. After the snap from center, Watts had the Beavers’ Defense rushing directly at him. As a result, he had to just throw up the ball. Luckily, a receiver was in the right place. The 9-Yard Pass was complete (8:22). On 3^rd Down and 10, the ball was still on BHS’s 29-Yard Line. At 7:53, Watts completed a pass to Barron. Barron managed to only obtain 3-Yards. On 4^th Down and 7, the Skyhawks did not attempt a Field Goal. Instead, Watts threw a pass. That pass went on to be incomplete (7:01). The ball was turned over on downs. On its own 26-Yard Line, Beavercreek’s Offense took over. Led by Wenger, the Beavers got the ball moving quickly.

 

            During the Offensive Drive, Wenger was the only Offensive Player to touch the ball. No one else moved the ball. Play after play, Wenger pounded his way down the field. With 5:09 remaining in the 2^nd Quarter, Beavercreek had a 1^st Down and 10 on Fairborn’s 36-Yard Line. After the snap, Wenger was handed the ball. Then, he proceeded to take off. As he got near the end zone, Wenger had to make a spin. In order to avoid being tackled, a spin had to be made. Once the spin was completed, Wenger made his way into the end zone. Cash’s Extra Point Kick was Good. Beavercreek leads Fairborn 20-7. After the Kickoff, Fairborn started on its own 20-Yard Line. The Skyhawks’ Offense struggled to move the ball. On 4^th Down and 7 from the 23-Yard Line, FHS was forced to Punt (3:10). Immediately, FHS was given a MAJOR BREAK! Flags were thrown. Beavercreek’s Defense was penalized for Roughing The Kicker (3:03). Fairborn maintained possession.

 

            As a direct result of the Personal Foul (against Beavercreek), the ball was placed on Fairborn’s 38-Yard Line. On 1^st Down, KJ Redmon picked up 21-Yards (2:56).  Redmon got the ball to BHS’s 41-Yard Line. With 1:56 to go, the ball remained on the 41-Yard Line. On 3^rd Down and 10, Watts completed a 39-Yard Pass to Barron. Barron was tackled on the Beavers’ 2-Yard Line. On 1^st and Goal, Redmon got the Touchdown (1:30). The Extra Point Kick was No Good. The ball sailed wide left. On 2^nd Down and 10 from its own 27-Yard Line, Hocker threw a Deep Pass downfield. Maloney was the intended receiver. The pass was incomplete (48-Seconds). During the play, Maloney was wide-open. However, the ball was too far in front of him. The pass was uncatchable. Had Maloney caught the ball, he would have reached the end zone. If not, he would have obtained a long gain.

 

            At the end of the First Half, Beavercreek leads Fairborn 20-13. For most of the First Half, Fairborn’s Quarterback Wesley Watts was under so much Defensive Pressure. He had to scramble all over the field. At times, he had to just throw the ball up. After the Halftime Break, Fairborn High School started with Offensive Possession. The ball was on the team’s own 47-Yard Line. On 2^nd Down and 10, Watts completed a 10-Yard Pass to Dawson Blakley (11:24). From Beavercreek’s 37-Yard Line, Watts moved the ball to the 30-Yard Line. From that point, the ball would manage to move back to the 35-Yard Line. On 4^th Down and 8, Watts threw an Incomplete Pass (10:53). The Beavers’ Offense was unable to do much. On 4^th Down and 8 from the 37-Yard Line, BHS had to Punt (9:27). On 3^rd Down, BHS missed a good opportunity. Hocker threw a pass downfield to Maloney. Maloney almost made the reception. Unfortunately, a defender knocked the ball down.

 

            After the Punt, the ball was downed on Fairborn’s 13-Yard Line. On 3^rd Down and 8, Watts was intercepted by Beavercreek’s Bryce Neuse. Neuse proceeded to make his way to the end zone (8:35). Once again, Cash successfully made an Extra Point Kick. Beavercreek’s lead increased to 27-13. A short time later, you will not believe what ends up happening. With 7:52 on the clock, Fairborn had a 2^nd Down and 8 on its own 22-Yard Line. After the snap, Watts threw a pass. Once again, Watts was intercepted by Bryce Neuse. Neuse scored another Touchdown! With the completion of Cash’s Extra Point Kick, Beavercreek took a 34-13 lead. Fairborn’s next Offensive Drive was horrendous. On 4^th Down and 27 from its own 17-Yard Line, the Skyhawks was forced to Punt. Upon a Block In The Back Penalty (against the Beavers) being assessed, Beavercreek started on its own 25-Yard Line. On 1^st Down, Drew Nanda rushed the ball to the 34-Yard Line (9-Yard Run).

 

            At this point, Wenger took over. On 2^nd Down and 1, he rushed for 16-Yards (5:38). The ball rested at Midfield (50-Yard Line). Wenger’s next rush got the ball to Fairborn’s 45-Yard Line. On 2^nd Down and 5, Wenger blasted his way to the Skyhawks’ 10-Yard Line (4:34). On 1^st and Goal, Wenger moved the ball to the 7-Yard Line. On 2^nd Down and Goal, Hocker kept the ball himself. At 3:37, he made his way to the end zone. Once Cash successfully completed the Extra Point Kick, Beavercreek took a commanding 41-13 Lead over Fairborn. With assistance from Beavercreek’s Defense committing a Personal Foul and Watts completing a pass which was tipped to a Lineman, the Skyhawks got the ball moving. The Offensive Drive started on the Skyhawks’ own 26-Yard Line. On 2^nd Down and 9 from the Beavers’ 45-Yard Line, Watts was Sacked (1:13). On 3^rd Down and 19 from Fairborn’s own 42-Yard Line, Redmon picked up 4-Yards. At the end of the 3^rd Quarter, Beavercreek leads Fairborn 41-13. As the 4^th Quarter got underway, Fairborn made a great Punt. The ball was downed on Beavercreek’s own 1-Yard Line.

 

            On 1^st Down, Wenger rushed the ball to the 15-Yard Line (11:43). From the 15-Yard Line, the ball would go on to get to only the 18-Yard Line. On 4^th Sown and 7, Beavercreek had to punt (10:02). Fairborn received the ball on Beavercreek’s 49-Yard Line. Instead of gaining yards, the drive would go on to just lose yards. On 4^th Down and 18 from its own 43-Yard Line, Fairborn had to Punt (8:57). The Beavers proceeded to go three plays and out. On 4^th Down and 9 from its own 31-Yard Line, Beavercreek had to Punt (7:02). The Skyhawks started its Offensive Drive on its own 39-Yard Line. Redmon proceeded to run the ball twice. After each play, he obtained a First Down. On 1^st Down and 10 from Beavercreek’s 34-Yard Line, Watts completed a 33-Yard Pass to Shaunn Monroe (6:28). Monroe was brought down on the Beavers’ 1-Yard Line. On 2^nd and Goal, Redmon obtained a Touchdown (6:03). Damion Day’s Extra Point Kick was Good. Fairborn trails Beavercreek 41-20.

 

            Fairborn went on to make an Onside Kick. The Skyhawks’ Special Teams Unit successfully recovered the ball. On Beavercreek’s 49-Yard Line, the ball was recovered. The Skyhawks’ Offensive Drive went nowhere. Due to a run which lost yards and an Illegal Procedure Violation, the drive was hindered. On 4^th Down and 13, the ball was on FHS’s own 48-Yard Line. Watts ended up throwing an Incomplete Pass. After Wenger rushed the ball twice, the ball had moved from the 48-Yard Line to the 39-Yard Line. On 3^rd Down and 1, Hocker picked up the First Down. With 2:06 on the clock, Beavercreek faced a 3^rd Down and 11 on Fairborn’s 37-Yard Line. After the snap, a Reverse Play was performed. The ball ended up in Maloney’s hands. Maloney proceeded to rush the ball 30-Yards (to the 7-Yard Line). On 1^st and Goal, the final nail was hammered into Fairborn’s coffin. Nanda rushed the ball into the end zone (2:02). Cash’s Extra Point was Good. By the Final Score of 48-20, Beavercreek High School went on to defeat Fairborn High School.