Blue Devils Couldn't Evade Storm
Brookville, OH — The weather at game time may have cleared but the storm was just beginning for the Brookville Blue Devils. Valley View's hurry-up offense, no holds-barred defense, and special teams blocking blew threw the Devils squad much like the thunderstorm that preceded the game.
Valley View took the opening kickoff and easily drove to the Brookville 12-yard line before fumbling the ball away. That turned out to be their only miscue of the evening. The defense immediately set the tone for the rest of the game by sacking starting QB Nathan Snedeker, the first of three in half.
It didn't take long for the Spartans to score on their next possession with Brock Bolen charging in for his first of three TDs in the game and 18 on the year. Six different Spartans would eventually cross the goal line in the 56-13 win.
Jr. DB Ryan Clark keeps getting shut out of the record books (two punt returns for TDs in a game) when one was called back on a holding penalty. However he erupted in the third quarter for a 70-yard TD and his second punt return for a touchdown this season, the first in week three against Waynesville. He finished the game with 155 yards on three attempts.
Ross Peters (5-8, 150) out jumped his defender by a foot and a half to grab a Teddy Buehner pass on the 14-yard line and raced to the endzone for a TD. Buehner threw three touchdowns and 166-yards to bring his season total to 766 yards passing. He also rushed for another 92 yards.
Brookville's scoring all happened in the second half. Their first score was set up by a 65-yard kick return that was stopped at the Spartan two-yard line. The next play the Blue Devils scored, however back-to-back offsides penalties took the Brookville kicker out of "extra-point" range and the conversion failed. Their second score came with 41 seconds remaining in the game against the Spartan junior varsity.
Notable Statistics: Justin Givens continues to consistantly put the ball through the uprights. He now has 31 consecutive extra points since Franklin blocked attempt number 9 in week one. Bolen gained exactly 100 yards to bring his season total to 779. New Richmond who sat atop the Region 12 computer rankings lost to Clinton-Massie, 27-6. That will probably have an affect on where the Spartans end up in rankings for week 5. Buehner has seven touchdown passes for the season. Coach Niswonger was determined to play this game and not get rained out. Rushing plays significantly outnumbered passing plays to keep the clock moving before approaching storms could send the game to Saturday.
Milton-Union: Reality or Fantasy?
The Milton-Union Bulldogs having a winning season going for the first since, well since anyone can remember. The Bulldogs lost 16 starters from last years squad but that hasn't detered them from posting a 4-1 record to date. Their only loss was in rain delayed week one to Tippecanoe, 32-6. They then went on to beat Miami East (0-5), Northridge (1-4), and Brookville (1-4).
Key returners for the Bulldogs are senior RB/DB Travis Meeks, sr. OLB Kyle Roy, jr. OL/LB Tim Dues, jr. DB Justin Huff, and jr. RB/OLB Koltte Grile, who scored three times against Madison in week five.
Mistakes and miscues in 2001 allowed the Spartans to capture a 75-12 victory over Milton. The Bulldogs will be looking to spoil the Spartan homecoming in 2002.
Are the Bulldogs for real though. Their only real test came against Tippecanoe in week one. Have they matured enough since then to give the Spartans a game?
We think the Bulldogs will bring their game with them but it just won't be enough to dent the Spartans armour. Valley View has too many offensive weapons (Bolen, Buehner, Alldred, Abner, and Peters). The hurry-up, no-huddle offense has simply stymied opponents and wore them out. The blitzkreig, no prisoners display from the defense is reminiscent of former coach Denny Good's thunder and lightning play calling that consistently propelled Valley View into the playoffs and three state championships.
Our prognosticators were off by a touchdown on both sides of their prediction in last week's game. The Spartan scoring machine has been pretty consistant in the 50-range and the defense continues to be stingy. Let's see, 56-14 week before and 56-13 this week. Our mathmetical algorithm that pinpoints almost exactly what we tell it has deducted that the Spartans go to 6-0 with a 56-12 homecoming win.
