In the first half both teams were held scoreless, but the Dragons started the second half finally sustaining long run attacks that built a 16-0 lead. The Bears, hampered by the first-quarter loss to injury of senior lineman Maddox Dickson most of the game, did get their own running going, finding the endzone on a final drive and collecting the bonus two for a conversion, keeping the final score a respectable 16-8 Genoa Central victory.
The awakening of the Bears’ offense came about five minutes too late and, after their one touchdown with conversion and then not gaining possession on an on-side kick, the Bears had to watch the Dragons run out the last 32 seconds by downing the ball twice.
It was the Dragons first victory after returning to 11-man football last year. In the second half, the team had numerous long, bruising runs ending in two scores and two conversions, while keeping Spring Hill’s run-dependent offense from getting much going, except when Jaxon Smith scored on a 20-yard keeper, but by then it was too late for the Bears to really make it a game.
After the contest, which seemed to be headed toward a shut-out until the Bears runners, quarterback Jaxon Smith, running backs Levi Askew and Henry Townsend and slot receiver Grayson Stout got some room, Coach Greg Smith said, “We played hard as can be. We had so much intensity all through the game. We had so many things that popped up. Young kids stepped into other roles that they hadn't really done.”
Smith indicated the loss of Dickson could be long-term and spoke about his team’s need to go to work filling the spot he will leave. “We’ve got two seniors on this football team. One of them went down early in the game. So when that happens, other kids start looking around, saying, well, ‘Who's up next?’ They start stepping up. Different guys step up and fill that void. So that's what they’ve got to keep doing.”
After the non-conference game against Genoa, the Bears get an open date and then host Episcopal Friday September 12th.
Above photo: Bears quarterback Jaxon Smith sees the goal line while he's still in the backfield before he puts on the jets to score his team's lone touchdown Friday night.
Below: The Bears celebrate late in Friday night's game after scoring a two-point conversion with a little over 30 seconds left to go to make the score 16-8. An on-side kick attempt would result in a penalty, giving the Dragons possession. The Dragons would down the ball twice to run out the clock.
