PIQUA — Lehman Catholic has been vastly superior to its first four Northwest Central Conference opponents, but none moreso than Waynesfield-Goshen on Friday at Alexander Stadium.
And with the opponents getting tougher the next three weeks, Lehman quarterback Elliott Gilardi said the team is eager to back up its hot start.
The Cavaliers scored 10 consecutive touchdowns to spark a 77-14 win Waynesfield-Goshen. The victory improves Lehman’s record to 6-1 overall and 4-0 in the NWCC.
Lehman beat its first three conference opponents by an average score of 60-5 before Friday’s win. The last three opponents could be tougher to beat. First up is Upper Scioto Valley (3-4) next week, followed by games against Lima Perry (4-3) and Riverside (5-2). Perry and Riverside won their first four conference games by lopsided margins similar to Lehman’s.
“We’ve played some kind of lower teams the past few weeks, but these next few weeks are going to get a little harder,” Gilardi said. “We’re going to work way harder. We just want to get to the playoffs and just keep rolling.”
Gilardi threw for four touchdown passes in the first half and ran for one score while Owen Smith scored on two touchdowns runs.
Waynesfield-Goshen (1-6) took a 6-0 lead with 7:33 left in the first on a 26-yard touchdown pass from Evan Miller to Cole Lambert that was followed by a missed two-point conversion.
“We told them after that first drive that we’ve got to learn how to prepare,” Lehman coach Dick Roll said. “We came out lackluster and they moved it on us, and like an alarm clock, we woke up. But we’ve got to learn to wake up from the beginning, similar to what we had to do after Graham in Week 3. We’ve just got to learn to wake up early.”
After the Cavaliers woke up, any hopes by Waynesfield-Goshen of an upset were quickly squashed.
Smith broke free for a 45-yard run on the Cavaliers’ first drive, then Gilardi ran 13 yards to move the ball to Goshen’s 7-yard line. Smith ran it on the next play to give the Cavaliers a 7-6 lead after an extra point by Michael Denning.
Gilardi added a 9-yard touchdown run with 4:24 left to extend Lehman’s lead to 14-6, then threw a 16-yard touchdown pass to Kameron Lee with two minutes left.
Gilardi threw a 25-yard touchdown pass to Michael Bunker on the first play of the second quarter and threw a 31-yard TD pass to Bunker with 9:03 left to push the lead to 35-6. Gilardi connected with Bunker on a 40-yard touchdown pass with 5:22 left, and Smith added a 47-yard touchdown run with 2:47 left in the second.
Gilardi threw a 7-yard touchdown pass to Brandon Barhorst with seven seconds left to extend Lehman’s lead to 55-6 at halftime.
Roll said Bunker’s performance was the best of the season, and he’s happy the Cavaliers have another playmaker to compliment Gilardi, Smith, Barhorst and Lee, who have scored the majority of the team’s touchdowns. In addition with solid play from the line, Roll said he’s extremely pleased with the offense.
Gilardi’s happy to have plenty of help when it comes to scoring.
“We’re starting to come together more as a team and as a unit,” Gilardi said. “… They’re all heck of good players. They’re all good targets. Owen runs the ball like a beast, Kam can jump up and get the ball. They’re just great targets, and we’ve got a lot of weapons on the team.”
Interview with Lehman's Elliott Gilardi following a 77-14 win over Waynesfield-Goshen. pic.twitter.com/x5vFcrSU2K
— Sidney Daily News (@sidneydailynews) October 7, 2017
Smith ran for a 71-yard touchdown on the first play of the third quarter, and Tyler Sollmann scored on a 1-yard run with 2:13 left to push the lead to 70-6. Goshen added a long touchdown run early in the fourth to pull within 70-14, and Sollman scored a 34-yard run with 7:59 left to finish Lehman’s scoring.
Anna 21, St. Henry 19
Aidan Endsley scored on a 5-yard touchdown run early in the third quarter to give the Rockets a 14-13 lead and Austin Fogt hauled in a 38-yard touchdown pass to boost Anna to a win over St. Henry in a Midwest Athletic Conference showdown on Friday.
Fogt’s touchdown late in the third gave Anna a 21-13 lead. The Redskins pulled within 21-19 early in the fourth quarter on a 23-yard touchdown reception by Ryan Luttmer, but a missed two-point conversion prevented a tied score.
The Rockets improved to 6-1 overall and 4-1 in the MAC with the win.
Riley Huelskamp scored the game’s first touchdown on a 20-yard run to give Anna a 7-0 lead. St. Henry tied the score before the end of the first on a touchdown pass and took a 13-7 lead with a touchdown pass late in the second quarter.
Fort Loramie 56, Mississinawa Valley 0
Fort Loramie posted its second consecutive shutout. The Redskins improved to 5-2 overall and 4-1 in the Cross County Conference.
Coldwater 17, Minster 16
Jared Huelsman scored on a 14-yard touchdown run with 1:06 left, but Minster’s two-point conversion try failed and Coldwater recovered an onside kick attempt to preserve the win.
Coldwater took the lead with 2:46 left on a 3-yard run by Sam Broering. Isaac Schmiesing scored a 21-yard field goal early in the third quarter for Minster to tie the game 10-10.
Huelsman had 202 passing yards and ran for 60 yards and two touchdowns.
