By Bob Strohm
bstrohm@wbcowqel.com
In their first MOAC game of the season the Galion Tigers were taken to the limit by the Buckeye Valley Barons, but in the end came up short 38-32.
Galion entered the half trailing 21-19. After recognizing the 1985 Galion Tigers State Championship football team during the half the Tigers came out of the locker room inspired taking the lead on a 53 yard Drake Barnett touchdown to put the Tigers up 25-21.
The Barons inched within one as they hit a field goal with 1:17 to go in the third to bring the score to 25-24. Barnett scored on the ground for the fourth and final time of the game to take a 32-24 lead with 10:30 in the fourth.
Buckeye Valley stuck back on a 26 yard touchdown run on the ensuing drive. The Barons completed a 2 point conversion attempt to knot the game up at 32 points apiece.
Both teams traded possessions until it was Buckeye Valley scoring late in the fourth on a 6 yard touchdown run with: 50 seconds to go in the game to take a 38-32 lead.
Galion attempted to make a comeback, but as they were matriculating the ball down the field they ran out of clock.
Drake Barnett led the Tigers on the ground with 234 yards on 23 attempts and 4 TD. Barnett also led the Tigers in the air with 2 receptions for 78 yards and another touchdown. Chase Cooke led the Tigers through the air throwing 7 completions on 12 attempts for 105 yards and a touchdown.
PHOTO GALLERY: Buckeye Valley at Galion
In WQEL’s Game of the Week the Colonel Crawford Eagles tamed the undefeated Seneca East Tigers by a score of 42-18 to pull even with them for second place in the N-10.
Seneca East was able to keep up with the Eagles through the third quarter with both teams exchanging the lead 4 times. Col. Crawford took the lead for good when Will Kirkpatrick capped off a 7 play 66 yard drive with a 9 yard touchdown run to put the Eagles up 21-18 with 8:56 left in the third quarter. Col. Crawford never looked back scoring 3 more unanswered touchdowns to finish out the game.
Will Kirkpatrick led the Eagles passing completing 6 of 15 attempts for 81 yards and a touchdown. Kirkpatrick also led the Eagles ground game amassing 160 yards on 29 attempts for 2 more touchdowns. Owen Adams was the recipient of each of Kirkpatrick’s completions hauling in the rock for 6 receptions for 81 yards and a touchdown.
Brennan Martin led the Tigers through the air completing 19 of 27 attempts for 217 yards 2 touchdowns and 4 interceptions. Brock Martin was Seneca East’s top rusher with 80 yards on 7 attempts and a touchdown.
The Buckeye Central Bucks improved to 3-1 on the season defeating the Upper Sandusky Rams 31-14.
B.C. took control of the game early jumping out to a 12-0 halftime lead on a 1 yard Cody Roberts touchdown run and a 26 yard touchdown pass from Grant Loy to Scott Heydinger.
Upper Sandusky pulled it to within 5 points on a 3 yard touchdown run by Shane Pack to make the score 12-7.
Buckeye Central scored the next 19 points to take a 31-7 lead. Upper Sandusky added a score with 1:25 to go in the fourth quarter, but it was too little too late as B.C. held on to the 31-14 score for the win.
Loy led Buckeye Central through the air completing 8 passes on 16 attempts for 189 yards and a touchdown. Loy added 50 yards on the ground on 15 attempts for another score. Roberts Led the Bucks on the ground gaining 70 yards on 17 attempts and 2 touchdowns.
In other action around Crawford County Wynford remained undefeated in the N-10 with a 41-12 win over Carey, Mohawk defeated Bucyrus 44-7, and Loudonville defeated Crestline 64-10
PHOTO GALLERIES: Carey at Wynford | Loudonville at Crestline
N-10 Standings
Wynford 3-1 (3-0)
Col. Crawford 3-1 (2-1)
Seneca East 3-1 (2-1)
Mohawk 3-1 (2-1)
Buckeye Central 3-1 (1-1)
Upper Sandusky 2-2 (2-1)
Bucyrus 1-3 (0-2)
Carey 1-3 (0-3)
Ridgedale 0-3 (0-2)
Non-N-10 Crawford County Schools
Galion 3-1 (MOAC)
Crestline 0-4 (Mid Buckeye Conference)