FINDING THE END ZONE … Edon’s Gannon Ripke hauls in a 15-yard touchdown pass from Gallehue in the third quarter. (PHOTO BY RICH HARDING, STAFF)
By: Daniel Cooley
FINDLAY – Lima Central Catholic won all three phases of the football game offensively, defensively, and on special teams, to top Edon, 61-26, Saturday night, in Findlay.
The Thunderbirds (11-2), along with scoring seven offensive touchdowns, also scored TDs on a kickoff return and an interception return.
Lima CC also had a 49-yard kickoff return that set up another score and defensively, intercepted three of Drew Gallehue’s passes.
The Thunderbirds advance to the regional finals against Hopewell-Louden on Saturday, November 20th, at a site yet to be determined. Edon, with its most successful playoff season ever, bows out at 11-2.
Lima CC jumped out to a 7-0 lead on a 10-yard run by quarterback Carson Parker. Edon answered that early touchdown with one of their own, on Gallehue’s four-yard TD pass to Hayden Dye, to cut the Lima CC lead to 7-6. However, two plays turned the tide into Lima CC’s favor, for the remainder of the game.
First, Traves Hoyle returned the ensuing Edon kickoff 84 yards for a touchdown, to put the Thunderbirds up, 13-6. But then came the backbreaker.
Edon looked like it was either going to cut the Lima CC lead to one point or take the lead with a two point conversion, moving to a first and goal at the Lima CC six-yard line.
But Lima CC’s Jamarion Robinson took the ball away from an Edon receiver and returned his interception 95 yards for a touchdown to put Lima CC up, 20-6.
The Lima CC defense then stopped Edon two consecutive times on a punt and an interception. The Thunderbird offense then scored both times, on a 30-yard TD run by Keiron Bailey and a 19-yard TD run by Parker. Those two scores put Lima CC up, 34-6.
Gannon Ripke gave Edon hope with a 77-yard kickoff return, to cut the Thunderbirds lead to 34-12.
But Lima CC picked up a 49-yard kickoff return to the Edon 35-yard line. Six plays later, Parker scored from the Edon three-yard line.
Next, after intercepting another Gallehue pass, Parker found Hoyle with a 28-yard TD pass. to give Lima CC a 47-12 lead at halftime.
Edon scored twice in the second half, on Gallehue’s 15-yard TD pass to Ripke and an eight-yard pass from Gallehue to Hayden Dye.
However, Lima CC also tallied twice more on Paker’s 49-yard TD scamper and a one-yard run from Bailey.
Offensively, Gallehue finished with 330 yards passing, but was victimized by the three interceptions. Ripke led Edon with eight receptions for 109 yards.
Parker led Lima CC with 217 yards rushing.
Statistics
Lima CC Edon
First Downs 22 15
Rushes-Yards 44-359 1-(-9)
Passing Yards 40 330
Passing 3-4-1 26-42-3
Fumbles-Lost 3-1 0-0
Penalties-Yards 6-46 2-10
SCORE BY QUARTERS
LCC 20 27 7 7 – 61
Edon 6 6 8 6 – 26
SCORING PLAYS
LCC – Parker 10-yd run (Taplinger kick)
E – He. Dye 4-yd pass from Gallehue (pass failed)
LCC – Hoyle 84-yd kickoff return (kick failed)
LCC – Robinson 95-yd interception return (Taplinger kick)
LCC – Bailey 30-yd run (kick failed)
LCC – Parker 19-yd run (Taplinger kick)
E – Ripke 77-yd kickoff return (pass failed)
LCC – Parker 3-yd run (Taplinger kick)
LCC – Hoyle 28-yd pass from Parker (Taplinger kick)
E- Ripke 15-yd pass from Gallehue (Ha. Dye pass from Gallehue)
LCC – Parker 49-yd run (Taplinger kick)
E – Ha. Dye 8-yd pass from Gallehue (pass failed)
LCC – Bailey 1-yd run (Taplinger kick)
Dan can be reached at publisher@thevillagereporter.com
