LOOKING FOR RUNNING ROOM … Scott Bowers looks to turn the corner with a couple Bulldogs bearing down.
By: Joe Blystone
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
publisher@thevillagereporter.com
WEST UNITY (September 20, 2024) – Coming off a 36-7 win over North Central, Hilltop was feeling pretty good after getting a red zone stop, then a 97 yard, Cameron Shimp to Brock Kesler TD pass to take an early lead against Summerfield.
But from that point the Cadets suffered a combination of turnovers and penalties that aided in the Bulldogs scoring 34 of the last 40 points of the game in a 34-12 Summerfield win.
The Cadets actually caught the first big break of the game when a botched handoff was pounced on by Jesus Guillen at the Bulldog 25 on the night’s first play.
However, four plays didn’t gain a yard, and the Bulldogs took over to begin a march to the other end. Mitchell Gomulinski’s 35-yard burst was the big play as the Bulldogs got to the Hilltop 19. Cameron Schlosser ended the drive when he picked off a Trace Secor aerial at the 3.
On the next play, Shimp hit Kesler in stride down the left sideline and the senior receiver raced the last 60 yards to paydirt, giving Hilltop a 6-0 lead.
The score stayed that way until midway through the second when. Jude Flowers intercepted aa Shimp pass at the Hilltop 35.
Tyler Dafoe made a great catch of a Reece Kalb pass for 30 yards, and Gomulinski’s five-yard blast made it 7-6 with 5:25 left in the half.
Hilltop used a Summerfield special teams error to get the ball on the plus side of the field late in the half. Shimp hit Schlosser and Brycen Grubbs each for 12 yards but Brendan Myshock sacked Shimp for a loss of 16 to end the threat.
It took Gomulinski just four plays to get the Bulldogs in the end zone on their first possession of the third. The senior running back went for 27 and 15 yards before knocking it in from 17 yards away to extend the Summerfield lead to 14-6 at the 7:21 mark.
On the next Bulldog drive, Eli VanHuysen’s 26-yard catch got the ball near midfield, then a personal foul, which drew the ire of the Hilltop bench, resulting in successive unsportsmanlike penalties to push the ball to the 13.
On the second play, Gomulinski crashed in from the 8 to make it 21-6 with 3:34 on the clock. Hilltop got one back on a Shimp to Schlosser 14-yard scoring connection late in the third but Gomulinski’s fourth score after a clock beating drive, the. Kalb’s 85-yard strike to Dafoe closed out the Cadets.
Gomulinski’s 252 yards in 28 carries paced a Summerfield offense that racked up 439 yards total.
Shimp threw for 255 on 14-31 in the air but was hindered by the three interceptions and no less than four drops. The Cadets were assessed 105 yards in penalties, 45 coming on one snap, while Summerfield had 55.
Hilltop fell to 1-4 while the Bulldogs are 3-1. Hilltop is off until October 4th when they play Ottawa Hills.
SUMMERFIELD 0 7 14 13 – 34
HILLTOP 6 0 6 0 – 12
H – Kesler 97-yd pass from Shimp (conversion failed)
S – Gomulinski 5-yd run (Cribbs kick)
S – Gomulinski 17-yd run (Cribbs kick)
S – Gomulinski 8-yd (Cribbs kick)
H – Schlosser 14-yd pass from Shimp (conversion failed)
S – Gomulinski 3-yd run (Cribbs good)
S – Dafoe 85-yd pass from Kalb (kick failed)
(PHOTOS BY MICHELLE SANCHEZ / THE VILLAGE REPORTER)
HOMECOMING NIGHT … Hilltop receiver Brycen Grubbs goes up for a catch in the third quarter of Friday’s homecoming game with Summerfield, MI. VIEW ALL PHOTOS OF THIS CONTEST FOR FREE AT WWW.THEVILLAGEREPORTER.COM