CATCH AND RUN … Edgerton receiver Karter Gibson hauls in a pass from Maddox Baker for a 32-yard touchdown in the first quarter.
SATURDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL … Hilltop running back Scott Bowers powers his way through the middle of the Bulldog defense.
By: Joe Blystone
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
publisher@thevillagereporter.com
WEST UNITY (August 30, 2025) – Maddox Baker is a multitasker. Saturday night against Hilltop, Maddox Baker threw it well. Maddox Baker ran it well.
Heck even when a teammate fumbled, Maddox Baker picked it up and circled the field to set up a touchdown.
All in all, Edgerton’s senior quarterback aired it out for 261 yards and four touchdowns, while running for 61 more on six carries, to lead Edgerton to a 42-0 triumph over the Cadets.
The Bulldogs started out very methodically on their opening drive with an 11-play, 51-yard march that was capped by Kellen Sanchez’s six-yard jaunt with 6:00 left in the first to give the Bulldogs a 7-0 lead.
Myles Baker’s fumble recovery on a botched Cadet handoff set up the Bulldogs in great field position at the Hilltop 32, where on the next play, quarterback Baker found Karter Gibson angling all by himself across the middle for a touchdown and a 14-0 advantage.
Behind Scotty Bowers’ 27 rushing yards along with an unsportsmanlike penalty on Edgerton, Hilltop got down to the Bulldog 17.
A screen pass that was blown up for a six-yard loss made it fourth-and-11. Anthony Jianuzzi caught Camryn Nichols’ pass on the sideline but stepped out of bounds a yard short of a first down to give the ball back to the Bulldogs.
Once more it took Baker just one play to reach the end zone, as he hit Caden Sinclair deep in the middle, and the senior receiver crossed the grain the last 50 yards on an 85-yard score, and a 21 -0 lead.
Gibson got back into the act on the next possession when he grabbed a short hitch on the right side, broke two tackles and went 57 yards for a touchdown that made it 28-0 at half.
Hilltop had one more chance to score in the half as Terry Rebeck bulled through tackles then rumbled 64 yards to the Edgerton 21, but the drive stalled late in the quarter.
Maddox Baker threw for 207 yards in the first half, going in the air, but still had more to come in his second act, this time using his legs.
His 35-yard run on the first play of the third quarter set up Edgerton at the Hilltop 20. On third-and-14, Baker hit Parker Elden on a screen, and when the ball was dislodged and flew backward, Baker picked it up on the far sideline, circled all the way around to the left side of the gridiron, and got to the Cadet 3 before going down.
Sanchez finished the drive going untouched into the end zone to initiate the running clock rule at 35-0. Baker caped scoring for the night with yet another outside screen to Sanchez that went 21 yards for the final tally.
Edgerton totaled 393 yards in offense with Baker accumulating 322 of those. Bowers (19 carries, 84 yards) and Rebeck (9-80) ran for a combined 164 of the Cadets’ 180 yards in offense.
UP NEXT: September 5 – Edgerton (2-0) at Montpelier (1-1; September 6 – Antwerp (0-2) at Hilltop (0-2)
EHS 14 14 14 0 – 42
HHS 0 0 0 0 – 0
E – Sanchez 7-yd run (P. Elden kick)
E – Gibson 32-yd pass from Baker (P. Elden kick)
E – Sinclair 84-yd pass from Baker (P. Elden kick)
E – Gibson 57-yd pass from Baker (P. Elden)
E – Sanchez 4-yd run (P. Elden)
E – Sanchez 12-yd pass from Baker (P. Elden kick)