NWOAL OPENER … Bryan senior Maddox Langenderfer makes a tackle on Delta quarterback Justin Ruple. (PHOTO BY RENEA KESSLER / THE VILLAGE REPORTER)
By: Jesse Davis
BRYAN – (September 8, 2023) The Bryan Golden Bears notched a dominant victory over the Delta Panthers in what started out as a close game last Friday.
Delta received to start the game, going four and out then punting, leaving Bryan with the ball on their own 20-yard line.
Bryan nearly returned the favor, but an illegal procedure penalty kept them alive, leading to a three-yard touchdown run by senior Sam Herold midway through the first quarter.
A pair of Golden Bear penalties assisted with Delta’s next drive, which eventually led to a 19-yard touchdown pass from sophomore Tyler Ruple to junior Richard Flores seconds into the second quarter, tying the game at 7.
Bryan proceeded to march down the field at speed but was stymied when Panther linebacker Landon Lintermoot intercepted a pass from Jase Kepler before being stopped on the 18-yard-line.
Following a string of downs that saw Panther Justin Ruple absorb a series of rough hits, a failed fourth-down conversion attempt turned the ball over on the 36.
Just four plays later, a mammoth 43-yard pass from Kepler to senior wide receiver Drew Hahn put the Golden Bears back in the lead, 14-7.
The Panthers responded swiftly, tying the game at 14 with a 1-yard touchdown run from Justin Ruple on fourth and goal with 12 seconds left in the half.
After a neck-and-neck first half, the Golden Bears proceeded to pour it on in the second, scoring 28 unanswered points including two 2-point conversions and an interception caught by Bryan senior Maddox Langenderfer.
Kepler ran for three of the touchdowns himself during the third quarter, with a fourth score coming via a 14-yard run by Herold a few minutes into the final quarter.
Delta attempted to mount a comeback, scoring twice on runs from Justin Ruple and Lintermoot, but couldn’t keep up the momentum or stop the dominant Golden Bear offense.
It only took the squad one play in a late-game drive to score again – this time by a 35-yard run from Herold – to bring the final score to 49-28.
UP NEXT: September 15 – Bryan (3-1, 1-0 NWOAL) at Patrick Henry (4-0, 1-0 NWOAL) 7pm; Archbold (3-1, 0-1 NWOAL) at Delta (2-2, 0-1 NWOAL) 7pm.
DELTA 0 14 0 14 -28
BRYAN 7 7 20 15 – 49
B – Herold 3-yard run (Oberlin kick)
D – Flores 19-yard pass from T. Ruple) Roth kick)
B – Hahn 43-yard pass from Kepler (Oberlin kick)
D – J. Ruple 1-yard run (Roth kick)
B – Kepler 10-yard run (kick failed)
B – Kepler 2-yard run (pass failed)
B – Kepler 22-yard run (Herold pass from Kepler)
B – Herold 14-yard run (Kepler run)
D – J. Ruple 1-yard run (Roth kick)
D – Lintermoot 3-yard run (Roth kick)
B – Herold 35-yard run (Oberlin kick)
Jesse can be reached at jesse@thevillagereporter.com