Tipp treats fans to CBC title, home playoff game

Beating Tippecanoe on its home field is tough enough. Doing it a night after Halloween?

It was indeed (Red) Devils’ Night as Tipp knocked off Shawnee 21-7 in a battle of unbeatens. In front of a student section and marching band decked out in Halloween costumes, Tipp treated them to a Central Buckeye Conference Kenton Division title and guaranteed a home playoff game next Friday.

For Shawnee, which hadn’t lost to Tipp in three seasons, there was consolation in also qualifying for the Division III, Region 10 playoffs. But after struggling with turnovers and miscues, the Braves will likely play on the road.

“We’ll let it hurt tonight and tomorrow morning the sun will come up,” Shawnee coach Rick Meeks said. “We’ll find out who we’re playing and get to work on them.”

Whoever plays Tipp (10-0, 5-0 CBC) will have to figure out how to stop running back Jacob Hall. The 6-foot-2, 210-pound senior rumbled for 219 yards and two touchdowns on 18 carries. His biggest run came on the first play of the second half.

Hall took the handoff on the right side and once he was through the line went untouched for a 72-yard touchdown and 21-7 lead.

“The (offensive line) did a heck of a job,” Hall said. “I don’t get that much credit (tonight) because there were some huge holes out there all night long.”

Tipp rushed for 312 yards on 39 carries and finished with 357 yards in total offense.

Shawnee (9-1, 4-1) managed 269 yards in total offense, including 142 passing and 55 rushing from quarterback Saalih Muhammad. The Braves, though, threw two interceptions, including one from the Tipp 27-yard line. They also turned the ball over on downs on the Tipp 5 and 37.

The Red Devils also came up with a key sack with 4:44 left in the fourth. On second down on the Tipp 32, the Red Devils’ Tyler Hunter got just enough of Muhammad’s feet to trip him up for an 11-yard loss. Shawnee turned it over on downs two plays later.

“I was that close to not getting him but I got him. … It feels amazing. This is the best feeling I think I’ve ever felt my whole football career,” said Hunter, who also helped pave the way for Hall and Cameron Johnson’s 51 yards on the offensive line. “I couldn’t ask for a better way to end my senior season on this field in Tipp City.”

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