Running game lifts unbeaten Tecumseh to shutout of Kenton Ridge

Tecumseh High School’s Riley Gault runs the ball against Kenton Ridge’s Wade Fulk during a Central Buckeye Conference game at Tecumseh on Friday, Oct. 2. Staff photo by Randy Hilt

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Photos: Kenton Ridge vs. Tecumseh

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By Jeff Gilbert, Contributing writer Updated 2:04 AM Saturday, October 3, 2009

NEW CARLISLE — The strength of the Tecumseh High School football team’s running game is not measured by the size of its offensive line.

“We know we’re smaller and we want to stick it to them,” said senior guard Andy Hufford, who is generously listed at 200 pounds. “It feels good to get after the bigger guys.”

The unbeaten Arrows weren’t pleased with their consistency of execution Friday, Oct. 2, but they played Tecumseh football and got after Kenton Ridge enough to gradually put away the Cougars 34-0 at Spitzer Stadium in the Central Buckeye Conference Kenton Trail Division opener for both teams.

The Arrows’ smallish line looks big only when Karson Williams (6-foot-4, 255 pounds) is the lead blocker, but he played only on defense in the second half because of an injury. Starter Josh Cantrell was also sidelined with an injury. Still, the line blocked for the kind of drives that eat the clock and eat away at the spirit of the other team.

“They might be the best in the area,” said Arrows fullback Kyle Sanning, who carried 19 times for 129 yards and two touchdowns. “They might not be the biggest, but they work the hardest.”

When Sanning wasn’t fighting through the middle, Dustin Holmes was taking pitches and running wide for 88 yards. The Arrows’ line blocked for 50 running plays and 301 yards.

“They know we’re going to be able to run the ball as long as they block,” said Tecumseh coach Kent Massie.

Tecumseh (6-0, 1-0) was also stout up front on defense after the Cougars’ Kevin Johnson broke a 50-yard run on the second play of the game. The defense stiffened and blocked a field goal, then held the Cougars to 84 yards the rest of the game.

After that big run by Johnson, Massie had a message for his team: “We’ve got to take a stand. We’ve got to make a point right now.”

Kenton Ridge (3-3, 0-1) was not dominated by Tecumseh in this loss as many expected. Coach Joel Marratta’s game plan was to prevent the big plays, which the Cougars did.

“We had a great week of practice and we coached all week to win this ballgame,” Marratta said. “Our kids came to play, and we stayed in the game for 2½ to three quarters.”

Massie said the blame is on him for his team’s lack of execution at times, but he was pleased to win against a team that came at the Arrows and hit hard for four quarters.

“Hopefully we learned something tonight,” Massie said. “But take nothing away from Kenton Ridge. They really came ready to play tonight.”

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