Sports
Unioto Ends Losing Streak Against Zane Trace
By: Nathan Buccilla
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One Scioto Valley Conference match up featured two explosive teams as the Zane Trace Pioneers traveled to take on the Unioto Shermans.
Although the Pioneers have been victorious the past four meetings, the Shermans defense made a statement shutting down the running game and forcing 5 turnovers whilst propelling their team to a 34-20 victory.
The Pioneers were able to move the ball well on their first possession, using a combination of run and pass until Ty Shanton threw an interception on a long third down play.
The very next play, Unioto’s Gabe Fisher threw an interception of his own which was then followed by another Shanton interception two plays later.
On third-and-two, Fisher was able to run for 59 yards down to the Pioneers’ 10-yard line. The Shermans were unable to capitalize as a holding penalty and sack pushed their offense back and ultimately ended up missing a 30-yard field goal.
A sack forced Zane Trace to punt and Dalton Poole returned it 24 yards to the Pioneer 24-yard line. A 22-yard JaMarcus Carroll run was followed up by a two-yard touchdown plunge by Cameron Bryce to put the Shermans up 7-0 on the first play of the second quarter.
Consecutive sacks would force the Pioneers to punt again and two plays after a 17-yard pass on fourth-and-10, Dalton Poole would rush six yards and into the end zone, putting the Shermans up 14-0 with eight minutes left in the second quarter.
This score would hold true until halftime and wouldn’t change until Zane Trace scored the only touchdown of the third quarter as Shanton found Elliott Lynn for 34 yards with three minutes left.
The one score quarter was followed by the teams combining for 33 points in the final quarter, with the scoring going back and forth.
With Unioto up 27-20 and driving the football, the Pioneers forced a fumble and had a chance to tie the score.
A 15-yard pass would see the Pioneers at midfield with momentum and six minutes left, but a fumble would give the ball right back to the Shermans.
Zane Trace got the ball back at its own 19-yardline with just under 4 minutes left to play, but only managed 2 yards before turning the ball over on downs.
Fisher put the game out of reach with 1:55 left with a 10-yard touchdown run.
Unioto ran the ball 42 times for 219 yards and four touchdowns, with Fisher taking 24 of those carries for 126 yards and two touchdowns. JaMarcus Carroll chipped in 13 carries for 69 yards and Nehemiah Felts added a receiving touchdown and an interception to help drive the Shermans to victory.
Pioneers star running back Etheridge Games wasn’t able to find any room to run at all, finishing the game with 59 yards and a touchdown on 19 carries, his first sub-100 yard rushing game on the year in which he played the entire game. Drew Rittenhouse caught 10 passes for 113 yards and added a kick return touchdown.
Unioto (4-1, 2-0) welcomes a winless Huntington Huntsmen team next week.
Zane Trace (3-2, 1-1) travels to Southeastern to take on the unbeaten Panthers.