Tri-Valley Scotties Shock Philo Electrics Back to Reality With Dominant 45-20 Win
By: Alex Porter, Zack Mothersbaugh
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DRESDEN, Ohio (WOUB) — In a game that started off looking like it was going to come down to the wire, one team was able to take advantage of mistakes and quickly slip away for an easy win. A 5-1 Tri-Valley Scotties team hosted an equally 5-1 Philo Electrics team in Gridiron Glory’s week seven Game of the Week. Though the game was once tied in the second quarter, the Electrics could not seem to overcome their turnover struggles, fumbling the game away 45-20.
The game started out with small spurts from both teams. The Scotties took their first play to the house as quarterback Drew Burkhart threw a beautiful pass down the right sideline to wideout Grant Dal Ponte for a 71-yard touchdown. This was followed by Scottie defensive back Jalen Goins-Chandler jumping a route on the Electrics’ ensuing possession and taking it 44 yards to the house to put Tri-Valley up 14 in the first two minutes of the game.
Philo would have an answer for this early onslaught though, as they capped off two long drives with touchdowns to end the first quarter and start the second. The first drive was taken all the way down to the 1-yard line before Electric running back Carter McCutcheon bullied his way into the endzone to cut the lead in half. The second drive looked like a carbon copy, except this one was taken in by Philo quarterback Owen Smith from one yard out.
The Scotties went on to answer those two long drives with one of their own. This drive was capped off by another Burkhart to Dal Ponte connection, this time from nine yards out putting Tri-Valley up 21-14.
However, that would be the last time this game seemed close. The Electrics would give up turnovers on back-to-back possessions — muffing a punt and taking a strip sack within 20 seconds of each other. Tri-Valley scored on each of the ensuing possessions in electric fashion.
Jalen Goins-Chandler would take the toss and throw a dime to Scottie wideout Alex Williams for a touchdown; then, with four seconds left in the half, Tri-Valley would capitalize on the strip sack with a 21-yard field goal from kicker Coleson McCullough.
Up 31-14, the Scotties didn’t take their foot off the gas to start the second half either. They’d open the third quarter scoring with a pop-pass touchdown from Drew Burkhart to wideout Max Lyall for a touchdown to put them up 38-14. Tri-Valley would finish the night with Drew Burkhart finding the end zone for himself on a 15-yard touchdown run.
The Electrics would go on to get an 11-yard touchdown run from Owen Smith late in the fourth quarter, but it wouldn’t be nearly enough as they fell 45-20 in a rough one to the Scotties.
This game might look bad on the scoreboard, but it was the fumbles from the Philo Electrics that lead to the blowout in this game. The Electrics had four total fumbles in this game, with two in both the second and third quarters. The Scotties capitalized on each of these with three touchdowns and a field goal. Combined with the pick-six early in the game, the Scotties had 31 total points off turnovers, while never giving up a turnover for themselves.
The Philo Electrics (5-2, 1-1) will look to bounce back next week against the Sheridan Generals (6-1, 2-1). The Tri-Valley Scotties (6-1, 2-0) will look to keep flying high against the River View Black Bears (2-5, 0-3).