Zane Trace falls short in their home opener in a close battle against Logan Elm
By: Luke Schmitt
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CHILICOTHE, Ohio (WOUB)- Zane Trace and Logan Elm met in Pioneer County to kick off their exciting 2024/25 campaigns. The Braves beat the Pioneers at home last year, 39-23 and came into this matchup looking to extend their bragging rights.
The Braves did just that and imposed their will early in the first quarter. Braves quarterback Aaron Walters hit wideout Ne’Miah Waugh in the red zone to put Logan Elm up 6-0.
Zane Trace’s defense wanted redemption after being scored on, and on their next defensive stint, cornerback Aaden Dunn housed an interception and tied the game 6-6.
On Zane Trace’s next offensive possession, Braves starting quarterback Gunnar McCullough exited with an injury and did not return for the rest of the game, forcing Zane Trace to get creative and focus on other ways to run their offense. Standout running back Brice Johnson led under center for the remainder of the second half and into the third quarter. Johnson finished the game with 22 carries and 154 yards rushing to end the night.
The Pioneers fought hard to keep things close in the first quarter but could not keep up with Logan Elm’s high-flying offense. Aaron Walters tacked on another touchdown through the air, and Michael Bock ran with a full head of steam to the endzone to put them up 20-6 at the half.
Zane Trace’s offense was stagnant for three-quarters of football and did not throw their first completed pass until late in the third quarter. Operating their offense through their running back made them very one-dimensional and easy for the Logan Elm defense to read.
They gave backup quarterback Grady Stewart a chance to ignite this offense late in the game, and he did just that. Stewart opened up the field immediately for the Pioneers, and he got his offense in perfect position for Brice Johnson to take it himself and score the first offensive touchdown of the day, pulling a little closer to the Braves.
Zane Trace was trailing 13-27, but after a great defensive stand and up-tempo offensive play calling, they scored once again on their next offensive drive, making it only a seven-point game.
The pressure ramped up for Logan Elm, and Zane Trace played excellent defense to start the next drive, nearly forcing two interceptions. However, on a big third down, Aaron Walters found his favorite target, Ne’Miah Waugh, down the sideline for a 50-yard completion. This huge conversion would be the nail in the coffin for the Pioneers, as Waugh’s huge gain for Logan Elm paved the way for running back Michael Bock to pick up his second touchdown of the day, extending the Braves lead to thirteen.
Zane Trace scored on the next play, making it a six-point game, but the Braves had excellent clock management and stopped the Pioneers from having another opportunity to score. Logan Elm won 33-27, securing a hard-fought win to start the season, defeating Zane Trace for the second consecutive year.
Zane Trace will look to bounce back next week against Waverly, who defeated Miami Trace 28-23 to start their season. The Pioneers have a long season ahead of them and a lot of football left to play to assert their dominance and stand atop the SVC (Scioto Valley Conference).