Oak Hill wins first conference game in five years
By: Cameron Crego
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OAK HILL, Ohio (WOUB) — The Oaks took their first win of the season after a 13-12 win over the Waverly Tigers Thursday night in Oak Hill.
Both teams entered this game looking to capture their first win of the season. Oak Hill sat at 0-4, while Waverly was 0-5. Both of these teams are quite familiar with each other, with both being in Division II of the Southern Ohio Conference. The teams had played each other in each of the previous six seasons, with the Tigers taking all six games by a combined margin of 264-37.
The game started with both defenses putting up strong showings. Every drive in the first quarter was either a three-and-out or was ended by a fourth-down stop. The offenses did pick up a bit in the second quarter, and Oak Hill would be the first team on the board, with Beau McNeal rushing the ball 24 yards to put the Oaks up 7-0.
The Tigers would be quick to respond, with Trae Perry hauling in a Briar Barch pass for six. A facemask penalty made the Tigers go for two, but they were stuffed on the attempt, keeping Oak
Hill up 7-6. However, the Oaks’ Jermiah Gibbs coughed up a fumble on the next drive, putting the Tigers in prime position to score again, which they did, as Briar Barch used his legs to put the
Tigers up, but Oak Hill did stymy the two-point try, holding the Tigers’ lead to 12-7. Oak Hill did work to get on the board before halftime, but Barch again made a big play, this time on defense, as he intercepted a pass to end the half and maintain the Tigers’ 12-7 lead.
The third quarter was again a defensive battle, with both teams struggling to move the ball upfield. Oak Hill had a lengthy drive that took up the majority of the quarter, but was brought to a halt when Briar Barch plucked his second interception of the game.
Entering the fourth, with the stellar defense from both teams, a touchdown for either team could have been enough to seal the game, and Beau McNeal would do just that, busting off a 70-yard
run to put the Oaks up 13-12. On the succeeding drive, Waverly fumbled, with Beau McNeal making another huge play by recovering it. Oak Hill worked to chew as much clock as they could, but a turnover on downs gave Waverly the ball with two minutes left. The Tigers valiantly pushed upfield, with a Hez Nelson reception taking the Tigers to the Oaks’ 31-yard line, and a facemask penalty taking them up to the 15. However, Oak Hill’s Dylan Comer strip-sacked Barch, which Oak Hill successfully recovered to seal their fate in a 13-12 win.
The Oaks coaches, players, and fans were understandably ecstatic after this win. This game ended a 12-game losing streak for Oak Hill, and was the Oaks’ first conference win since 2020. While many players for both teams made key plays, each team had a clear star player. Beau McNeal put both touchdowns on the board for the Oaks, and had a fumble recovery in the fourth quarter which helped seal the game. Waverly’s Briar Barch also had two touchdowns, one passing and one rushing, and intercepted the Oaks twice. Oak Hill head coach Jason Fitzhugh was very complimentary of McNeal. “He’s just tough, man,” said Fitzhugh postgame. “Beau’s a tough kid … I’ve sent a lot of kids to college for football and Beau’s amongst the top. He’s an incredible specimen.”
Coming off of their first win, the Oaks will look to keep the momentum alive against a tough Wheelersburg team. Meanwhile, Waverly looks to get themselves in the win column next week as they return home to face the Minford Falcons.