SANDUSKY – Fremont Ross had a chance to do to Sandusky what the Blue Streaks did to the Little Giants a year ago. Ross had an opportunity for a late fourth-quarter drive to steal a game on its rival’s home field.
But unlike the 2017 version of the second-oldest rivalry in Ohio, the visitors couldn’t pull off the stunning comeback.
Ross’ offense sputtered for most of the night and, when it mattered most, never quite managed to find the big play when it needed it in a 14-6 loss to Sandusky.
“Of course, I’m disappointed,” Ross head coach Chad Long said. “We’re 1-2. Yes, I’m disappointed, but I’m not giving up and the kids aren’t giving up. We’re going to continue to do what we have to do.”
The Little Giants totaled just 172 yards of offense. Ross’s most sustained success came on the ground, where the Little Giants totaled 52 yards on 25 carries, though that total included a handful of negative yardage plays due to high snaps. Ethan Chumley led Ross with 37 yards on just eight carries and scored the Little Giants’ only touchdown on a 5-yard run in the third quarter to cut the deficit to eight points, though the PAT failed.
The Little Giants looked to their passing game to lead them but had trouble finding consistent success through the air. Hayden Lehmann finished the night 13-of-30 for 120 yards.
“Usually we’re pretty potent and able to continue drives,” Long said. “Hayden was just off tonight. I still thought we were able to run the ball. Given the situations, we ended up passing more than I would have liked.”
The first half saw both defenses have their way with the opposition, save one play.
Early in the second quarter, backed up to its own 11-yard line on 3rd-and-31 Sandusky handed the ball off to Terrion Stewart for a run up the middle which he turned into an 89-yard touchdown run. The Blue Streaks missed the extra point but kept the 6-0 lead into halftime.
Stewart’s 89-yard run represented the bulk of the offense for both teams in the first half. Sandusky finished with 116 rushing yards and 141 total yards of offense. The touchdown aside, the Little Giants’ defense did well at keeping the Blue Streak’s junior under wraps. He carried the ball 15 times in the first half with nine of those carries going one or fewer yards.
Stewart finished the night with 225 yards on 38 carries.
Ross defensive lineman Jason Burling missed the game due to a knee injury. His absence allowed Sandusky some room on the right side of the field, which is where Stewart did most of his damage.
“Huge impact. We were losing contain,” Long said. “…We have a sophomore playing, Dominick Byington and that’s usually Jason Burling, and he would have caused all sorts of havoc in the backfield. Unfortunately, that stuff happens. I think our defense played their butts off tonight.”
Sandusky expanded its lead on the first possession of the second half. The Blue Streaks marched 71 yards on 12 plays, capped by a 1-yard touchdown run by Stewart for a 14-0 lead after a 2-point conversion run by Stewart.
Ross answered. Deryante Hardin took the ensuing kickoff into Sandusky territory, setting up Ross at the 37-yard line. Six plays later, Chumley scored, giving Ross life.
Though Ross’ defense forced three-and-outs on each of Sandusky’s next two possessions, the Little Giants were never able to take advantage, despite gaining possession inside the Blue Streaks’ 15-yard line on its next two drives.
“It’ll be a discussion that we, as a coaching staff, will talk about and look at,” Long said.”…It’s just something we have to get better at as a coaching staff.”
With 3:28 remaining, Ross had one last chance at a comeback. Starting at their own 26-yard line, Lehmann found Noah Hotz over the middle for a 26-yard gain to cross into Sandusky territory. But four-straight incomplete passes fizzled the drive.
Sandusky then ran the clock out on its next possession, securing its third-straight win over the Little Giants.
“It really sucks being on the losing end,” Long said. “But the tradition of the rivalry, this is what you want. Two hard-nosed football teams going at it and playing hard. There was a lot of hitting going on out here. It’s great to be in a rivalry but we need to start pulling out some wins.”
BOX SCORE
Ross| 0 – 0—6—0 6
SHS| 0—6—8—0—14
First quarter
No scoring
Second quarter
S – Terrion Stewart 89 run (kick fail), 9:28
Third quarter
S – Stewart 1 run (Stewart run), 5:58
FR – Ethan Chumley 5 run (pass fail), 3:34
Fourth quarter
No scoring
ROSS INDIVIDUAL STATS:
RUSHING: Ethan Chumley 8-37; Deryante Hardin 8-10; Noah Hotz 1-2; Hayden Lehmann 7-(-3).
PASSING: Hayden Lehmann 13-30-0-1, 130 yards
RECEIVING: Noah Hotz 6-79; Deryante Hardin 3-12; Spencer Price 2-15; Bryce McKinstry 1-9; Ethan Chumley 1-5.
| ROSS | Sandusky | |
| Tot. Yards | 172 | 255 |
| Rush – Yds | 25-52 | 45-230 |
| Pass Yrds | 120 | 25 |
| Com-Att-TD-INT | 13-30-0-1 | 3-7-0-0 |
| Penalties-Yds | 7-55 | 5-59 |
| Fumbles-lost | 2-1 | 0-0 |
| Punts | 4 | 5 |