Jeff Harrison
For The Village Reporter
BYESVILLE -- From shootout to blowout.
Guernsey County rivals Cambridge and Meadowbrook put on a show during the first half of the 36th meeting on the gridiron, with the Bobcats clinging to a 33-28 lead, but a third quarter avalanche struck in Cambridge's favor and the result was a whopping 76-35 decision.
The teams combined for 61 points and nearly 600 yards of offense in the first half, but the visiting Bobcats (5-5, 3-3 ECOL) went on a 35-0 tear in the third quarter to win going away and post their 10th straight victory against the Colts (2-8, 2-4 ECOL). Cambridge -- which shattered the previous high-water mark against Meadowbrook of 61 points back in 1968 -- now has a 29-7 lead in the all-time series.
Things started out relatively mild in the first quarter, with each side scoring just once.
Cambridge got on the board first thanks to a 56-yard touchdown gallop by senior fullback Kyle Cox, with junior Tanner Balik adding the PAT for a 7-0 lead at the 5:02 mark of the opening round.
Meadowbrook got even at the 2:11 juncture on a 31-yard TD pass from junior QB Jared George to senior Daulton Dolan, with German exchange student Lucas Berger kicking the point-after for a 7-7 deadlock.
The Colts took the lead shortly after a fumble recovery by senior Levi Snyder, with George finding senior wideout Jeramie Neff wide open for a 48-yard TD strike. Berger's PAT made it a 14-7 issue with 10:46 on the second quarter clock.
The 'Cats came back quickly, using a 23-yard gain by sophomore Dashaun Lewis and a 35-yard reverse by sophomore Reese Laishley to set up a five-yard TD run by Lewis, with Balik's boot tying the score at 14-all with 9:00 remaining in the half.
Cambridge moved on top thanks to a 55-yard interception return by Laishley at the 7:29 mark (the PAT missed the mark), but Meadowbrook countered a minute and a half later after using a reverse pass from Neff to senior back Josh Riggans that covered 54 yards to set up a four-yard TD run by George, with Berger's PAT putting the hosts on top, 21-20, with 5:59 left in the half.
Another see-saw followed, with Cambridge going up 26-21 at the 4:00 mark on an 11-yard TD run by senior Tyler Hardesty (the PAT kick failed) and Neff grabbing a 52-yard TD strike from George at with 2:50 showing (Berger adding the PAT) as the Colts had a 28-26 upperhand.
The Bobcats gained the halftime lead at 33-28, however, when they covered 68 yards in five runs by Lewis including a 38-yarder and the final three yards to paydirt with 44 seconds showing. Balik was successful on the PAT.
Cambridge scored five times in the third quarter to break the game open, first on a 37-yard pass from sophomore QB Trevor Wilson to senior Dillon VanDyne at the 10:20 mark (Balik converted) and then amazingly three times in a 40-second span to stun the Colts.
Hardesty started and finished a six-play, 80-yard drive with a 38-yard run and finally a six-yard TD burst at 6:43; VanDyne intercepted a pass and raced 65 yards to score at 6:33; and following a "pick" by junior David Evancho, Lewis made one tackler miss and ripped off a 36-yard TD run at 6:03. Jake Yanico kept for a two-point conversion following the first score in the flurry; Balik booted the PAT after the second and the other try missed the mark as Cambridge's lead ballooned to 61-33.
A 35-yard TD run by Hardesty followed by Balik's PAT finished off a 35-point quarter for the 'Cats and extended the lead to 68-28.
The Bobcat reserves tacked on a score with 4:56 remaining when sophomore QB Dustn Bennett snuck in from a yard out, with junior Greg Brown running for the two-point conversion making it 76-28; and Meadowbrook finally broke through with a 20-yard TD run by George with 2:42 to play, with Berger's PAT the 111th point of the night.
Both coaches -- Cambridge's Rick Goodrich and Meadowbrook's Mitch Bendle -- were simply left shaking their heads following the game which featured just shy of 1,000 yards of offense.
"Not exactly what we expected," said Goodrich. "We made some adjustments after they hit us with some big plays and we thought if we just went out and played that we were moving the ball well on the ground and we'd be able to score.
"Our defense came up with five interceptions and things really snowballed in the third quarter with a couple of quick touchdowns," the CHS coach continued. "Our line did a nice job coming off the ball and our backs ran extremely well. It's a good way for the seniors to go out."
"Our kids came out fired up and ready to play," said Bendle. "We executed well offensively in the first half. We thought we could hurt them with the passing game and we did, but unfortunately we weren't able to stop their run.
"They just physically dominated us up front," the Colts' coach added. "We got down so quick in the third quarter, it really took our offense out of being able to mix it up at all."
Cambridge piled up 550 yards rushing and added 58 passing for a net of 608. Leading the ground assault was Hardesty with 21 carries for 202 yards and three TDs while Lewis ran 13 times for 165 yards and three scores. Cox added 62 yards on three attempts and Brown closed with five carries for 54 yards. Wilson was 3-of-5 passing.
Lewis pushed his season total near the 1,100-yard yard mark while Hardesty finished just shy of 900.
Meadowbrook finished with 390 yards, including 261 through the air and 125 on the ground. George hit 12-of-30 aerials, with Neff on the receiving end of six for 121 yards and two TDs while Dolan caught three for 67 and a score. George rushed for 37 yards and Jonathan Smith added 33.