By RICHIE HALL
SHERIDAN – The Sheridan football team’s Saturday Homecoming game was already a big occasion, since it was the 100th Homecoming game for the Blackhawks.
Sheridan made the night even more memorable by winning. The Class 1A No. 7 ‘Hawks held off a determined Clinton Prairie team 44-34 in a Hoosier Heartland Conference game. Although Sheridan never trailed in the game, the Gophers, ranked No. 8 in the 1A IFCA poll, stayed on the home team’s heels in an exciting contest in front of a standing-room only crowd.
The football game was the grand finale of a day-long celebration of the 100th Homecoming, which had been highly publicized for several weeks.
“I thought they handled them pretty good, because we came out fired up and ready to go,” said Blackhawks coach Bud Wright, who celebrated win No. 451 on Saturday. “That first quarter was the difference in the ball game right there. That gave us a lead that we never relinquished.”
Sheridan scored first, with Zach Bales making a 15-yard run into the end zone. Owen Bell made the extra-point kick. The Gophers answered with a 26-yard run by Steven Dunford, but the kick was no good, keeping Sheridan ahead 7-6.
The ‘Hawks then powered through the second quarter, scoring 17 unanswered points during the first seven minutes of the period. Bell lobbed a pass to Trent DeCraene for a nine-yard touchdown. Sheridan then recovered two fumbles in the quarter, both of which led to points.
“They were big,” said Wright.
Eli Kolb took care of the first one, with a three-yard touchdown run. Bell added some more points after the second recovery, kicking a 32-yard field goal to give the ‘Hawks a 24-6 lead.
But to their credit, the Gophers didn’t go away. Jaycob Wilson’s 38-yard TD reception brought Prairie within 24-12 by halftime, then the Gophers used a 30-yard touchdown run midway through the third to cut Sheridan’s lead to 24-19.
Kolb stepped up again, making a 55-yard kickoff return to set up good field position for the Blackhawks. On fourth-and-2, Bell threw to Joseph Franco for a seven-yard touchdown pass. Sheridan led 31-19, but that didn’t last long: Dunford dashed off on a 70-yard scoring run, and the third quarter ended with the ‘Hawks up 31-26.
Kolb stepped up another time, jetting off on a 54-yard touchdown run, and Sheridan led 37-26. The Gophers got one more score, and a successful two-point conversion, to get within 37-34. But Kolb had one more big play for the ‘Hawks, making a 35-yard run to the end zone.
The Gophers got the ball back with less than a minute, but fumbled again, and Sheridan recovered to end the game. Prairie fumbled six times, with the Blackhawks recovering five of them.
On offense, Sheridan rushed for 176 yards. Kolb had the most yardage, gaining 124 and scoring three touchdowns.
Wright said he thought the running game “was really good, and I thought our passing game went pretty good, too.” Wright said he thought quarterback Bell “did a nice job throwing the ball;” Bell was 5-for-8, totaling 48 yards and the one touchdown.
Sheridan is still unbeaten in conference play at 3-0, sharing the lead with Carroll. The Blackhawks are 4-1 overall and play at Taylor on Friday to continue HHC play.
SHERIDAN 44, CLINTON PRAIRIE 34
Score by Quarters
Clinton Prairie 6 6 14 8 – 34
Sheridan 7 17 7 13 – 44
Team stats CP SH
First Downs 19 14
By Rush 7 9
By Pass 11 4
By Penalty 1 1
Rushes-Yards 26-182 48-176
Passing Yards 228 48
Comp-Att-Int-TD 18-28-0-2 5-8-1-2
Fumbles-Lost 6-5 1-0
Penalties-Yards 7-50 4-40
Punts-Average 3-37.6 4-33.3
Scoring
First Quarter
6:38 – Zach Bales 15-yard run (Owen Bell kick)
Second Quarter
8:54 – Trent DeCraene 9-yard reception from Owen Bell (Bell kick)
8:18 – Eli Kolb 3-yard run (Bell kick)
5:15 – Bell 32-yard field goal
Third Quarter
3:43 – Joseph Franco 8-yard pass from Bell (Bell kick)
Fourth Quarter
10:56 – Kolb 46-yard run (kick failed)
0:46 – Kolb 26-yard run (Bell kick)
Sheridan individual stats
Rushing: Kolb 27-124, Bales 9-58, Gavin Schwerdtfeger 2-6, Nolan Page 3-minus 1, Bell 7-minus 11.
Passing: Bell 5-8-48.
Receiving: DeCraene 2-22, Page 1-13, Franco 1-8, Kolb 1-5.