Football players remember games in the rain, especially if they win.
Hamilton Heights did battle with the elements up at Rensselaer Central Friday night as the Huskies took on the Bombers in the Hoosier Conference fifth-place game. Heights didn’t just get through the weather, but instead thrived in the conditions, shutting out Rensselaer 14-0 to claim fifth place in the conference.
As the Huskies’ bus was headed home, Heights coach Jon Kirschner said this game meant a lot to him.
“Games like this don’t come around very often,” said Kirschner. “You remember where you were and you remember what you did. For our team to have that and for these young men to have that game is something I consider to be very special and dear to my heart. I’ve been a part of a lot of fun games, but this one I’m going to remember for a long time and I think the boys will, too.”
The Huskies got on the board in no time, needing just 62 seconds to score. Guy Griffey sent a pass to Isaac Tuma, and the result was a 72-yard pass play touchdown. Jonathan Glenn kicked the extra point.
That made the score 7-0, and it would stay that way until there were less than two minutes in the fourth quarter. Trey Ehman finally got Heights its insurance score on a five-yard touchdown run. Glenn made the extra-point kick there as well. The Huskies ran over seven minutes off the clock during that drive.
“It was just smash mouth – three yards, four yards, three yards, four yards – we did that all night,” said Kirschner.
The coach had praise for everyone, starting with Heights’ offensive line. He credited Griffey with controlling the ball, holding on to it in the adverse conditions.
“His ability to hold on to the snap and pick up some stuff in the mud and keep it playable for the next down, it doesn’t get in the stats, but it’s huge,” said Kirschner.
The Huskies’ defense held Rensselaer to 58 yards total rushing, which Kirschner said is “pretty impressive” considering the Bombers’ prolific rushing attack. Heights made two goal-line stands in the second quarter, keeping Rensselaer off the board. In fact, this is the first time the Huskies have shut out back-to-back opponents since 2012.
Heights’ kicking game also played well, Kirschner saying it was “the best it’s been.” He called punter Dean Mason’s kicks a “huge field-flipper for us,” and noted that Michael Lecher’s kickoffs “were on point, forcing them to make bad catches and allowing our guys to get down there and swam their returners. The kicking game was a big factor for us tonight.”
Ehman led the rushing with 112 yards. In addition to his big touchdown catch, Tuma also made an interception at the end of the game that clinched the victory.
Heights is 6-3 and will travel to Guerin Catholic next Friday for the first round of Class 3A Sectional 28 play.
HAMILTON HEIGHTS 14, RENSSELAER CENTRAL 0
Score by Quarters
Heights 7 0 0 7 – 14
Rensselaer 0 0 0 0 – 0
Team Stats HH RC
First Downs 9 7
By Rush 7 4
By Pass 1 3
By Penalty 1 0
Rushes-Yards 40-122 34-58
Yards Passing 95 72
Comp-Att-Int-TD 3-9-0-1 5-10-1-0
Fumbles-Lost 2-1 2-0
Penalties-Yards 0-0 4-45
Punts-Average 2-49.5 5-43.0
Heights Scoring
First Quarter
10:58 – Isaac Tuma 75-yard pass from Guy Griffey (Jonathan Glenn kick)
Fourth Quarter
1:34 – Trey Ehman 5-yard run (Glenn kick)
Heights individual stats
Rushing: Ehman 28-112, Chance Yeager 3-7, Griffey 7-2, Owen VanHaaren 2-1.
Passing: Griffey 3-9-95.
Receiving: Tuma 2-83, Jesiah Achenbach 1-12.