Upper Scioto Valley’s Maddox Underwood scores a touchdown during Friday night’s game against Hardin Northern at USV.
Jackelyn Johnson | The Lima News
MCGUFFEY — Upper Scioto Valley kept its hopes of gaining a share of the Northwest Central Conference championship alive with a 24-13 Friday night victory against Hardin Northern.
USV is 7-2 overall and 7-1 in the NWCC. Waynesfield-Goshen is 8-0 with one week remaining in the regular season. Hardin Northern fell to 6-3 on the season and 6-2 in the conference.
To start the first quarter, the Rams ran it down the field continuously and aggressively on their first drive. That led to a Upper Scioto Valley touchdown by Alex Sanders who led left and ran up the middle from a few yards out for the first score of the game. Rams were up 6-0 just four minutes in. They would miss the two-point conversion.
Later in the first, USV and Maddox Underwood ran the ball strong on the outside. However, momentum would shift at the 4:36 mark when the pitch on a run play to Sanders was misread and Hardin Northern would pick up the ball for a fumble recovery at their 37-yard line. Sanders made up for it on defense with a sack the following drive. However, Quarterback Nolan Hopson and the Polar Bears offense would create a drive and move into the redzone. The score would be 6-0 at the end of the first quarter.
Less than a minute into the second quarter, it was fourth and goal on the one-yard line for Hardin Northern when Hopson would barely sneak the ball over into the endzone after looking like he was tackled behind the line. The extra point by the Polar Bears hit off the post, so it was tied up at six.
Later in the first half, Sanders would break off two big back to back first down runs, as he would break 4 tackles combined to put the Rams at the 21 yard line with six minutes left before halftime. Then, it was fourth down and eight yards to go at the 19 yard line. The Rams would call a Jet Sweep Reverse to get the first down and put the Rams in the red zone. USV could not convert in four plays in the red zone because of constant pressure from the Polar Bears pass rush defense. The game remained six nothing Rams.
On the next drive, Hopson and Hardin Northern got some momentum behind them as they ran the ball down the field with Hopson. However, that offensive drive would come to an end on a play action pass from Hopson that was deflected at the line pf scrimmage and intercepted by USV’s Michael Ellerbrock. That would become two turnovers by the Polar Bears in the first half. The score remains tied at six at halftime.
After the half, the game slowed down. Then, on second and five with eight minutes left, Hopson threw an interception to Ryan Roberts on the outside in double coverage. That would be their third turnover of the night. Rams possessed the ball at the 50-yard line.
Later in the drive, Underwood would break off a huge run down to the three-yard line on a fake handoff and run to the left for a gain of 30 yards. Two plays later, Underwood breaks right and walks his way in the endzone for the touchdown. It would be 12-6 Rams with 4:22 left in the third quarter.
USV stayed great on defense all night and received the ball back with three mins left in the third quarter.
Then on fourth down, USV would convert on a 4th and 2 to keep the drive alive. On the very next play, Underwood would run to the right and into the end zone for 29 yards and a touchdown. The Rams would be ahead 18-6 with 17 seconds left at the end of third quarter.
Almost five minutes into the fourth quarter, with 7:09 left in the game, Hopson snapped the ball and evaded pressure to heave the ball up 30 yards to the back of the endzone, while he was being hit in the face, to connect on the touchdown to Alexander Wilson. It would be 18-13 USV.
The Rams defense was stout, as a sack by Bo Sanders on second down with 3:30 left helped build momentum to win the game. On fourth down, the ball was batted down at the line by Drew Sanders for a turnover on downs.
The first play on the next drive, Alex Sanders ran 53 yards up the middle to earn six more points and make the score 24-13 with 2:07 left in the game.
Polar Bears tried to make a comeback, however, Hopson threw his third interception of the game, this time to Maddox Underwood, as USV would finish things off right with a minute left in fourth quarter.
After countless penalties and four turnovers from Hardin Northern, USV beats their rival 24-13.
USV Head Coach Dustin Price was proud of his guys for getting the win against a rival team. “We had multiple players step up and make plays. We had guys make plays on offense and guys make plays on defense, that we needed to happen.”
Coach Price commends his defense for giving the Rams a chance to win. “Defensively we played lights out…our guys did a great job pursuing to the ball, our ends played well…then offensively when we needed the ground and pound, we did. We made some plays when we needed to.” After a great night from Maddox Underwood, Coach is happy to have him on his team. “Maddox does everything for us…he’s very versatile, he’s a great player to have.”
Maddox Underwood is just happy to get hard fought win late in the season. “It’s big. Hardin Northern is a big rivalry for us, so just getting this win is really big. We wanted to get first in conference, but beating rivals is always fun too.” This win also helps give the Rams the confidence they need to finish the season. “This [win] just gives us a bunch of momentum. We are feeling good about ourselves. Getting to make playoffs is a big thing, but to beat rivals later in the year when they are trying to make playoffs, is even bigger….It was a good win and I’m proud of us.”
USV Stats
Alex Sanders: 19 Carries, 165 yards, two touchdowns, eight tackles, two tackles for a loss
Maddox Underwood: 16 carries, 138 yards, two touchdowns, six tackles, and one interception
Ryan Roberts: Five Tackles, One Interception
Mykal Ellerbrock – One Interception
Hardin Northern Stats
Nolan Hopson – 7/13 passing attempts/completions, 78 yards passing, 73 yards rushing, 21 attempts
Carter Curtis – 8 attempts, 63 rushing yards
Justin Dierkes wrote this story for LimaScores.com. Reach The Lima News sports department at 567-242-0451.
