Allen East’s Jacob Hershberger makes an interception during Friday night’s game at Harmon Field.
Richard Parrish | The Lima News
BLUFFTON – First, Allen East’s Jacob Hershberger began running the ball.
Then, Hershberger went to the air.
Then, in the second half, Hershberger ran the ball nearly at will.
Hershberger helped Allen East run past Bluffton 30-14 to grab first place in the Northwest Conference on Friday at Bluffton.
Hershberger finished with 231 yards on 24 carries with two TDs. He had TD runs of 39 and 44 yards.
“They were designed runs,” Hershberger said. “The guys up front made the holes and I just ran through them. It worked, so why stop (running it)?’’
Said Allen East coach Joel Billings, “It was definitely a loaded box and it kind of slowed down our inside running game (in the first half), so we ran him (Hershberger) a lot on the outside. He’s dynamic and a playmaker with the ball in his hands. He did a great job tonight.’’
In the air, Hershberger completed 9 of 15 for 113 yards.
Then, throw in Allen East running back Jack Hoel, who closed the game out with his power running style. Hoel had 90 yards on 21 carries.
Hoel had TD runs of 2 and 7 yards.
“He’s a tank,” Hershberger said of Jack Hoel. “He’s hard to bring down.’’
Added Billings, “He (Hoel) did the dirty work at the end.’’
Bluffton is 5-3 overall, 4-1 in the NWC. Allen East is 7-1, 5-0 in the NWC.
“This was huge,” Hershberger said.
Bluffton’s offense was held in check until the final quarter when its quarterback Garret Bogart finally began clicking with this passing game across the middle.
Bogart, who had 50 yards passing at the half, completed 14 of 25 for 184 yards. He threw one TD and had two interceptions.
“We put pressure on him and had some pretty good drops from our linebackers,’’ Billings said.
Allen East sacked Bogart four times.
Bluffton wide receiver Braedon Jordan had five receptions for 86 yards.
Landen Worcester had six carries for 27 yards in the first half, but then left with an injury.
There was no score after the first quarter, but the Mustangs scored 10 in the second quarter to take a 10-0 lead.
Early in the second quarter, Allen East went 64 yards in 12 plays to get on the board with a field goal.
Braylen Kennedy kicked a 35-yard field goal and the Mustangs had a 3-0 lead with 7:51 left in the second quarter.
The next time Allen East had the ball it went 67 yards in 12 plays for a TD.
On the drive, Hoel had runs of 12 and 5 yards and caught a pass for 10. Hershberger also had a 15-yard run on the drive.
Hoel bulled over from the 2 to give Allen East a 10-0 lead with 23 seconds left in the half.
At halftime, Hershberger had run for 89 yards and thrown for 81.
Late in the first quarter, Bluffton drove to the Allen East 30. But Bogart’s pass deep down the right sideline was picked off by Hershberger in the end zone.
On Allen East’s first drive of the second half, Hershberger ran to the right, looked like he was bottled up at the line, then bounced it to the right corner for a 39-yard TD.
“It was designed to the right and I just followed my blockers,” Hershberger said.
That gave Allen East a 17-0 lead with 8:26 left in the third.
Hershberger’s 44-yard TD made it 24-0, Allen East with 5:23 left in the third.
Landon Shutler scored from the 2 to bring Bluffton within 24-8 with 11:55 to play.
The score was set up a sack/forced fumble by Shutler, which Bluffton recovered at the Allen East 16.
Bogart hit his twin brother Gavin Bogart with an 18-yard TD pass to get the Mustangs within 30-14 with 5:32 to play.
Tom Usher wrote this story for The Lima News. Reach The Lima News sports department at 567-242-0451.
