Recap: Walnut Hills vs. Little Miami
Sandhar was the QB for LM for the entire game. LM also made a change at RB as junior Peyton Blackburn, listed as a WR on their roster, played half the snaps at RB. The LM offense scored on their first drive, aided by a personal foul penalty on Walnut safety Dashaun Hoskins who tackled a ball carrier after the play was blown dead. Sandhar completed a 24-yard pass to Cody Neltner for the former's first career passing TD and it was 7-0. After a Walnut three-and-out, Neltner blocked the Walnut punt, which set up a 2-yard rushing touchdown for Walker Brewsaugh a few plays later. LM kicker Gunnar Hoffman's extra point was blocked by Walnut LB Xander Hargis and it was 13-0. After a couple punts, an LM turnover on downs, and a lot more penalties, Walnut got the ball with 4 minutes left in the half. Although they used the entire rest of the 1st half clock, Walnut finally punched it in with a 6-yard touchdown from QB Will Rivers to finally-back-from-injury Ty Austin. Neltner blocked the Walnut extra point and the score was 13-6 into the break.
Walnut's first drive of the second half stalled out after a 44-yard touchdown from Rivers to Austin was negated by a holding penalty on sophomore guard Eric Johnson. LM went three-and-out, and Walnut got the ball at the LM 23 after an unsportsmanlike penalty was called on Neltner. That drive would end on a Rivers INT on third and long, which was caused by Austin as he tipped a not-meant-for-him pass into the waiting arms of LM cornerback Isaiah James. The teams traded punts again before the LM running game woke up and led them down the field, with Sandhar completing a 13-yard touchdown pass to Neltner and it was 20-6. Rivers threw a pick on the next drive to LM LB Landyn McCray and it was looking over. The Walnut defense managed a 3-and-out, aided by a holding penalty on LM, which gave Walnut the ball at their own 12 with just over 4 minutes left. Walnut struck gold almost instantly, however, as on the second play of the drive Rivers found Austin on a deep post, who broke the tackle of the poor linebacker matched up on him and took it to the house for an 88-yard touchdown. Rivers found Austin again on the 2-point try to make the score 20-14. The Walnut defense came through with another 3-and-out after the Walnut onside kick try failed badly, and Walnut got the ball back at their own 20 with just under 2 minutes to go. Walnut converted 3rd-and-5, 3rd-and-18, and 4th-and-2 on the drive to get down to the LM 9, but with 10 seconds left Rivers threw it to Austin, who by virtue of being lined up as a wing rather than on the outside like he was all night, couldn't get out of bounds before Neltner tackled him to end the game at the Little Miami 2.
Final: Little Miami 20, Walnut Hills 14. Walnut was whistled for (by my count) 13 penalties, and the final play of the game was the only time in the entire 2nd half they went out of their 4-WR spread look. The diverse formations were an interesting wrinkle to start the year, but the lack of play variety out of everything but spread means they've gotten stale. Assuming Walnut now loses out to finish 1-9, they'll make the playoffs if Western Hills keeps sucking and either Sycamore or Colerain goes 0-10.