Horvath’s running lifts Darby to thrilling 34-31 win
Editor’s note: Each week, we will highlight some of the top games from Friday night’s high school football matchups. For recaps of all the games, go to Dispatch.com.
Blake Horvath ran for 193 yards and four touchdowns to lead Hilliard Darby over host Westerville South. But it was a 1-yard run on fourth down on the Panthers’ final drive that was the difference in the 34-31 win.
Horvath kept on the option and burrowed his way for 2 yards to set up the go-ahead touchdown, which came on the next play from 9 yards with 1:19 remaining. It was his fourth score of the night.
“I said I wanted it in my hands,” Horvath said of the fourth-down play. “I just followed my blockers and just got through that hole.”
Darby coach John Santagata said he was confident Horvath would keep the drive alive.
“It’s a play we’ve worked on quite a bit,” Santagata said. “It’s a play we believe in and it has to happen, so we got it this time.”
South’s Kaden Saunders did just about everything for his team. He caught seven passes for 98 yards, but he also played quarterback and completed four of five passes for 37 yards and a touchdown. He rushed for 57 yards and a score on seven carries from the quarterback spot.
James Hakes had 22 carries for 98 yards and a touchdown for Darby (3-0). Jalen Wheeler caught six passes for 131 yards and two scores and Brandon Armstrong rushed 16 times for 92 yards and a touchdown for South (1-1).
“It was a heck of a high school game,” Christ said. “I thought going into the game, it felt like a playoff game with two good teams going at it. You want to win every game, every year — but I feel like this is one of those moments where we learn a lot from it.”
— Michael Rich
Olentangy Berlin 17, Dublin Scioto 7 Berlin used a quick-strike offense to jump out to an early lead and then held off host Scioto to move to 3-0 for the first time in the program’s four seasons.
On the third play from scrimmage, quarterback Dylan Reyes hit wide receiver Jason Harris on a 59-yard touchdown pass to put Berlin up for good.
“We wanted to come out and get things going early,” Berlin coach Mark Nori said. “Dylan throws a good ball, and that’s one of the things he does well for us. He got the ball over the defenders and that got us going.”
The Bears led 17-0 after three possessions, and the defense took over from there despite going up against a pair of tall receivers for the Irish in Lesley Andoh (6 feet 1) and Tysen Boze (6-3). Boze finished with six receptions for 75 yards and one touchdown and Andoh had seven catches for 38 yards.
Scioto (2-1) quarterback Amare Jenkins was 26-for-44 for 190 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions.
Nori said his team made it difficult for Scioto’s passing game with more than just downfield coverage.
“We wanted to make their quarterback (Amare Jenkins) off balance and do things other than covering the bigger guys,” Nori said. “We were jamming them, putting heat on the quarterback and whatever else we could to keep them uncomfortable.”
Bennett Lawrence had two interceptions for the Bears and J.T. Tompkins had a fumble recovery.
— Scott Hennen