Published: September 06, 2008 01:16 am            

FOOTBALL: Defense delivers for Devils

Tipton tops BC in Hoosier opener

OXFORD — Style points don’t count in football. That may have been a good thing for Tipton’s Class 2A No. 7-ranked Blue Devils here Friday night. Although the Blue Devils’ defense was nearly perfect in Tipton’s 14-3 Hoosier Conference win over Benton Central, the offense struggled.

Tipton’s defense limited BC to just 25 yards rushing on 26 attempts. Senior quarterback Sam Power did throw for 166 yards, but connected on just 16 of 38 attempts and had two passes picked off.

Power was under pressure most of the evening, getting harassed by the Blue Devil front line of tackles Austin Hufford, Jeff Leiding and Sean Hickman and ends Collin Horner, Hank Grosvenor, Tyler Clabough and Zach Daniels. Tipton’s linebacker corps of Dylan Ford, Kevin Moats and Joe Balensiefer provided a physical presence against the run and support in pass coverage and the secondary of Taylor Maxey, Jason Dye, Seth Jacobs and Jake Dye kept the Bison receivers in check.

All those efforts were needed as Tipton’s offense struggled, gaining just 187 yards and six first downs.

“Our defense stepped up and played very well,” Tipton coach Aaron Tolle said. “We were extremely physical on defense and I thought that was the difference in the game. We were very physical and I think we wore them down.”

BC kicked a field goal on its first possession for a 3-0 lead.

Tipton’s offense finally clicked midway through the second quarter as the Blue Devils marched 78 yards in eight plays. Maxey broke loose for a 26-yard gain and QB Ross Schulenburg then hit a wide-open Jacobs on a 36-yard pass. Maxey carried three times, scoring on a 1-yard run. Zach Spencer’s PAT kick put Tipton up 7-3 with 3:03 left in the half.

Tipton then scored quickly to start the second half. A bad snap on a BC punt attempt resulted in the Blue Devils blocking the punt and the ball ended up in Leiding’s hands. He returned it eight yards for the TD

“That was a big play,” Tolle said. “I felt we gained the momentum late in the second quarter and I stressed at halftime that we needed to keep the momentum going. Somehow Jeff gets the TD, which was special for him and was a big difference in the ballgame.”

        

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