PREBLE COUNTY — It took until Week 10, but Eaton’s football team finally collected its first win of the season in dominating fashion over visiting Dixie, 46-6, on Friday, Oct. 26.
The rest of the county teams didn’t fare as well on the last week of the high school season as the four combined to score seven points.
Eaton totaled 363 yards of offense as senior Caleb Puckett rushed for 140 yards on 19 carries and three touchdowns.
“I’m happy for the kids,” Eaton coach Brad Davis said. “I’m happy for the seniors. To win the last one for them they’re going to remember that. It’s been a tough season.”
Eaton (1-9, 0-6 SWBL) got on the board first after Ashton Goit blocked a punt giving the Eagles the ball deep inside Dixie territory.
Zac Schmidt (5 catches, 65 yards) made it 6-0 with an 8-yard touchdown run. The extra point attempt was blocked
Dixie responded by taking advantage of a fake punt and later scored to make it 6-6 after a failed 2-point conversion.
Quarterback Dawson Blaylock hooked up with Schmidt for Eaton’s second score to give the Eagles a 13-6 lead.
After Blaylock was injured, freshman quarterback Theo Winings tossed a touchdown pass to Tyler Gregory late in the second quarter for a 20-6 lead.
On its first possession of the second half, Puckett scored the first of his three touchdowns to give his team a 27-6 lead.
Puckett added another score on the next series as Eaton built a 33-6 lead.
On Dixie’s next offensive possession, Gregory intercepted a pass and returned it for a touchdown and a 40-6 lead.
Puckett capped the scoring late in the third for a 46-6 lead.
Eaton got the ball back in the final minutes of the game and went into victory formation on the final play where senior Ryan Venable, who suffered a broken arm in Week 1 and was out for the season, took the final snap of the season and his high school career to secure the win.
“It was a special moment for him. For the guys. It was important for us to get him out there,” Davis said. “We didn’t want his last snap (in Week 1) to be what he remembered. We wanted it to be the way it happened.”
Trail fall at Covington
National Trail ended its season with a 40-0 setback at Covington on Friday. The Blazers completed the 2018 campaign 4-6 overall and 2-6 in the Cross County Conference.
South shutout at East
Twin Valley South was shutout for the third straight week as it fell to host Miami East, 53-0. The Panthers finished the season 4-6 overall and 3-5 in the Cross County Conference.
North blanked by Ft. Loramie
Tri-County North entered Week 10 with an outside shot of making the playoffs if they defeated host Ft. Loramie. The Panthers, though, couldn’t contain the Redskins and was shutout 42-0 to end the season 6-4 overall and 5-3 in the CCC.
Arrows finish 3-7 after loss to Northridge
Preble Shawnee wrapped up its season with a 22-7 loss at Northridge. Ben Hobbs scored the Arrows lone touchdown on a 57-yard run in the third quarter. By that time Shawnee already trailed 22-0.
Shawnee ends the season 3-7 overall and 2-4 in the SWBL Buckeye Division.
