by Gregg Meadows
Last Friday night, Sep. 1, Coach Cam West and his 2023 Tri-Valley football team bit off a big piece of the pigskin competition pie, as the Scotties headed some two plus hours southwest towards Cincinnati, to do battle with recognized Ohio gridiron power Clinton Massie, in TV’s final non-conference game on their 2023 schedule.
The D-IV powerhouse Falcons are three-time OHSAA high school football state champions (2012, 2013, 2021) and started their 2023 season with two big wins – 38-8 over Waynesville, and 42-0 over rival Edgewood.
The host Falcons used their ball control offense to perfection on their first possession of the game vs. the Scotties, grinding out a 19-play, five first-down drive that took almost the entire first quarter and resulted in a field goal for a 3-0 lead with just 1:07 left in the first frame.
TV’s first possession of the contest overlapped into the second period and resulted in a score as well, as Scottie tailback Jayden Wallace capped an 80-yard drive with a fourth-down, one-yard goal line crossing at 6:26 of the 2nd quarter. A Bode McCullough PAT kick gave the visitors what would be their only lead of the night at 7-3.
Clinton-Massie got the ball back and marched (all runs) 80 yards for the go-ahead score, aided by a nifty 49-yard reverse play along the way and capped with a short scoring run that gave the hosts a 10-7 lead with 1:13 left before halftime. The Scotties got the ball back and drove into Falcon territory with under a minute left in the half, but the drive fizzled as the clock ran out.
The Scotties drove into CM territory on their first drive of the second half but turned the ball over on downs, giving the Falcons the ball back at their own 30-yard line and the hosts made the most of it. Utilizing a well-designed fourth down fake punt for a 37-yard gain, CM capped a 70-yard scoring drive with their only completion of the night – a 21-yard touchdown pass for a 17-7 lead and all the momentum they would need the rest of the night.
The Scotties ensuing drive was halted by a costly error at the end of the third quarter, as a faulty snap from center resulted in a 30-yard loss, and eventual fourth down punt. The Falcons scored with 9:04 left in the game on another short run for a commanding 24-7 lead, then the Scotties finally got the offense going, as Max Lyall hooked up with Ashton Sensibaugh for a 23-yard score and the game’s final points.
Jayden Wallace led the Scottie offense with 76 hard-earned yards rushing on 17 attempts and a score, while hauling in seven passes as well for 87 yards. Max Lyall was 19 of 27 for 224 yards passing and a score, while Ashton Sensibaugh caught three passes for 46 yards and a score, and the versatile Kade Hindel snared four Lyall aerials for 35 yards and had a big-gain QB keeper in the second half as well.
It’s a fact: In both of Tri-Valley’s losses – Desales and Clinton Massie – the Scotties have outgained their opponent in total yards.
Clinton-Massie ran the ball 49 times for 257 yards. Neither team had a turnover.
Back on Friday, Aug. 25,Coach Cam West’s Tri-Valley football team wasted little time in establishing a strong foothold over its opponent in the Scottie’s 2023 home opener vs. visiting non-league opponent Licking Heights, as the host black-and-gold offense racked up five first half scores, and the smothering TV defense blanked the visitors in the first two quarters enrout to its eventual 42-7 win over the visiting Hornets.
The game was played in front of a packed house at Jack Anderson Stadium in the home opener for the 57th year of Tri-Valley High School Scottie football in Dresden.
Scottie junior tailback Jayden Wallace turned 24 rushing attempts into 159 yards and four end zone visits, with the hosts leaving little doubt about the winners of this Week 2 non-conference tilt from the beginning of the second quarter on. Wallace’s ground dominance – and Tri-Valley’s ‘shut-down defense’- ensured a 30-point plus deficit by halftime, and a OHSAA mandated running clock throughout the entire second half.
Junior quarterback Max Lyall threw just seven times, connecting on five of those tosses for 58 yards and a nifty first-half scoring toss to senior pass-catcher Erik Neal as well.
Multi-talented junior Kade Hindel guided the Scotties offense when classmate and TV QB starter Lyall wasn’t behind center – and enjoyed success – going 1-1 through the air for 14 yards and touchdown strike to another junior – Steyr Rognon, capping Tri-Valley scoring in the 42-7 victory. Junior TV place kicker Bode McCullough was 6-6 on point-after-touchdown (PAT) kicks.
This Friday night, Sep. 8 in Dresden, the Scotties kick-off Muskingum Valley League action, welcoming Maysville to Jack Anderson Stadium. Both teams are 1-2, with the Panthers getting their first win of the season – 48-13 – last week at Coshocton. In the Redksin win, Maysville’s Wesley Armstead had a 63-yard TD reception, a 19-yard scoring run and picked off two passes, one for a pick six.
Kick-off is set for 7:00 p.m.