PIQUA – After a scoreless first quarter, Piqua exploded for a 31-point second quarter and rolled to a 38-6 win over Greenville Friday night at Alexander Stadium/Purk Field.
That explosion was keyed by 18 points from the defense and some laser sharp passing from Indians junior quarterback Austin Davis.
After the first quarter had ended scoreless when Piqua stopped at the 1-yard line on fourth and goal, it didn’t take the Indians long to get rolling, thanks to safety Dylan Cole.
“We had them backed up (at the 1-yard line),” Cole said. “We needed to make a big play.”
Cole did that on second down from the one. He knifed in to the Green Wave backfield and tackled Logan Eldridge in the end zone for a safety to make it 2-0 with 11:21 remaining before half.
Piqua took advantage after the free kick.
On third and 6, Davis hooked up with Hayden Schrubb for 15 yards then followed with a 36-yard pass to Schrubb down to the 4-yard line. Ben Schmiesing ran it in on the next play and Robbie Comstock’s kick made it 9-0 with 9:05 remaining in the quarter.
“We are cousins,” Davis said about his connection with Schrubb. “So, we have been throwing the ball around forever.”
Then with 2:59 remaining before half, Cole stepped in front of a Greenville pass on the Piqua 45 and took it to the house.
“I knew they were going to run bubble three and slant two,” Cole said. “I knew they were running a slant there, so it was easy. The quarterback (Owen Paulus) tried to make a tackle, and I just shoved him away with my hands. I was definitely scoring on that one.”
That made it 16-0 and on the first play after the kickoff, the shotgun snap from the 26 ended up in the end zone with Greenville falling on it for a safety.
“I think the defense scored something like 18 points in the first half,” Schmiesing said. “Our defense has been working their butts off, and it is starting to show. We shut out Sidney in the first half, and we shut out Greenville tonight in the first half.”
And the offense responded again after the free kick.
“That’s the thing,” Cole said. “We know if we make plays on defense then the offense will get rolling.”
Jacob Bushnell had a 30-yard return on the free kick to the Greenville 41.
On a fourth and 6 from the Greenville 20, Davis found Schrubb again along the sidelines. Schrubb avoided several defenders along the sideline and took it to the end zone to make it 25-0 after Comstock’s kick with just over a minute remaining in the first half.
“Yes, sir (he was looking to score),” Schrubb said with a smile.
On the second play after the kickoff, Schmiesing stepped in front of a Greenville pass and took it 32 yards to the end zone to make it 31-0 at the break.
“I had underneath coverage,” Schmiesing said. “As soon as I saw him throw it, I knew I was going to score.”
Piqua added an Allen Schrubb touchdown run in the second half while Logan Eldridge ran 1-yard for a Greenville score to make the final 38-6.
“Ben (Schmiesing) got a great jump on the ball,” Piqua coach Bill Nees said. “Dylan (Cole) had two big plays. We had a couple sacks gave up early, but other than that, it was all good out there.”
Davis finished 12-for-15 for 157 yards while Schrubb had 99 yards receiving and went over the 100-yard mark in the second half.
“That has always been on of my goals – to get over 100 yards in a game,” Schrubb said.
Greenville had 95 total yards with 30 passing yards from Paulus, who was 4-of-14 with two interceptions.
Eldridge led Greenville with 101 rushing yards and a touchdown on 22 carries.
Karsyn Fender had a team-leading eight tackles. Devin Hendrix and Justin Brown both had seven.
Piqua improved to 5-2 overall and 2-0 in the Greater Western Ohio Conference’s American North while Greenville fell to 3-4 and 0-2. The Green Wave will play host to Tippecanoe on Friday for their Homecoming game.
