Arcanum football team shuts out National Trail

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NEW PARIS – The Arcanum football team won its second consecutive game on Friday, defeating National Trail 52-0 and spoiling the Blazers’ Homecoming game.

The shuout loss was the fourth on the year for the Blazers who continues to struggle offensively this season.

The first quarter opened up on a rough start for the home team as the Trojans scored on their first play from scrimmage on a long touchdown run to sport a 7-0 lead.

When NT had the ball, the Blazers in turn had a big run from Jacob Heck, who was brought down at the Arcanum 18-yard line. Despite the field position into the red zone, the Blazers failed to produce any points.

Arcanum would gain the benefit of a second big run on its next possession to cap the drive with a touchdown. Up 14-0, Arcanum hit pay dirt a third time to end the first quarter with a 20-0 lead.

A fog rolled up onto the field in the second quarter, but this did not stop the onslaught put on by the visiting Trojans as they conducted one scoring drive after another while allowing NT to move the ball yet keeping the Blazers out of the end zone.

After two touchdowns added, Arcanum was up 32-0. National Trail’s few glorious moments were three missed Arcanum extra-point kicks either by blocks or misses.

The second half didn’t go much better for NT as each drive suffered penalties, miscues and turnovers that merely added insult to injury.

Arcanum responded by adding two more touchdowns in the third quarter, one on a fumble recovery by its defense and another on a 22-yard run set up by another NT lost fumble. The Blazers suffered four fumbles and four penalties in the quarter.

The fourth quarter started out with both teams putting in their junior varsity players, which slowed the pace of the game down.

Arcanum scored on the NT backups, benefiting on a quarterback keeper that broke a number of tackles for a 42-yard run.

With the score 52-0, the Blazers were stopped on their drive and were forced to punt, but the Trojans muffed the return and suffered a backwards fumble, which was recovered by the Blazers defense which, by rule, cannot be returned by the defense. NT suffered a sack and a fumbled snap to kill its last chance for points and ending the game.

Heck led the Blazers with 88 yards rushing, and Lucas Boggs had 11 tackles to lead defensively.

Arcanum improved to 2-4 overall and 2-3 in the Cross County Conference with the win while National Trail fell to 1-5 overall and 0-4 in the CCC. Arcanum will play host to Ansonia on Friday.

Arcanum defender Brandon Kinney attempts to tackle National Trail’s Peyton Lane during a football game on Friday in New Paris.
https://www.dailyadvocate.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/web1_Brandon-Kinney-WEB-12.jpgArcanum defender Brandon Kinney attempts to tackle National Trail’s Peyton Lane during a football game on Friday in New Paris. Oliver Sanders|Civitas Media

By Oliver Sanders

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Reach Oliver Sanders at 937-683-4062 or on Twitter @osanders_RHReach.

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