Lightning grounds ‘Hawks, Arrows

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By John Bombatch

[email protected]

NEW CARLISLE — Lightning made the biggest tackle in Friday night’s Fairborn vs. Tecumseh football game.

Moments before the second half was to begin, officials saw lighting to the south — from the same storm that halted several other games in the Dayton area — and called a lightning delay.

As a result, the host Arrows will hold on to their seven-point lead for a few more hours. The game was called until 1 p.m. today.

The first half saw Fairborn out-gain Tecumseh by a 129-119 margin, but the host Arrows got a pair of Jayden McFarland touchdown runs — one from 4 yards out, another from 13 — to jump out in front 14-0.

Fairborn needed a quick-strike offensive play to get back into the ballgame. Quarterback Wesley Watts found Gracen Barnhart in the left flat for a quick pass, and Barnhart sped away from the remaining Arrows defenders for a 72-yard score.

Damien Mentzer booted the extra point and the Skyhawks trailed 14-7 at halftime.

The game was about to resume when officials announced that the proceedings were under a lightning delay. Ohio High School Athletic guidelines require at least a half-hour delay from the last observed lightning strike. The initial delay began at 8:21 p.m.

The Tecumseh athletic trainers folded up their tables at 8:38 p.m. and the game was officially called at 9:22 p.m.

Game officials waited until 9:15 p.m. to make a decision and said if lightning was seen after that time, that they’d call it a night.

School officials then haggled for the next seven minutes to determine a time when both schools could return to Tecumseh, and needed to set a time when their game wouldn’t conflict with a soccer game that was already scheduled on the field. They needed to find out when a full set of game referees would be available as well.

The game’s postponement was announced at 9:28 p.m.

At 9:29 p.m., the rains came.

Friday’s games marked the first week of the Ohio high school football season. Beavercreek defeated Xenia, 37-20, Thursday at Frank Zink Field.

Other games contested by local teams Friday night were: Bellbrook at Waynesville; Carroll at Riverside Stebbins; Cedarville at London Madison Plains; and Greeneview at Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy.

At presstime, it was not known whether the other games were postponed as well.

Scoring Plays

FIRST QUARTER

T — Jayden McFarland 4 run (James Gray kick)

SECOND QUARTER

T — McFarland 13 run (Gray kick)

F — Gracen Barnhart 72 pass from Wesley Watts (Damien Mentzer kick)

Fairborn quarterback Wesley Watts (1) runs for a short gain, during the first half of Friday’s game against host New Carlisle Tecumseh. The game was postponed due to lightning with Tecumseh leading 14-7. The game will resume today at 1 p.m. at Tecumseh High.
http://aimmedianetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2016/08/web1_WattsRun_PS.jpgFairborn quarterback Wesley Watts (1) runs for a short gain, during the first half of Friday’s game against host New Carlisle Tecumseh. The game was postponed due to lightning with Tecumseh leading 14-7. The game will resume today at 1 p.m. at Tecumseh High. John Bombatch | Greene County News

Fairborn junior running back K.J. Redmon (20) looks to get past Arrows defensive lineman Hunter Hensley (76) in first-half action of Friday’s high school football game in New Carlisle. The game was stopped by lightning before the second half could start, and will resume at 1 p.m. today.
http://aimmedianetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2016/08/web1_RedmonRun_PS.jpgFairborn junior running back K.J. Redmon (20) looks to get past Arrows defensive lineman Hunter Hensley (76) in first-half action of Friday’s high school football game in New Carlisle. The game was stopped by lightning before the second half could start, and will resume at 1 p.m. today. John Bombatch | Greene County News

Defensive back Mark Peterangelo (11), of Fairborn, leaps to try and block an extra point kick by New Carlisle Tecumseh’s James Gray, in Friday’s high school football game at Tecumseh. The game was postponed due to lightning with the host Arrows leading 14-7 at the half. The second half will be played at 1 p.m. today.
http://aimmedianetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2016/08/web1_PeterangeloJump_PS.jpgDefensive back Mark Peterangelo (11), of Fairborn, leaps to try and block an extra point kick by New Carlisle Tecumseh’s James Gray, in Friday’s high school football game at Tecumseh. The game was postponed due to lightning with the host Arrows leading 14-7 at the half. The second half will be played at 1 p.m. today. John Bombatch | Greene County News

By John Bombatch

[email protected]

John Bombatch can be reached at 937-372-4444, Ext. 2123.

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