BELLBROOK — The Bellbrook Golden Eagles shut down one of southwest Ohio’s most potent running games in a Division-III playoff win last week.
It’ll be potent times 10 tonight with a side of Woody Hayes when Bellbrook hosts Hamilton Ross in a D-III Region 12 semifinal. Fifth-seeded Ross enters the game 7-1 with its only loss in week one, 47-7, to Badin, another regional semifinalist.
The Rams average 411.8 rushing yards per game and have thrown the ball just three times in October — 11 times all season.
Yes, you read that right.
Ross has run for 3,294 yards and 47 this season, using a three-headed approach with backs Jackson Gifford (1,235 yards, 21 TDs), Brayden Fraasman (706 yards, nine TDs) and quarterback C.J Boze (923 yards, 11 TDs).
In last week’s 48-12 win at No. 4 New Richmond, the Rams had 383 yards of total offense.
Ross has only beaten one team with winning record (Bellbrook has five such wins) but they likely would have made the playoffs after six games had the normal computer system been used. And at this point in the season, anybody left is a quality opponent.
”They are a very impressive football team,” Bellbrook Coach Jeff Jenkins said. “They didn’t get to round four on accident.”
Bellbrook is equally impressive on the ground, running for 2,333 yards and 33 TDs. Ashton Ault has filled in nicely for the injured Seth Borondy, rushing for nearly 400 yards and six TDs the last two weeks. But Bellbrook can also throw the ball.
Either way, the game will likely be determined by how the lines play.
“Absolutely,” Jenkins said.
The winner plays the winner of No. 2 Badin and No. 6 Alter in the regional final at 7 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 6 at a site to be determined.