SIDNEY — 10 games. 10 wins.
The Xenia Buccaneers have secured their spot in the record book by completing an undefeated regular season.
A 34-0 win at Sidney on Friday completes a perfect run to a 10-0 record which ties the 1902 team. It’s a season 120 years in the making.
“We did it,” head coach Maurice Harden said. “We’ve accomplished something that’s never been done before. I’m kind of at a loss for words because of what we were able to do and how we were able to do it.”
Xenia has often spoke through the season about being where their feet are at that moment. The players and coaches certainly did not overlook that after their accomplishment.
Tears of joy and smiles were shared with one another throughout the postgame celebration. Harden received multiple ice water baths from his players. Music blared from the Xenia locker room as the team got set to travel home. And awaiting them when they arrived were a convoy of Xenia’s finest police officers to head back into Doug Adams Stadium where the celebration would continue.
“It’s everything that we’ve worked for all year,” Jaxen Lewis said. “Every game, every week, brick by brick and we just put this tenth brick down and it feels so good.”
It was a total team effort on both sides of the ball to wrap up the regular season.
Trei’Shaun Sanders ran for 237 yards on 33 carries. Jace Jones scored two touchdowns, including one to open the scoring. Jackson Tate hauled in a three-yard pass with one hand on a fourth down play. Tremell Wright eclipsed 1,000 receiving yards for the season on his third catch of the game. Xenia never punted.
Best of all was the Buccaneers defense. Ronnie Butler got an early sack to set the tone. Xenia held Sidney to five total yards in the first half and without a first down. Trenton Lee then picked things right up where they left off with an interception on the second play after halftime. Trent Smith later broke up a fourth and long pass as the third quarter winded down.
“They were dominant,” Harden said. “We talked about being dominant all week and that’s all we wanted to do.”
Xenia’s senior class began their high school journey with a 9-1 season in 2019. They went through the rigors of the 2020 and 2021 campaigns to try and get back to the same feelings they had as freshman. Now they have eclipsed it.
“It means everything,” Jamell Smith said. “We put in the work. We’ve been going since January 3. Everybody was there and we continued all summer. It just feel great to see it all come through.”
“They are in immortality forever,” Harden said. “It lets them know what they’ve accomplished will always be a part of Xenia football.”
In addition to the unbeaten season, Xenia also clinched the overall Miami Valley League championship.
Its season is not over. A fourth straight playoff appearance is upcoming for the Buccaneers where they will start at home after clinching the No. 2-seed in Division II, Region 8.
“We will process this on the high end of things,” Smith said. “We know we still got next week and then weeks after. We’re coming back 0-0 into the week and will be ready to roll.”
But for one night, there’s a lot of celebration to be had for the history that was created.
“These guys are my brothers,” Lewis said. “I love them to death. There’s nothing greater than this feeling right now and it’s the best day of my life.”
“I’m just proud,” Harden said. “I’m honored to be their head coach. I’m honored to be the commander-in-chief of this football team. And I’m just elated that we were able to do something like this for our community.”
