XENIA — In record setting fashion, the host Xenia Buccaneers won the Greater Western Ohio Conference’s South Division title with a 50-8 win over rival Fairborn, Oct. 25 at Doug Adams Stadium and on local TV.
Playing on Fox 45/ABC22’s Thursday Night Lights live telecast, Xenia dominated the visiting Skyhawks, and senior running back Sincere Wells set a new school record for touchdowns in a single season.
Second-year Xenia head coach Trace Smitherman was doused with an ice-cold bucket of water in the closing minutes of the contest, but he surely didn’t seem to mind.
“This is fantastic. We start start this thing in December 1st or 2nd of every year, and you go all the way to now. You either get a chance to get into the show, or you don’t. But it’s nice to have an opportunity to win the conference’s division championship,” Smitherman said. “Finishing with a Thursday Night game win, that’s fantastic. No question!”
Wells needed two touchdowns to tie the school mark for TDs in a single season at 19. But the 5-foot-9, 190-pound back finished the night with three touchdowns on the ground, then threw for another. Wells finished with a game-best 84 yards rushing on 20 carries, with TD runs of 11, 5 and 1 yard.
His 21 touchdowns surpasses the previous Xenia record of 19, which had been held by Cedric Tolbert Jr., who set his mark in 2002; and Ted Detty, who initially set the mark back in 1952.
With a second left in the third quarter, Wells was also a part of some Buccaneers razzle dazzle. The stocky running back ran to his right, stopped then lobbed a 20-yard TD pass to quarterback Christian Severt in the left part of the Fairborn end zone for a score.
Other Xenia touchdowns were scored by Kevin Johnson on a 28-yard run, Nick Willis on a 62-yard scamper, and Devin Hall recovered a fourth-quarter Skyhawks fumble in the end zone for a score. Blayne Dudley ran in for a converted two-point try, and Hayden Falvey hit all six of his extra-point tries for the Bucs.
Fairborn broke up the shutout when backup quarterback Brody Munger ran in a Skyhawks touchdown from eight yards out with 4:32 left to play in the contest. Munger kept the ball for a two-point conversion and scored as well.
Xenia’s defense gave the Skyhawks running game fits for most of the evening. According to GWOC stats, Fairborn was held to three yards in total rushing yards for the game, while Xenia racked up 310.
With the win, Xenia (7-3 overall, 4-0 GWOC South) claimed its first outright football divisional title since 1969.
GWOC website records go back to 2005. Xenia’s 7-3 overall record is the Buccaneers’ best record during that time span.
Trotwood-Madison (6-3, 3-1 GWOC South), the defending 2017 GWOC South champs whom Xenia had defeated 29-28 in double overtime on Oct. 19, finishes second in the division; Fairborn finishes third in the five-team GWOC South with a 2-2 divisional record, 2-8 overall.
