RIVERSIDE — Kevin Johnson got the Xenia Buccaneers off to a great start, and the Bucs never stopped rolling, in a 42-0 win over Stebbins, Friday, Sept. 20 at Stebbins High.
The hosts were trying to enjoy Homecoming, but Xenia prevented any enjoyment from being had, at least on the field.
Johnson took the opening kickoff and rumbled 75 yards to the Indians 15-yard line.
Three plays later, Xenia’s Camden Kenney fell on a fumbled snap that rolled into the end zone for the first score of the game.
And when the offense was on the sideline, the Xenia defense was busy shutting down Stebbins. Unofficially, the Bucs defense sacked Stebbins quarterback Nate Keller five times, while limiting the Indians to 125 yards in total offense.
Xenia coach Trace Smitherman said he had mixed feelings about beating his former team. Smitherman coached a lot of the Indians seniors before taking over at XHS.
“It’s a double-edged sword. The seniors are part of the last group I coached here, and a lot of the coaches are still over here coaching. I’m so proud of our kids and how hard they’ve worked, and we’re going to continue to try and get better. I keep pushing them, and they keep answering the bell,” Smitherman said. “It’s a fantastic win for us.”
Johnson touched the ball five times on offense, all in the first half. He parlayed those carries into a 76-yard run, and two touchdowns, for a game-high 145-yard effort. Senior fullback Andrew Pollender carried the ball 17 times for 58 yards, and quarterback Brett Russell ran the ball 10 times for 47 yards and two scores.
Placekicker Hayden Falvey was a perfect 6-for-6 on his extra points for the game.
The Ohio High School Athletic Association allows for a running game clock, which stops only for scoring plays and changes of possession, once one team is ahead by 30 or more points. Since Xenia led 35-0 a the break, the entire second half was played with a running clock.
According to the Miami Valley League’s website (mvlathletics.com), Johnson is now second in the league in rushing with 472 yards gained in four games, while Pollender is third at 454. QB Russell is sixth in the MVL in rushing at this point, with 265 yards gained.
The Buccaneers offensive line was solid in opening holes for Johnson and Pollender, and they gave up just one sack on Russell for the game.
Next week, Xenia will play host to Sidney (1-3, 0-1 MVL) for a 7 p.m. contest on Sept. 27 at Doug Adams Stadium in Xenia. Stebbins will take on another Greene County opponent next week, as the Indians will play a 7 p.m. game at Fairborn’s Memorial Stadium.
Score By Quarters
Xenia 14 21 0 7 — 42
Stebbins 0 0 0 0 — 0
Scoring Plays
X — Camden Kenney fumble recovery in end zone (Hayden Falvey kick)
X — Brett Russell 13 run (Falvey kick)
X — Kevin Johnson 9 run (Falvey kick)
X — Johnson 31 run (Falvey kick)
X — Russell 1 run (Falvey kick)
X — Desmond Diggs 1 run (Falvey kick)
Records: Xenia 3-1 overall (1-0 Miami Valley League); Stebbins 1-3 overall (0-3 MVL).
