Western Brown’s Ayden Hatcher tallied 13 tackles, eight solo, in the Broncos’ win over Wilmington. Photo by Garth Shanklin.
Western Brown’s Zachery Chisman recorded 10 catches for 132 yards. He also had a rushing touchdown in the Broncos’ win over Wilmington. Photo by Garth Shanklin.
For the first time in 2,541 days, Western Brown High School’s football team is celebrating a league championship.
Western Brown defeated Wilmington 32-14 on Friday, October 14 to improve to 8-1 overall, 4-0 in the Southern Buckeye Athletic and Academic Conference’s American Division. The win ensures the Broncos will win a share of the program’s first league title since sharing the 2015 crown with New Richmond.
The Hurricane didn’t make it easy. Western Brown struck first on a 45-yard touchdown pass from Drew Novak to Isaiah Smith at the 9:08 mark of the first quarter. Wilmington blocked the point after and trailed 6-0.
The score stayed that way until late in the first quarter. Thad Stuckey put the visitors on top 7-6 on a 13-yard touchdown run with three seconds left in the quarter. Wilmington led by one after one quarter.
Western Brown scored the next four touchdowns. Matthew Frye pulled down a 16-yard touchdown pass from Novak at the 7:20 mark of the quarter. The two-point pass fialed and the Broncos led 12-7.
Just before halftime, Ty Loudon intercepted a Wilmington pass and returned it 20 yards for a score. The point after failed but the Broncos led 18-7 at halftime.
In the third quarter, Zach Chisman scored on a two-yard touchdown run with 9:04 left in the quarter. Novak ran in the two-point try for a 26-7 Western Brown lead.
Smith’s second touchdown reception, a 23-yard score, came with one minute left in the third. The point after was no good but the Broncos led 32-7.
Wilmington added a score at the 11:56 mark of the fourth quarter on a five-yard touchdown run by Stuckey. Neither team found the scoreboard again after that.
Novak completed 27 of 33 passes for 472 yards, three touchdowns and an interception. He also carried the ball four times for 38 yards. Chisman had seven carries for 17 yards and a touchdown.
Chisman led the team in receptions (10) and yards (132). Matthew Osborne had six grabs for 119 yards. Frye finished with four receptions for 53 yards and a touchdown. Smith t allied 100 yards and two touchdowns on three receptions.
Brady Sutton (three catches, 47 yards) and A.J. Graham (one catch, 21 yards) also aided the Broncos’ aerial attack.
Defensively, Dane Tomlin forced a pair of fumbles. Austin Huff recovered a fumble for the Broncos.
Andrew Schneeman led the team with 17 tackles, 13 solo. Ayden Hatcher had 13 tackles, eight solo, and Ben Schuler added 12 tackles (10 solo). Nathaniel Royse had Western Brown’s lone sack.
Western Brown currently sits second in the most recent Division III, Region 12 projections. According to Joe Eitel, the Broncos have clinched a spot in the top four and will have two home playoff games.
If the season were to end today, the Broncos would host No. 15 Woodward in the postseason.
In week 10, Western Brown can clinch the program’s first outright league championship since 2013 with a win over Batavia. That game will be played in Batavia at 7 p.m. on Friday, October 21.