ASHVILLE — With three minutes remaining in the third quarter Friday night, Bloom-Carroll appeared to finally get a breakthrough.
In a scoreless game with Teays Valley, the Bulldogs had just recovered a fumble on the Vikings’ 23-yard line and looked primed to get on the scoreboard. However, just as quickly as the Bulldogs seemed to get their break, that opportunity dried up.
On second down from the 11-yard line, Bulldog running back Kyson Cline got stood up at the line and the Viking defense ripped the ball away. Teays Valley’s Cavin McDowell picked up the fumble and returned the ball the other way down to the Bulldog 25 yard line. Three plays later, the Vikings scored the game’s first touchdown on a three-yard run from Spike Woods for what proved to be the game-winning score as the Vikings shut out the Bulldogs 14-0.
It marked Bloom-Carroll’s first shutout loss since Oct. 16, 2015 — a loss at Hamilton Township and a streak of 116 games.
“We forced two turnovers back-to-back, but then gave it right back to them and let them flip the field on the fumble recovery, so that was tough,” Bloom-Carroll coach Jeremy McKinney said. “But I was proud of our defense and thought they played well, we came out with a different look and thought we played lights out. That’s a pretty good football team and we hung with them. We just have to find a way to consistently move the football, so I think once we figure that out we’ll be in good shape.”
It was a rough night for the Bloom-Carroll (1-1) offense, with only 89 net yards of total offense, eight first downs and only three third down conversions in 10 attempts. Bulldogs running back Kyson Cline, a standout in Week 1, was mostly non-factor with 33 yards on 15 carries as he tried to battle through a few injuries, but was obviously not himself. Quarterback Matthew Cline finished nine of 15 passing for 75 yards with an interception, but was sacked five times as Teays Valley’s defensive front was able to generate pressure all game and keep Cline uncomfortable.
“I think offensively we were a little clunky, still not where we want to be,” McKinney said.
The Bulldog defense matched the physicality and success of the Vikings defense for most of the game, which McKinney was pleased to see. The Bulldogs held the Vikings to just 10 passing yards and 37 rushing yards in the first half, with senior cornerback Deven Ash contributing two pass breakups and an interception.
In the second half, the Bulldog defense picked up another interception on a nifty deflection by Aidan Sholz that ended up in the hands of Carson Drury near midfield. However, the Vikings got the ball back on the very next play when Peter Graham stepped in front of Matthew Cline’s pass and intercepted it himself.
“I think if we’re able to clean up our self-inflicted wounds and get some consistency going (on offense), I think we’re in decent shape,” McKinney said. “I think we have a heck of a football team, we just have to put it all together at this point.”
Teays Valley finished with 200 yards of offense, 84 of which came on the ground with Woods to go with his two touchdowns. Farmer completed five of eight passes for 69 yards in the second half after he came in for starter Kaden Hines.
“We just have to figure some things out,” McKinney said. “We have guys, we have players, we just have to find ways to get them the ball and that will come from conversations with coaches and brainstorming. I have some ideas.”
This article originally appeared on Lancaster Eagle-Gazette: High School Football: Bloom-Carroll’s offense struggles in shutout loss to Teays Valley
Reporting by Eric Singer / Lancaster Eagle-Gazette
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