PIQUA – The Ansonia Tigers defeated the St. Henry Redskins under the direction of head coach Adam Hall to go 13-0 on the season, a first for the Darke County WOAC school.
“No. 1 it’s our guys buying in,” Ansonia coach, Adam Hall said of the team’s success on the field. “We know that they know and when teams still can’t stop it that is from how hard we work, how well we execute it, how well we fake, how well we block. Our offense is a team offense and it shows every week and it really gives us an edge when we do it that way.”
Ansonia dominated the clock from the opening kick to the final buzzer grinding out third and fourth down conversions while the defense kept the Redskins on their heels for most of the night.
The teams played to a scoreless first quarter before the Tigers took advantage of a 19-yard touchdown pass over the middle from Nick Burns to Zane Henderson with 7:12 on the second quarter clock to lead 6-0 with the Redskins stopping the Tigers’ two-point conversion attempt.
Ansonia put a second first-half touchdown in the scoring column as time was winding down in second-quarter action with Keegen Weiss scampering 13 yards untouched up the middle for a Tigers TD to lead 12-0 with 0:33 remaining in the opening half. A failed two-point conversion attempt had the teams headed to the halftime locker with Ansonia holding a 12-0 advantage.
“That is all credit to my guys up front they open everything for me,” said Weiss. “It happens every game. We do things right, they were out of position and we pop a big one.”
“He has carried a lot all year, he has done great all year,” Coach Hall said of his Weiss. “About January, six o’clock lifting, every day he is there; when he’s playing baseball he’s there, great leader, great athlete, we wouldn’t be where we are at without him.”
When asked if he ever gets tired, the senior running back stated, “No, that is what the offseason is for. I’m glad my guys don’t get tired either. They have been in their all offseason working just as hard as I am and it shows.”
St. Henry dented the scoreboard with 31 seconds on the third quarter board with a 50-yard touchdown pass and made good on its PAT kick to cut the Tigers’ lead to 12-7 where the score would stand after three complete.
Ansonia battled back with an Ethan Reichert 3-yard touchdown run at 3:45 in the fourth. Attempting a two-point conversion run the Tigers were flagged for illegal procedure moving the ball back to the 8-yard line where Weiss would carry for an 8-yard 2-point conversion giving the Tigers a 20-7 lead.
With time winding down on St. Henry’s playoff hopes the Redskins went to the air and moved the ball quickly downfield and scored on a 1-yard touchdown pass with 0:45 on the fourth quarter clock. The PAT kick hit the right upright keeping the score a 20-13 with St. Henry attempting an onside kick.
Ansonia had no problem handling the onside kick attempt. Weiss ran for a first down before the Tigers took a knee to run out the clock and advance in playoff action with a 20-13 win while keeping its perfect season intact.
Ansonia takes on Marion Local, Friday, November 17 at Piqua High School with a 7 p.m. start time.
