H.S. Football: Black River hammered by defending state runner-up

SULLIVAN TWP. — The Black River football team faced what likely will be its toughest test of the season Friday. Like learning to climb a mountain by first trying to tackle Mount Everest, future opponents shouldn't seem as hard to conquer.The Pirates took their lumps against reigning Division VII state runner-up Hillsdale in a 42-14 season-opening, non-league defeat.With six returning All-Ohioans, the Falcons scored on six of their first eight drives offensively and recovered a fumble, blocked a punt and twice forced Black River to turn the ball over on downs to build a 42-0 lead just past the midway point of the third quarter.Falcons running back Owen Sloan rushed 12 times for 112 yards and three touchdowns, while quarterback Kael Lewis completed 10-of-16 passes for 172 yards and one touchdown. He added two 1-yard touchdowns on the ground.Black River freshman quarterback Dom Bell went 9-for-15 for 114 yards and rushed five times for 12 yards. He showed chemistry with senior Zane Bungard, with the pair connecting seven times for 98 yards. Hunter Varney and Bryce Murray each caught an 8-yard pass.After struggling most of the evening, the Pirates cashed in on their final two drives, with Bell finding Bungard for a 26-yard catch-and-run and Dozier Hendershot scoring on the ground from 2 yards.Murray (1 rush, 23 yards) and Varney (9, 15) were Black River's most potent threats on the ground as the Pirates struggled to get much going, finishing with 59 yards on 16 carries.Hillsdale's defense boasted All-Ohio linebacker Brady Holler and defensive back Brock Bower.Black River stopped Hillsdale on downs on the Pirates 43-yard line to begin the game, but the Falcons forced and recovered a fumble by Bell.Hillsdale scored on its next three possessions, first by Sloan and then twice by Lewis.The Pirates forced another turnover on downs late in the second quarter but were stifled by the Falcons again before Knox Lewis blocked a punt by Bell. On the next play, Sloan scored his second touchdown.Trailing 42-0 after a wide receiver screen from Lewis to Davis Radcliffe went for a 16-yard touchdown, Black River got a momentum boost from Parker Broadsword, who returned the ensuing kickoff 47 yards to the Hillsdale 35. Two plays later, Bungard scored on his second-longest reception of the game, a 26-yarder.Contact John Urchek at jurchek@medina-gazette.com.Hillsdale 42, Black River 14HILLSDALE 14 21 7 0 — 42BLACK RIVER 0 0 7 7 — 14FirstH — Owen Sloan 5 run (A.J. Brown kick), 5:49.H — Kael Lewis 1 run (Brown kick), 2:10.SecondH — Lewis 1 run (Brown kick), 8:29.H — Sloan 14 run (Brown kick), 3:33.H — Sloan 30 run (Brown kick), 1:21.ThirdH — Davis Radcliffe 16 pass from Lewis (Brown kick), 4:38.B — Zane Bungard 26 pass from Dom Bell (Jackson Burkeholder kick), 3:01.FourthB — Dozier Hendershot 2 run (Burkeholder kick), 3:17. H BFirst downs 12 6Rushing 27/168 16/59Rushing average 5.1 3.7Passing 10/16 9/15Passing yards 172 114Total offense 43/340 31/173Punting 2/32.0 4/19.7Penalties 6/50 6/30Fumbles 0/0 1/1RUSHING: Hillsdale — Sloan 12-112, Porter Boreman 6-25, Brock Bower 2-22, Reed Twining 1-6, Lewis 5-5, Ryder Bisesi 1-(-2), Mikey Shenberger 4-(-11). Black River — Bryce Murray 1-23, Hunter Varney 9-15, Bell 1-12, Hendershot 4-9, Team 1-0.PASSING: Hillsdale — Lewis 10-16-172-0. Black River — Bell 9-15-114-0.RECEIVING: Hillsdale — Kyle Turk 4-62, Hayden McFadden 3-58, Bower 2-36, Radcliffe 1-16. Black River — Bungard 7-98, Murray 1-8, Varney 1-8.