MEDINA, OHIO – The Highland Hornets put up 51 points Friday night and built a huge lead in their Suburban League showdown with Tallmadge, but in the end needed a late stand to win a crazy 51-43 game that sets up a huge week 10 battle next week at home with first-place Barberton.
The Hornets had to be happy with beating a six-win Blue Devils team, but in the end have a lot of soul searching to do, as they built a 51-14 lead with 6:56 to play in the third quarter, only to win by eight after a furious Tallmadge rally.
The Blue Devils scored 29 straight points thanks in part to a Hornets turnover, two successfully recovered onside kicks, and a couple huge conversions on fourth down on a 15-play drive that drew them to within one score with 4:13 to play.
In the end though, the Blue Devils inability to stop two key players for the Hornets was their undoing, quarterback Matt Earnest and running back Jake Rogers.
Earnest had a big night throwing as the Hornets built the big lead, as he went 12-for-13 for 239 yards and a pair of scores.
He also caught a 25-yard touchdown pass on a trick play from tight end Ryan Federick to make it 22-7 early in the second quarter.
The senior 6-foot quarterback also rushed for 35 yards on seven carries, while Rogers ran for 81 yards on 15 carries, as Highland built a 41-14 lead at halftime.
Rogers also took back a punt 59 yards for a score to make it 35-7 with 4:39 to play in the first half, and then pulled in a two-point conversion to make it 37-7.
The Tallmadge rally started after Earnest completed a quick three passes for an early third quarter score to extend the lead out to 44-14.
The touchdown came when he hit Fredrick for a 20-yard score to give the Hornets the 30-point lead with 6:56 to play in the third quarter.
The Blue Devils went 64 yards in nine plays with junior fullback Mike Yamokoski going in from a yard out, and with the two-point conversion it became a 51-22 game.
Highland junior quarterback Jack McGinty fumbled the next Hornets snap, giving Tallmadge the ball at the Highland 49-yard line.
Nine plays and 49 yards later Ty Shannon went in from five yards out on fourth down to draw the Blue Devils 51-28 with 9:23 left to play.
The Blue Devils got an onside kick, and on the first play senior wide out Zach Boyd threw a 48-yard TD to junior wide out Jason Grassie to draw it to 51-36 game.
After another onside recovery, the Blue Devils converted three fourth-down conversions and eventually scored on a 15-play drive with 4:13 left to make it a 51-43 game.
The Hornets went right back to the starters, as Earnest and Rogers entered the game, and they ran nine plays, gaining three first downs before Rogers was stopped on a fourth-and-three from the Blue Devils 30, giving Tallmadge one last shot with :45 seconds left.
Quarterback Sam Seeker threw incomplete, and on the second play was picked off by Jake Tecco to end the final Tallmadge threat and seal the Hornet win.
Seeker went 14-for-29 with 113 yards and two interceptions. Shannon rushed for 66 yards on 14 carries, while Seeker ran for 126 yards on 12 carries in the loss.
The Hornets now at 7-1, 5-1 in league play, will take on 9-0 Barberton next week in a game that could tie up the Suburban League: American Division.
Tallmadge with their second straight loss falls to 6-3 on the year, and they will look to help their playoff hopes next Friday as they play Revere on the road.
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Final |
| Tallmadge | 7 | 7 | 8 | 21 | 43 |
| Highland | 15 | 29 | 7 | 0 | 51 |
Player of the Game:
Highland quarterback Matthew Earnest
On the ground the through the air, Earnest was the biggest offensive factor for the Hornets, as they built a 51-14 lead over Tallmadge in their eventual Friday night 51-43 win.
He was 12-for-13 for 239 yards, throwing for two scores and also catching a score on a trick play from tight end Ryan Fedrick.
Earnest also ran the ball for 35 yards on seven carries, as he helped Highland put up over 300 yards of offense in the first half in building a big 44-14 halftime lead.
Click Below to See Pics of the Action Between the Hornets and Blue Devils
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