Jamie Priest stacks up a Piqua ball carrier as Aidan Pendleton (17) and another player move in to assist.
Photos Rob Kiser | Miami Valley Today
PIQUA — The Piqua football team put on strong showing in its final scrimmage before the regular season begins Friday, playing Northmont to a 16-16 tie in two quarters of varsity action.
Senior running back Jericho Burns got the offense off to a fast start and the defense had a big goal-line stand in the final two minutes of the first half to keep the score tied 16-16.
Piqua started the scrimmage at its own 30 and on the second play, Burns cut to the outside, broke free and went 68 yards to give the Indian fans something to get excited about.
He would run for the two-point conversion to make it 8-0.
Northmont would answer with a 70-yard drive.
Piqua linebacker Izzy Coleman forced a fumble near the Indians end zone late in the drive, but it went out of bounds at the two, allowing Northmont to keep possession and Calilien Grant ran the ball in to the end zone on the next play. Grant ran for a two-point conversion to tie the game at 8-8.
Grant was second in rushing yards in the Greater Western Ohio Conference last season with 935 yards on 169 carries averaging 5.5 yards per attempt with six TDs.
Burns continued to have a big day for the offense, rushing for 150 yards and Jon Hess added some big runs in the second quarter to put Piqua in front again.
After converting a fourth-and-one, the junior fullback added runs of 14 and seven yards to move the ball deep into Northmont territory.
Hess would run the ball in from seven yards out and Burns would run for the two-point conversion to give Piqua a 16-8 lead.
Northmont would answer quickly when quarterback Brady Lupton found an open receiver down the right sidelines for a 61-yard touchdown and the two-point conversion would tie the game at 16.
It was still tied at 16 when Piqua was forced to punt out of its end zone with less than two minutes remaining in the half.
Northmont returned the punt to the Piqua three-yard line, but the defense was up to the challenge.
On first down, the T-Bolts had an illegal formation and the penalty moved the ball back to the eight-yard line.
Three runs only gained four yards and on a fourth-and-goal from the four, the scrimmage ended with a Northmont pass being caught beyond the end zone.
Piqua will open regular season play at Lima Senior while Northmont will host Butler this Friday at 7 p.m.
Rob Kiser can be reached at [email protected]
