Cherryholmes, mistakes mar Hillsboro in
32-15 loss to Remington

Remington quarterback Caleb Cherryholmes can do plenty of damage when he gets past the line of scrimmage.

Heading into Friday’s night matchup in Hillsboro between the Trojans and Remington Broncos, the only film the Trojans had seen on Cherryholmes showed that he rarely crossed the line.

Much to the dismay of the Trojans and coach Max Heinrichs, Cherryholmes did a lot more, throwing for three touchdowns and running for another in a 32-15 win.

When it was over, the Bronco junior had torched Hillsboro for 345 total yards, running for a game-high 148, and throwing for 197 as Remington’s 425 yards was nearly three times better than the Trojans.

The Broncos limited the Trojans to 152 total yards — 110 rushing on 34 carries.

Hillsboro falls to 1-1 in district play and 4-4 on the year while Remington improves to 6-2 and 2-0 in district games.

“We knew that coming in Cherryholmes would be a handful,” Heinrichs said. “What we saw on film was a guy that would never pass the line of scrimmage so we were thinking he’d run back and forth like he did.

“He just attacked us. They had a good game plan and they did attack us. He made us pay, he can run it and he can throw it.”

What really stung the Trojans were five turnovers, which gave the Broncos a 20-point boost, and advantageous field position.

The occasional rain made hanging on to the ball difficult for both teams, who combined for eight turnovers.

Thanks to a potent Hillsboro defense, along with a slippery ball and field, the Broncos had help pulling away.

But Cherryholmes engineered an 11-play 80-yard drive, which took up four minutes of the first quarter, capped by a 17-yard touchdown strike to Alex Freking.

Remington’s two-point conversion attempt was short, but the Broncos were in front, 6-0, with 42 seconds still left in the first quarter.

Hillsboro’s troubles with hanging on to the ball started on the ensuing drive, but the Trojans still managed to go three-and-out.

The Trojans knotted the game early in the second quarter, cashing in Ethan Frantz’s fumble recovery at the Bronco 27.

Hillsboro was able to dodge an interception, and Luke Moore hit Ben Gardner for a 17-yard touchdown with 9 minutes, 28 seconds to go in the first half.

Gardner’s PAT attempt was no good and the score was tied at 6-6.

The Trojans pulled ahead, 8-6, with Remington backed up at its own three.

Punter Matt Jacobs stepped on the out-of-bounds line in the end zone, resulting in a safety.

Hillsboro began its generosity on the free kick, bungling the catch at its own 42.

Of the Trojans next four drives, all four ended in Hillsboro turning over the ball to the Broncos.

Cherryholmes gave the Broncos the lead for good, plunging in for a 3-yard touchdown up the middle and Luke Igo scored on the two-point conversion attempt, increasing the lead to 14-8 with just over 2:30 remaining in the half.

The Broncos pushed the lead to 20-8 before the break with Moore floating a pass to Jacobs on the opening play of Hillsboro’s next drive.

Jacobs’ pick, along with the help of a short field and a Trojan penalty, helped set up Cherryholmes’ 31-yard touchdown pass to Jake Green.

The Broncos could’ve gone up by more yet before the end of the first half, but Green’s interception, which went for a 55-yard touchdown return, was called back.

The Trojans miseries with fumbling continued the second half with the Trojans losing the ball in Bronco territory after Aaron Klassen recovered a Remington fumble.

Action was delayed 30 minutes at the 1:48 mark in the third quarter because of lightning.

When play resumed, Gardner recovered an Igo fumble and nearly took it in for the score.

With a facemask, a personal foul, and encroachment calls leaving the Trojans with a first-and-goal at the one, Reece bulled his way in for a touchdown and Gardner’s kick pulled Hillsboro closer, 20-15.

Reece had his third game of the past four running for 100 yards, carrying 26 times for a team high 105.

The Trojans never threatened again, fumbling the next drive, which Remington used to stretch the lead back to double digits as Igo scored on a fourth-and-1 with 6:10 to go.

Hillsboro had one last chance, starting at the Bronco 48, but two consecutive incompletions forced the drive to stall at the 32.

Cherryholmes tacked on the final points, airing it out for Green on a 59-yard touchdown with 2:46 on the clock.

The reception helped Green finish with a game high 101 yards from a trio of catches.

“It’s just weird, I don’t get it,” Heinrichs said of the five turnovers. “Even like the start of the second half, we’re going, ‘I thought the pile was dead’, and all of the sudden they’re going the other way. “

With the Trojans suffering this loss and Marion downing Southeast of Saline, Thursday night’s regular season game in Hillsboro with the Warriors will determine the district’s other qualifier.

“This is going to be a showdown again,” Heinrichs said. “It’s really been a showdown the last six years, and what, three straight overtimes?”

Thursday night’s action is set for 7 p.m. at Joel H. Wiens Stadium.