Trojans start late, but polish off Sterling 21-12 years ago
By RYAN RICHTER
Sports writer
Hillsboro coach Dustin McEwen had to question whether or not his team was selling Friday's opponent, the visiting Sterling Black Bears, short.
With the way the game started as the Trojans lost the football on their first two possessions, McEwen wasn't sure what to think.
Just the same, the Trojans were able to shake off a slow start and grind out a big 21-12 win over Sterling to move to 4-2 on the year.
""We just didn't come out and play very well at the beginning," McEwen said of the rugged start. "I don't know if they thought it was going to be easy, but I don't think they stepped on to the field tonight with much confidence.
"Once we built some, we made some good throws and some key catches and we were OK. I don't think we ever did feel comfortable."
The Black Bears turned a Derek Hamm interception into six points 4:01 into action after Brent Schneider picked the ball off on the Trojans' side of the field.
Dallas Schnurr ripped off an 18-yard gain to set Sterling up with first-and-10 at the Trojan 26.
One the ensuing play, quarterback Kole Farney found Jeremy Flickinger for a 26-yard TD and Sterling jumped on top 6-0 before the awestruck Trojans.
Giving Sterling excellent field position for much of the first half, Hillsboro dodged a bullet on its next drive as Hamm was picked off again, this time by Kevin Laudermilk.
Thirteen yards from fullback Andy Wilhaus and the Black Bears were back inside the Trojan-20 again.
But Brian Thiessen sacked Farney for a 3-yard loss before the Sterling quarterback coughed up the ball on second down.
Hamm recovered the loose ball, but Hillsboro ended up having to punt the ball away after Caleb Marsh slipped on third-and-long for an 11-yard loss.
The turnovers killed Sterling with four fumbles and three interceptions, two picked off by Marsh.
The second of four fumbles occurred on the Black Bears' third drive, again inside the Trojan 20 in the opening minutes of the second quarter.
Thiessen fell on the Farney-fumble, and the Trojans averted potential disaster one more time.
Trojan fullback Kyle Jilka carried the ball 14 times for a career-high 64 yards as part of the 138-yards carrying the ball.
A huge 21-yard gain for the senior fullback gave the Trojans first-and-10 at the Sterling 35.
"Jilka ran hard," said McEwen. "He's a tough kid. He got hit hard and kept going after them."
Facing a third-and-long from the Sterling 20, Marsh darted in for the game-tying touchdown with just over 6:30 left in the half.
Marsh broke the tie with the PAT, and Hillsboro never looked back with a 7-6 lead.
Hillsboro got another shot at the end zone when the Black Bears fumbled again on their fifth drive.
Ryan Kaiser was right there to recover, and Hillsboro took over at Sterling's 39.
Junior wideout Daniel Deckert hauled in four catches for 38 yards.
A 15-yard pass from Hamm to Deckert with under 1:00 to go sent the Trojans in at halftime with a 14-6 lead.
Marsh had more fireworks left for the game.
On a third-and-five from the Sterling 35, Hamm aired it out for Marsh, who took it in for the score.
Marsh's successful PAT made it a 21-6 game with 1:04 left in the third quarter.
Sterling cut the lead to 21-12 with 1:14 to go with Farney hitting Schneider for a 6-yard touchdown on third-and-six.
The Black Bears went for two, but Farney's pass was too high for Cale Errebo.
Paced by Jilka's team-high 15 total tackles with 13 assisted, Hillsboro surrendered 211 yards to the Black Bears, 152 coming on the ground.
Lucas Hamm added 12 tackles, Wade Weibert was in on 10 while Derek Hamm and Brodie Unrau each had eight with Thiessen making seven solo.
Hillsboro starts district play Friday night when it travels to Lyons for a 7 p.m. showdown with the 2-4 Lyons.
