Slugfest (Milton-Union vs. Carlisle)

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-Bulldogs Beat Carlisle 51-42

By Brett Barnes

It was dubbed a “battle” for 1st place. It turned out to be an absolute war. The top two teams in

the SWBL Buckeye division met Friday night in Carlisle, and words will not do justice to what happened

on the field. Two teams fought and scratched and clawed to bring home victory. When the dust cleared

the Milton-Union Bulldogs did just enough defensively when it counted to earn a 51-42 victory over the

home standing Indians.

Ninety-three points in a high school football game is impressive enough, but consider that sixty-

five of those came after halftime. At halftime, defenses had dominated the first half. MU had just 134

yards and had scored on two pass plays one from London Cowan to Alex King for 36 yards and the other

from Sam Niswonger to Tyler Brown on a trick play from 50-yards. Carlisle had 160 yards at the half and

had scored on runs by Jason Sandlin and all-everything quarterback Levi Booher.

M-U began the second half with the football and quickly drove into field goal position. Nick

Fields nailed the 37 yarder and Milton regained the lead at 17-14. Carlisle answered with a quick strike

no huddle offense, and Ryan McLaughlin scored from 1 yard out to put the Indians back on top 20-17

(two point conversion failed).

M-U’s second possession ended two plays later when Cowan hit King again this time from 42-

yards away: M-U 24 Carlisle 20. “We are a run based team but that doesn’t mean we can’t pass,” head

coach Bret Pearce stated after the game. “Our passing game is dangerous because we have a lot of 6

point passing plays.”

Carlisle came back with a 12-play drive that overcame two illegal block penalties when Boyer

struck again, this time from 11-yards away: M-U 24 Carlisle 26

M-U responded in 7.8 seconds. Joe Thoele scored on the Bulldogs’ first play from scrimmage

following a huge David Karns’ kickoff return to the Indian 20-yard line: M-U 30 Carlisle 26

The next series was what Coach Pearce called “the key to the football game.” With Carlisle

driving at midfield, Boyer made his first mistake of the evening when he dropped the football. Alex King

fell on it for M-U, and Thoele scored again, this time from 8-yards away with just 9:58 remaining in the

game: M-U 37 Carlisle 26.

Game Over. Right? Wrong! Carlisle answered in just 1:50 when Mclaughlin scored this time

from 5 yards away and then added the two point conversion himself. M-U 37 Carlisle 34

The Bulldogs answered in 1:50 when Karns scored from 11 yards out: M-U 44 Carlisle 34.

Game over…. Not even close. Carlisle scored in 1:06 on another Boyer touchdown pass and two

point conversion: M-U 44 Carlisle 42

M-U now had the football for the 6th time in the second half with 4:57 left in the football game,

and for the 6th straight possession, they scored. Tyler Brown powered in from 9-yards away: M-U 51-

Carlisle 42.

Carlisle’s final possessions ended in an interception (Karns) and a fumble (Jesse Simpson), and

finally the war was over.

M-U totaled 384 yards for the game while Carlisle had 476 total yards. M-U now stands at 5-1, 2-

0 while Carlisle falls to 4-2, 2-1. M-U travels to Preble next Friday night.

 

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