‘Skins clinch share of title; Homecoming Friday

By Dave Fredrick
Tribune Recorder Leader

Last week’s game at Brown City was one the Sandusky Redskins went into very aware that the Green Devils had been improving each week They were also quite aware of the fact that if they could pull off their seventh consecutive win this season, the ‘Skins would earn at least a share of the GTC-East championship.
After a sluggish start in the Green Devils homecoming game, Sandusky rallied to take control in the second quarter and rolled to a 34-12 win. They are now 7-0 overall, 4-0 in league play and will be looking to clinch the outright championship Friday night in their homecoming game against Memphis (1-6).
“We got off to a slow start and weren’t focused,” explained Sandusky Coach Craig Jacobson. “Brown City was ready to play and took it to us there in the first quarter. But to our kids credit, they regrouped, got it together and came back. They are a resilient group of players who never give up and keep fighting. We finally were able to execute our offense after that slow start.”
It was the Green Devils bringing their fans to their feet early in the contest, scoring on a nine yard run by Eric Burgess on the first play from scrimmage in the second quarter. The TD capped a long BC drive that kept the ball out of the hands of the talented Sandusky offense, temporarily.
The Redskins behind the one-two punch of Chase Tucker and Casey Hyatt put their running game in gear. Tucker, who is over 1,000 yards rushing this season and has scored over 15 touchdowns, scored what would be the first of three scores for the senior running back midway through the second quarter on a two yard dive. Hyatt later punched it in from a yard out as the Redskins took a slim 14-6 lead at the intermission.
Sandusky recovered a pooch kick to start the second half leading to Tucker’s second score, this one coming from three yards out. Between the two teams, at least five kick-offs were attempted onside kicks with the ‘Skins recovering two.
While the Sandusky defense was busy shutting down the Green Devils’ offense in the second and third quarters, Tucker ran his team’s lead to 21-6 early in the fourth quarter after racing seven yards to the far end zone. Hyatt capped the Sandusky scoring with a nice 24 yard jaunt for his second score of the evening.
Sandwiched in between the two Redskin scores was a well timed 63 yard pass play over the middle of the field that went for a touchdown from Joe Hagner to Burgess. Sandusky’s Brandon Potter, who handles quarterback and kicking duties, booted four extra point kicks to keep his streak of no missed extra points this season alive.
Sandusky finished the game with 326 yards rushing, 314 coming from Hyatt and Tucker. Hyatt rolled up179 yards in 19 carries while Tucker added 135 yards on 20 attempts. Potter completed the only pass he attempted to Danny Hale, good for 49 yards. Hale also had an interception from his defensive back position.
Jacobson said while the win was nice, “we need to go back and work on all phases of the game. Offense and defense. We have some things to clean up and we will as we finish up the season. We won’t have a letdown with the Memphis game. Despite all the festivities, there is a football game to be played and we’ll be ready.”
Heading in to the final two weeks of the season, Sandusky has scored 255 points in seven games while a strong defensive unit has allowed just 82. The Redskins, after their game with a one win team from Memphis, will close out the regular season with hopes of securing home field advantage in the play-offs when they host another one win team in the form of non-conference foe Capac.