BELLAIRE – Union Local hasn’t won four straight games at Nelson Field since the 2014 season and only won three games on the natural grass field at All American Village.
On a sunny Saturday afternoon, the Jets (8-1) scored 41 points in the second half to pull away from Bellaire (4-5) for a 50-18 victory and spoil the Big Reds’ Senior Day. The situation has completely changed.
“The Jets played well today,” Union Local head coach Bernie Thompson said. “This was a slug fest. It’s never easy here. I’m proud of how we handled adversity there.”
The Big Reds still hold a commanding 18-9 advantage in the All-Time Series, which has been held every year since 1999, except for the year of COVID-19 in 2020.
Leading 9-0 at halftime, Union Local, which enters the game ranked seventh in Ohio Division V, Region 19, scored on its first three possessions of the third quarter and withstood the challenge from the Big Reds. After that, he finished with 3 points. More touchdowns.
“I was proud of our efforts,” Thompson added. “We had to break out of the routine of coming here on a 70-degree day and playing eight straight Friday night games. We weren’t used to it, but once our offense got going, we were fine.”
Bellaire head coach Mark Bonnard cited the team’s lack of play and poor tackling as the reason the team lost four games in a row after starting 4-1. The Big Reds dropped two touchdowns but were unable to stop the Jets’ ground game.
“We had an effort, but we just couldn’t make the tackles and make plays when we needed to. Union Local was well-coached and played well offensively and defensively.”
On the first possession of the third quarter, Colby Carpenter connected with Billy Schumacher from 16 yards left on a fourth-and-10 play. Carpenter lobbed the ball into the left corner of the end zone, and Schumacher jumped with both hands to make the grab. The same duo teamed up on a crucial 15-yard hookup on third-and-11 early in the drive. Jeff Boron made it 16-0.
The Jets’ Dre Sanders knocked down Belair’s fourth-down pass, giving the visiting team the ball back. Six plays and 71 yards later, sophomore Aiden Graham took a pitch to his left and sprinted 21 yards to pay dirt. Boron’s PAT made it 23-0.
Belair finally got on the scoreboard when Michael Dippel found Re’Quon Pettigrew on a pass near the left sideline. The speedy sophomore reached the corner and turned on the Jets, completing a 58-yard scoring play. The two-person try failed.
The Jets quickly reversed after Sanders picked up a lateral shot and raced 20 yards, before Brody Perzanowski mimicked a pinball and beat Belair defenders and anyone in his way to score the Big Reds’ 3. Had a 29-yard run to the point. They crashed on the next play, and Boron’s extra point with 8.1 seconds left in the third quarter widened the lead to 30-6.
Pettigrew ran under another offer from Dippel, this time for a 78-yard scoring play, and Bellaire cut the lead to 30-12. Once again, †wo’s try failed, leaving them 30-12 behind.
In the Jets’ 40th minute, Pettigrew literally ripped the ball away from Union Local’s kick returner, giving the Big Reds a 30-18 lead. For the second run in the seventh inning, Dippel and Pettigrew connected again for six points.
Belair had a great chance to get even closer when Pettigrew picked off a Union Local pass near midfield. But three plays later, Sanders swiped the ball out of the air and Perzanowski shrugged off a tackle and ran 53 yards, doubling the lead to 36-18 after a blocked PAT.
Senior Kayden Cross rumbled 12 yards for a touchdown, and junior Max Duncan put the finishing touches on a 20-yard scoop-and-score. Boron added fourth and fifth.
Perzanowski gained 156 yards on 19 carries, Carpenter completed 9-of-13 for 132 yards and Schmuacher had five receptions for 119 yards with the aforementioned touchdown. The Jets had 433 yards of total offense, including 277 yards and five touchdowns on the ground.
Dippel went 11-of-28 for 229 yards and three TDs to Pettigrew, who caught five balls for 172 stripes. Bradin Beckett carried Lock 12 times for 59 yards.
“Our young quarterback is developing,” Bonner explained. “He made some great pitches. I’m not too disappointed.”
Both teams have big games on Friday, with Bellaire heading north on Ohio 7 to the Dave Bruney Football Complex to resume its matchup against Martins Ferry, one of the Buckeye State’s longest-standing rivals. Head to Purple Rider Stadium inside. Meanwhile, in western Belmont County, Union Local makes a short trip to Burnsville to take on the undefeated Shamrocks at Shamrock Stadium.
