St. Charles vs. Northland, Grandview vs. Centennial kick off football season in Columbus
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St. Charles 48, Northland 28
On the opening night of the season Aug. 18, St. Charles took its first steps toward showing the kind of offensive improvement it has been seeking after averaging fewer than 10 points per game a year ago.
Senior running back Pete DeSocio and an offensive line led by senior tackles Gabe Epler and Ryan Carretta showed the Cardinals’ potential during a win at Northland in the first meeting between the programs since 2000.
After rushing for 305 yards last season while serving in multiple offensive roles, DeSocio finished with 266 yards on 40 carries and six total touchdowns.
Both Northland, which went 3-6 last season, and St. Charles, which is coming off a 2-7 finish, compete in Division II, Region 7.
“It feels good after last year not having the best record,” said Carretta, who is a Pittsburgh commit. “We put in a lot of hard work. Our line in the offseason did a lot of lifting and it’s paid off.”
The Cardinals handed it to DeSocio on five of their first seven plays, with his biggest run during the opening series going for 35 yards before he scored on a 2-yard run with 9 minutes, 44 seconds left in the opening quarter.
DeSocio added a 12-yard run with 11:11 to go before halftime, and the Cardinals made it 21-0 with 1:36 to go in the second quarter when Ryan Mooney hit Aidan Fox for a 14-yard touchdown on fourth-and-10.
Northland’s Mekhi Kilburn returned the ensuing kickoff 75 yards for a touchdown.
After an 11-yard scoring run by DeSocio with 9:13 to go in the third quarter, the Vikings went 72 yards on seven plays and got a 20-yard touchdown run by Amir Brown to make it 27-14, but the Cardinals answered with a 9-yard scoring run by DeSocio on the next possession.
Northland scored on the opening play of the fourth quarter when quarterback Terryn Thomas hit wide receiver Gentry Ross for a 14-yard touchdown, but DeSocio returned the ensuing kickoff 65 yards for a score.
"It couldn’t have happened without my line making these holes,” DeSocio said. “We (ran) from both sides. I was getting a little tired, but I was feeling good at the end.”
Mooney finished 8-for-10 passing for 79 yards and Mason O’Reilly added 65 yards rushing for the Cardinals.
For Northland, Ross had four receptions for 58 yards and Brown rushed 14 times for 78 yards.
“We didn’t respond early to the adversity, but what I am happy with is that they came in here and started talking to each other, talking about how this isn’t on the coaches and this was on (them) to work harder during the week,” Vikings coach Ryan Sayers said. “We’ve just got to piggyback off of the positives and keep getting better.”
—Jarrod Ulrey
ST. CHARLES: 7-14-13-14--48
NORTHLAND: 0-6-8-14--28
SC—DeSocio 2 run (Hoffman kick)
SC—DeSocio 12 run (Hoffman kick)
SC—Fox 14 pass from Mooney (Hoffman kick)
N—Kilburn 75 kickoff return (kick failed)
SC—DeSocio 11 run (kick failed)
N—Brown 20 run (Thomas run)
SC—DeSocio 9 run (Hoffman kick)
N—Ross 14 pass from Thomas (kick blocked)
SC—DeSocio 65 kickoff return (Hoffman kick)
SC—DeSocio 3 run (Hoffman kick)
N—Kilburn 70 kickoff return (Kilburn pass from Thomas)
Grandview Heights 46, Centennial 19
The Baker boys were fabulous as visiting Grandview rolled past Centennial in the season opener for both teams.
Senior running back Maddox Baker rushed for 145 yards and three touchdowns on nine carries, and his twin brother, senior quarterback Logan Baker, was 3-for-4 passing for 91 yards and a score. He also rushed for 25 yards, including a 21-yard touchdown, on two carries.
“We were getting great blocking and a lot of our younger guys really stepped up, especially freshman Danny Main,” Maddox Baker said. “We were giving 100 percent for each other.”
Wide receiver Tristin Pierce had three catches for 110 yards and two touchdowns. He caught a 55-yard score from Logan Baker and a 24-yarder from Brody Parsley as time expired in the first half. Pierce also had an interception as a defensive back.
“Everyone was making plays and doing what they were supposed to do,” Logan Baker said. “We had our athletes around the ball and we were able to gain momentum early.”
Centennial quarterback Trey Peterson connected with wide receiver Kendrell Moxley on touchdown passes of 75 and 46 yards and scored on a 10-yard run. He finished 11-for-21 passing for 241 yards with one interception and rushed for 36 yards on 10 carries.
“We had a bunch of inexperienced kids who were thrown into the fire in the first half against an experienced Grandview team,” Centennial coach Donte Goosby said. “They played at a speed that we weren’t used to playing at and that caused us to make mistakes.”
Grandview freshman Henry Ohlinger rushed for his first touchdown, a 10-yarder in the second quarter.
—Scott Hennen
GRANDVIEW HEIGHTS: 14-32-0-0--46
CENTENNIAL: 0-6-6-7--19
GH—L. Baker 21 run (O’Harra kick)
GH—M. Baker 1 run (O’Harra kick)
GH—Pierce 55 pass from L. Baker (pass failed)
GH—M. Baker 17 run (O’Harra kick)
GH—Ohlinger 10 run (kick failed)
C—Moxley 75 pass from Peterson (kick failed)
GH—M. Baker 3 run (O’Harra kick)
GH—Pierce 25 pass from Parsley (kick failed)
C—Peterson 10 run (kick failed)
C—Moxley 46 pass from Peterson (Djahra kick)
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This article originally appeared on ThisWeek: Thursday Columbus high school football scores in Week 1
