Flyers end the Indians’ season for good

MARIA STEIN, Ohio — The Indians were supposed to be at home Friday night.

They finished the regular season outside of the top 16 required to advance to the playoffs in the regional computer rankings. But when other teams passed on playing the best small-school football program in the state, they accepted the opportunity.

For the second time in five weeks, they suffered a bludgeoning at the hands of Marion Local.

Fort Recovery High School’s football season came to a second, and this time final, end Friday night as the Tribe fell 68-0 to the host Division VII No. 1 Flyers.

Marion Local (11-0) advances to play in the regional quarterfinal against ninth-seeded Tri-Village (9-2), which clobbered eighth-seeded Waynesfield-Goshen 43-7 in its tournament opener.

FRHS, which got the playoff berth after Lockland, Cedarville and North Miami all passed, trailed the three-time defending state champions by just seven after the opening period.

By halftime, the game was a blowout.

Marion Local (11-0) scored six second-quarter touchdowns, including three in a span of just 1:09, to open an insurmountable lead on the Indians. It was already up 21-0 when Justin Knouff tossed for a 13-yard touchdown pass to Victor Hoelscher at the 5:02 mark of the second quarter. The Flyers got the ball back on the ensuing kickoff to allow Knouff and Hoelscher to connect again, this time for a 30-yard TD. After a Fort Recovery fumble, Parker Hess ran in for a 9-yard TD.

The home team added another score in the final minute of the first half, tallied two TDs in the third quarter and tacked on another six points in the fourth for the final margin.

The Indians were out-gained by 400 yards, with Marion Local running for 229 and passing for 206. 

Knouff connected on 12 of the 14 passes he tried, with Hoelscher hauling in nine of them for 175 yards and three TDs. Landyne Minton led a multi-faceted running game with 82 yards and two TDs on eight carries while Hess scored three times.

Caden Grisez tossed for 24 yards for Fort Recovery, completing two of his three attempts. Isaac Roessner caught one pass for 23 yards.

Braylon Rammel ran seven times for 10 yards.

Breaker Jutte led the Indians with 13 tackles, including one for a loss. Isaac Roessner and Reece Wendel added eight tackles apiece.

Friday’s game left Fort Recovery at 2-9 on the season, including the pair of losses to Marion Local by a combined 130-0.