Flyers jump on top of FRHS

MARIA STEIN, OHIO — The home team entered Friday night as a three-time defending state champion.

It had won 56 in a row.

The Indians were in no position to stop the run of dominance.

Fort Recovery High School’s football team faced a 28-point deficit at the end of the first quarter Friday night and went on to a 62-0 loss to the Division VII No. 1 Marion Local Flyers.

Justin Knouff led the potent attack for Marion Local (7-0, 5-0 Midwest Athletic Conference) as he completed all eight of his passing attempts. They went for 187 yards and touchdowns of 20 yards to Kamden Eifert and 44 yards to Griffin Bruns in the first quarter and 24 yards to Victor Hoelscher in the second quarter.

The Flyers, whose last loss came eventual state champion New Bremen in the 2020 regional final, used a wide-ranging rushing attack with Ethan Heitkamp putting the first points on the board with a 1-yard run just 2:45 into the game. Drew Lause had TDs on half of his four carries while totaling 40 yards and Derek Knapke reached the end zone on an 8-yard run as he ran seven times for 49 yards. Eifert ran in for a 24-yard TD, and Landyne Minton scored on a 10-yard run. (Marion Local’s last loss to a non-conference opponent came on Sept. 6, 2019 to Bishop Watterson of Columbus.)

Fort Recovery, meanwhile, managed just 33 yards on offense as it slipped to 1-6 overall and 0-4 in the MAC. Caden Grisez completed two passes — one each to Luke Lochtefeld and Gavin Evers — for 10 yards. Reece Wendel netted nine yards on his 11 rushing attempts.

Troy Post made 10 tackles to lead the Tribe. Braylon Rammel and Brodie Hart each had seven.

The Indians return to Barrenbrugge Athletic Park for homecoming next weekend against the Parkway Panthers, who are also 1-6 overall and 0-4 in the MAC.