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Ashland Arrows
vs.Bellevue Redmen
By Redmen_Jacks
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Redmen make it four straight verse Arrows
September 4, 2004
Bellevue, OH - At BAF stadium Friday night the 2004 Redmen of Bellevue hosted the Arrows of Ashland in the fourth meeting between the two schools.
Unpleased at how last years game ended the upset minded Arrows hoped to score early when electing to receive after winning the coin-toss.
It was the Redmen however that struck quickly after Ashland was forced to punt, going three and out on the possession. Good fortune fell on the Redmen when the Ashland punter fumbled the snap and was forced to throw the ball away setting up a first and ten on the Arrows 30 yard-line. On fourth and goal on the nine yard-line senior quarterback Jon Journay hit and open Jarrid Breyman on the first of two touchdown passes between the two. The two-point conversion was successful and the Redmen enjoyed an early 8-0 led at the 8:02 mark in the opening quarter.
Neither squad could muster much offense the remainder of the first quarter.
Mid-way through the second stanza the Arrows found themselves facing a fourth and ten on the Bellevue 26. Senior defensive-back Cody Koselke came down with the Greg Tomasek pass for an interception at the Bellevue one yard-line.
The Redmen offense went to it again moving down to the Ashland 34. Journay again hooked up with Breyman on fourth and six as Breyman laid out on a spectacular diving catch in the corner of the end-zone. Koselke added the two-point conversion and the Redmen lead grew to 16-3 with 1:16 remaining until halftime.
The Arrows refused to go away though while taking the returning kickoff into Bellevue territory to the forty-eight. Senior Arrows wide-out Ryan Stackhouse from there went to work as he had three receptions to help move them to the Bellevue twelve with :07 seconds until the half. Coach Valentine sent in kicker Michael Lash who split the uprights on a twenty-nine yard field goal to cut the led to 16-3 at the half.
The Redmen received the second half kickoff but quickly went three and out, punting from their own 25. A hard rush by the Arrow defenders resulted in a partially blocked punt, which was returned to the Bellevue 22 by senior wide-out Ryan Wells. Again Stackhouse would do the damage covering all 22 yards on three plays for the score. The Lash extra point was blocked but the Arrows had narrowed the gap making it 16-9 with 8:42 on the lock in the third quarter.
The play of the game was likely during Ashland's next possession. First and ten on the Bellevue forty-two the Redmen came with a linebacker blitz. Senior Brian Palsa blew past the would be blockers and blasted the Arrow's quarterback as he was releasing the ball. Tipped at the line of scrimmage junior Derek Kinderman came up with the much needed interception ending Ashland's scoring threat.
Later in the third the Redmen used a five play fifty-four yard drive and the legs of senior standout Greg Keys to reach the endzone. Keys who finished the night with 203 yards on 28 carries took the Journay handoff and raced into the endzone while side stepping several Ashland defenders. The two point conversion was no good yet the Redmen regained the two score lead at 22-9 with :58 seconds left in quarter number three.
Ashland's ensuing possession started on their own 27. Completing five third down conversions on a sixteen play seventy-three yard drive, the Arrows struck again when Tomasek ran in from six yards out. The Lash kick was good and it again was a ballgame with a 22-16 Redmen lead and 7:52 remaining in the contest.
The Bellevue attempt to run out the clock failed after moving inside the Ashland forty when the Arrows recovered a Redmen fumble on their own thirty-four.
In one last gasp effort Ashland moved quickly down the field to the Bellevue 23 yard-line. On fourth and ten the Tomasek pass fell incomplete and it all but secured the Redmen victory. Greg Keys took the handoff and rumbled twelve yards to the Bellevue thirty-seven before going into the victory formation to run out the remaining seconds.
Since the series began in 2000 the Redmen have won all four meetings between the two schools. Ashland (1-1) hosts Shelby (0-2) next Friday while the Redmen (1-1) host backyard rival Clyde (2-0) who is fresh off an upset win over Tiffin Columbian.
