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By Michael Greco – Piqua Daily Call
MIAMISBURG - After a slow start offensively, the Piqua High School football team put it into high gear and methodically beat Miamisburg 21-7 in the regular season opener on Friday.
The Indians rushed for 381 yards and scored in the second, third and fourth quarters.
Scott Foster was the workhorse for Piqua as he gained 242 yards and scored twice.
He racked up 178 yards in the second half when the Indians really took control.
“The offensive line came together,” Foster said. “Then, the coaches did a great job of calling plays.”
“I thought our offensive line was great,” Piqua coach Bill Nees said. “Scott Foster took over the game and Brad Erwin ran like a madman. We had planned to throw 15 to 20 times, but the fact the ground game was going, we got the lead and were able to run the clock. I thought our offensive line dictated us to use the clock.”
The Indians stretched their 7-0 advantage to 13-0 with a six play, 60 yard drive midway through the third period.
Foster carried the ball twice, the second time a pitch for a 13 yard score at the 7:48 mark.
After Miamisburg scored a touchdown on an 87 yard screen pass from Kyle Herman to Matt Muncy, Piqua responded with a score on the next drive.
The Indians took the ball 65 yards on eight plays, culminating with Foster racing 18 yards for a TD.
The clincher for Piqua was a 96 yard, 6:37 drive that ended game at the Vikings 1 yard line.
Erwin rushed for 66 yards, including 37 on the final drive, on 10 carries.
The Indians couldn’t get much going on offense in the first quarter and a half.
Miamisburg moved the ball, but couldn’t put any points on the scoreboard.
A 35 yard field goal by Mark Blevins in the first period was wide left and short.
In the second period, the Vikings moved to Piqua’s 5.
But a holding penalty moved the ball back 10 yards.
An incomplete pass and three yard gain put the ball at the Indians 15.
On third down, Herman’s pass was intercepted by Dustin Perkins at the goal line. He returned the pigskin to the 24 yard line.
That set up Piqua’s first score, an eight play, 76 yard drive with Jon Dolph taking a reverse pitch out and scampering 25 yards for the score.
“The interception by Dustin Perkins...that changed the game right away,” Foster said.
Foster said it just took some time to get jump started.
“We knew what we had to do,” he said.
“The first game of the season, there are still some bugs,” Nees said. “We came into the first game with a lot of questions. I think we answered a lot of questions.
“These games are full of events. It’s a matter of how a team reacts. I thought we had some good things happen to us. You’re always looking for a spark.”
Piqua quarterback John Pearson completed 5 or 9 passes for 56 yards and two interceptions.
Jesse Swafford caught three passes for 46 yards.
Muncy gained 87 yards on 18 carries, but only had 29 in the second half.
Except for the big pass play, the Vikings offense was shut down by a swarming defense. Defensive lineman Quinn Pitcock was in the backfield several times.
The Indians fumbled twice.
“There were a couple of big plays and a couple of drops in the red zone,” Nees said. “Those are things we need to address.”
Pitcock recovered a fumble.
“I thought we played a solid game,” Nees said. “Fifty percent of the coaches are happy to be 1-0.”
The Indians host Brother Rice from Birmingham, Mich. next Saturday at Wertz Stadium in the home opener.
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