Bellbrook moves to 8-0 with big second-half rally against Brookville

Anyone doubting how good Brookville’s football team is got their answer when the Blue Devils took a 28-21 third quarter lead at undefeated Bellbrook on Friday.

Anyone doubting the Golden Eagles’ resiliency got their answer with the final score.

Rallying with 35 unanswered points, Bellbrook remained unbeaten with a 56-28 win over the Blue Devils in a critical game between Southwestern Buckeye League Southwestern Division leaders at Miami Valley South Stadium.

Bellbrook, ranked No. 2 in the state in the Division III state poll, improves to 8-0 overall and 4-0 in the SWBL. Brookville, which had a five-game win streak snapped, drops to 6-2, 3-1.

Bellbrook has won 11 straight games dating back to last year, which is the fourth longest active streak in the state behind Marion Local (35), Akron Hoban (22) and Kenston (12).

The Golden Eagles are also two wins away from securing just the third undefeated season in the program’s 54 years.

Sedrick Ferguson and Justin Sloan each scored four touchdowns for Bellbrook.

“Our kids battled,” Brookville head coach Mike Hetrick said. “We put ourselves in position in the second half to pull it out. But we just couldn’t stop them.”

Said Bellbrook head coach Jeff Jenkins: “We know what a Hetrick-coached team is going to bring to the table. They came out hard and had a great game plan. Luckily we had the strength to pull it out.”

Brookville entered with its lone loss to Anna (which beat undefeated Coldwater 21-20 Friday), but the Blue Devils six wins were against teams with a combined nine victories (five alone by Tri-County North).

The Blue Devils showed their substance by battling to a 21-21 halftime tie.

On the first series of the second half, Brookville took its first lead on a 4-yard run by Ben Smith.

Bellbrook responded with a 68-yard touchdown run by Ferguson.

On the ensuing possession, Bellbrook’s JR McCormick stuffed Brookville on fourth-and-2.

“That was what we needed,” Jenkins said. “We needed a key stop, because we didn’t stop them at all in the first half. Once we got that first stop we felt very good about what we were doing. That turned the momentum our way and we never looked back.”

Brookville’s next three possessions ended with a fumble, punt (only one of the game by either team) and interception.

Bellbrook scored on every second half possession. Brookville had allowed 42 total points during its five-game win streak.

“That fourth down we didn’t get was a momentum changer,” Hetrick said. “We also got inside their 20 and didn’t punch it in. If we score on those two drives that might have kept us in it.”

Bellbrook has won eight of its last nine against Brookville and is 15-4 against the Blue Devils since 2000.

Next week’s final home game against Oakwood (2-6) and a Week 10 trip to Monroe (2-6) stand between Bellbrook and an undefeated season.

“We’ve been really good as a program of not looking ahead,” Jenkins said. “Our thoughts are constantly one week at a time and we take everybody as an equal threat. That’s what we expect from Oakwood.”

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