Waking his parents – Jim and Denise – and securing one of the family’s dogs, Luke led the clan to safety. The house was a total loss.
The next day, Benetis threw three touchdown passes to lead the Eagles past Wapakoenta 42-35 in a Division III, Region 12 quarterfinal at Miami Valley South Stadium. Bellbrook (10-2) faces Tippecanoe (10-2) in the regional semifinals Friday at Sidney Memorial Stadium.
“You don’t realize until something like that happens how much everyone loves you,” Luke said. “When I showed up Friday for the walk thru, every dude on this team gave me a hug. All my guys showed me love. I felt like I had to do it for them.”
Bellbrook has shown its appreciation for the Benetis family this week.
Jim, a Bellbrook Middle School teacher, has been on the Eagles football staff since 1993 and is a member of the Miami Valley Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame. He’s currently defensive backs coach. Denise is the secretary at Bell Creek Intermediate.
In addition to fundraisers by the Bellbrook Football Mom’s and cheerleading program, donations of cash, gift cards, clothing and more have rolled in. Multiple local families have offered vehicles. Others have offered their homes.
“The community support has been humbling.” Jim said. “It almost makes you cry sometimes. Luke probably has better clothes now than we ever bought him.”
The family spent last Thursday and Friday nights at the home of former Bellbrook head coach and high school principal Chris Baker. They’re currently housed at a local hotel. Rebuilding is the long term goal. The short term one is beating Tipp.
“Football has been an escape for me,” Luke said. “I can just go out and have fun with my guys.”
His father agreed.
“Coach (Brian) Woll told me something during pregame last week that stuck with me” Jim said. “He said ‘We get two hours right now to just think about football and nothing else in our life.’ It was about the third quarter and I remember just sitting there talking to the coaches about defense and suddenly it hit me - yeah, I haven’t thought about my house at all for the last hour. I was just focused on the game. We went to bed about three that night. I’m not sure how much sleep anybody got.”
Bellbrook beat Tipp 24-14 in Week 1, but Luke Benetis did not play a significant role. He was the junior varsity starter through Week 3 and made his debut in the second half of a Week 4 loss at Eaton. A Week 5 start at Franklin was his first. The Eagles are 8-0 since.
“Early on you could tell he was not up to par for the varsity level,” Jim said. “He was good enough to get things done, but now I think he can carry a team. He definitely belongs now.”
“He’s done the most important thing – he’s protected the ball,” Bellbrook head coach Jeff Jenkins said. “Our offense has developed a little more since he’s taken over and the guys around him have also gotten better. They’ve hit their stride.”
Benetis has completed 27-of-52 passes for 481 yards, 10 touchdowns and no interceptions.
He’s part of a backfield that features two-time SWBL offensive player of the year Seth Borondy. A senior running back, Borondy has 2,326 yards rushing this season and needs just 19 to break Luke Clemens single-season school record of 2,344 (set in 1999).
Bellbrook has reached two regional finals (1991 and 2001). Tipp has been to one (2013).
“One of Luke’s biggest qualities is that he’s calm, cool and collected all the time,” Jenkins said. “And he showed that last week to an extent that you usually don’t see in a teenage kid. I wasn’t overly shocked he had a great game.
“His teammates, coaches and this community have really showed him and his family how much they are valued and cared for.”
“The fire is almost past me,” Luke said. “I’m moving forward.
“We’re going to go out Friday, win this game and go from there.”
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