A dominating two-way lineman and United States Air Force Academy recruit, Bullock tore his ACL in the first half of the Golden Eagles 17-9 season-opening win at Tippecanoe. Much was expected of him – and Bellbrook – this fall.
»RELATED: 6 games to watch in Week 4
»RELATED: High School Football State Poll
“That was a huge shot to the gut,” Bellbrook head coach Jeff Jenkins said. “Bullock is a once in a decade kid. He’s hands down our best player and leader, so losing him within the first 15 minutes of the season hurt.”
“We don’t have another player like Hayden on the team,” senior quarterback Brendan Labensky said. “It was hard to deal with when he went down. At the same time, we had to respond quickly.”
At a preseason event celebrating BHS football, the 2018 team captains – Labensky, Bullock and Ethan Knisley – spoke briefly and passionately about continuing to build momentum within the program.
Back-to-back 7-3 finishes – the school’s first consecutive winning seasons since 2005-06 – was a solid start in Jenkins first two years as coach, but the trio made it clear anything less than competing for a Southwestern Buckeye League Southwestern Division title and earning a Division III playoff berth this season would be defined disappointing.
Losing Bullock made those scenarios less likely.
Wins in weeks 1-3 have been a solid and celebrated rally.
Bellbrook (3-0) enters its Friday game with visiting Waynesville (2-1) ranked No. 1 in Region 11 computer points (according to joeeitel.com) and ranked No. 12 in the first Division III AP state poll. According to the Ohio projection site fantastic50.com, Bellbrook is a double-digit favorite in six of its last seven games and projected to win all.
“I’m really proud of the program,” Bullock said. “Coach said at the beginning of the year that there were going to be injuries and that people were going to have to step up and fill roles. I’m proud of the guys and how they’ve responded.”
Bellbrook has outscored opponents 84-9 and has back-to-back shutouts (over Fairborn and Tecumseh).
With eight returning starters, the offense was supposed to be the team’s strength. It hasn’t disappointed.
Labensky (42 total touchdowns accounted for in career) and senior fullback Justin Slone (2,000-yard career rusher) are three-year starters. Both were All-SWBL last season. Knisley, another three-year starter who holds an offer from Urbana University, anchors a line that also leans on senior center Anthony Barhorst. Senior Aaron Schmitt has filled Bullock’s spot. Injuries to backs Sedrick Ferguson (senior) and Alex Westbrock (sophomore) have been additional hurdles.
The defense – a question mark before the season – has been dominant.
Tipp generated 14 points, 18 first downs and 271 yards in a loss to Northmont last week. The Red Devils had nine, 10 and 210, respectively, against Bellbrook. Fairborn managed minus-13 yards rushing against the Golden Eagles. Last Friday, after scoring 76 points in its first two games, Tecumseh tallied 120 total yards against Bellbrook.
“Our defense is hungry,” Jenkins said. “They feed off each other. We have a lot of young guys and they are certainly rising to the occasion.”
Linebackers Ethan Fryman (sophomore) and Ben Borszcz (junior) headline a unit that hasn’t allowed a point in 10 consecutive quarters.
Bellbrook owns eight playoff berths, but just one (2014) in the last 13 years. League titles have been just as rare (one in last 13 seasons).
History is within reach.
“Our main goal is we want to make this a banner year,” Jenkins said. “At Bellbrook to be on a banner you have to do one of three things – you have to go undefeated, you have to win a league title or you have to go to the playoffs. We want to do one of the three, two of the three or maybe all three – but that’s our goal this year.”
Said Labensky: “We always have those end goals in mind.”
About the Author