“We still remember our sixth grade year and beating Waynesville, which was the No. 1 seed,” senior Jonah Atchison said. “You guys have a great opportunity. Take advantage of it.”
Atchison – and his varsity teammates – have led by example this season.
Ranked No. 2 in the final AP Division III State Poll, which ties the highest finish in school history (1991 and 2018), undefeated and top seed Bellbrook (8-0) hosts No. 5 Ross (7-1) in a Division III, Region 12 semifinal Friday at Miami Valley South Stadium.
Bellbrook, riding the program’s fourth undefeated regular season (1991, 1999 and 2018), is looking to return to the regional final for the third time and first since 2001. The Eagles initial Elite Eight run was 1991.
Bellbrook has never reached the state semifinals.
Credit: NICK FALZERANO
Credit: NICK FALZERANO
Reaching the end zone against the Eagles has been challenging for opponents. Bellbrook’s defense has allowed 63 points and owns four shutouts.
“It’s difficult,” said Brookville head coach Mike Hetrick, whose team lost 42-21 to the Eagles on Sept. 25. “There’s no weakness. They challenge you on the perimeter and you have to just try to get a body on a body. They are so athletic.”
The anchor is the linebacking corps – seniors Ethan Fryman (66 tackles), Taylor Jordan (47 tackles, 8.5 TFL) and Atchison (58 tackles, 9.5 TFL) and juniors Ashton Ault (37 tackles) and Nick Cumpston (71 tackles, 10 TFL) – which head coach Jeff Jenkins tabs the best in program history.
“We may have had better individual players at linebacker in the past, but collectively as a group – this unit is special,” Jenkins said.
Chaminade Julienne head coach Marcus Colvin agrees.
“Their players who are really talented really standout,” said Colvin after suffering a 58-0 loss to Bellbrook in the second round of the playoffs. “#11 (Jordan), #25 (Ault), #24 (Fryman), #21 (Atchison) and #35 (Cumpston). Those are the kids we noticed on film. They jumped out.”
The defensive line features senior Alex Petry (36 tackles, 5.5 TFL) and juniors Ashton Kooken (42 tackles, 11.5 TFL) and Tristan Waybrant (31 tackles, seven TFL). Seniors Leo Freudenschuss and Ben Zerby and junior Gavyn Roop (two interceptions) form the secondary.
“We prepare really well,” Ault said. “We do pursuit drills all the time and fly to the ball. That’s how we play.”
Offensively, Bellbrook has been hard to stop. The Eagles have scored 344 points (averaging 43 per game) in a Wing-T set that’s delivered 2,333 yards rushing (291 yards per game). Atchison (397 yards, seven TDs) and Ault (524 yards, seven TDs) have picked up the load after junior and leading rusher Seth Borondy (718 yards, 12 touchdowns) was lost in Week 6. Senior quarterback Alex Westbrock has thrown for 896 yards and 11 touchdowns.
Six players – including Jordan (six), Westbrock (five) and Fryman (four) – have scored four touchdowns or more.
The Bellbrook-Ross winner will face the winner of No. 6 Alter-No. 2 Badin next Friday at the higher seed’s home field.
“Anybody is going to have their hands full with that defense,” Hetrick said. “It’s challenging. They have athletes all over.”
PLAYOFF SCHEDULE
FRIDAY, OCT. 30
DIVISION I
Region 2
Olentangy Liberty at Springfield
Region 4
Cin. St. Xavier at Lakota West
DIVISION III
Region 12
Ross at Bellbrook
Alter vs. Badin at Lakota East
DIVISION VII
Region 28
Riverside at Marion Local
New Bremen at Fort Loramie
SATURDAY, OCT. 31
DIVISION IV
Region 16
Waverly at Clinton-Massie
Valley View at Cin. Wyoming
DIVISION V
Region 20
Versailles at Cin. Roger Bacon
Cin. Mariemont at Spr. Shawnee
DIVISION VI
Region 24
West Jefferson at Coldwater
Frankfort Adena at Mechanicsburg
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