As a rule, Grand River Conference favorite South Harrison doesn’t often need help winning football games.
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As a rule, Grand River Conference favorite South Harrison doesn’t often need help winning football games. Whether they needed it or not, the purple and gold Bulldogs got plenty from Gallatin last Friday night.
Two interceptions, a fumble recovery, a well-executed on-side kick and punt fake, and two bad GHS punt snaps gave South Harrison all the impetus it needed in man-handling Gallatin, 33-6, in what many thought in pre-season would be a GRC showdown. If there is a battle brewing for the conference title, it may once again boil over next week when defending champion Princeton hosts South Harrison in what will be a rematch of last season’s title game.
Gallatin got off on the wrong foot Friday night when Dustin Nail intercepted a Nic Burrell pass and ran it back 45 yards for a touchdown in the first quarter. The momentum shift came after Gallatin had stopped two South Harrison drives inside GHS territory.
Home team Bulldog woes continued in the second quarter when Justin Duffy had to down a high punt snap on Gallatin’s 34-yard line. A holding penalty nullified a touchdown run by Creed Lenhart but South Harrison’s end zone celebration was only postponed. Lenhart powered over from the four-yard line on a fourth down call and with the extra point kick by Logen Wright, South Harrison led, 14-0.
South Harrison, which failed in an earlier on-side kick attempt only because the ball did not travel the necessary ten yards, tried again with success as Gallatin players watched the visitors recover the ensuing kickoff as the ball died against the SHHS sideline. Starting on the GHS 34, South Harrison needed only three plays to find the end zone, with quarterback Danny Smith carrying the final four yards to paydirt.
Gallatin’s next offensive series proved disastrous in two ways. The Bulldogs lost junior Clayton Baker to a knee injury after he entered the game at fullback. Jason McGee picked up needed first down yards at midfield on fourth and one, but was stripped of the ball and South Harrison’s Smith made the recovery. The half ended with a 47-yard field goal attempt by Wright that fell short.
Aided by a 25-yard Duffy kickoff return, and a 15-yard roughing the passer penalty against South Harrison, Gallatin put a decent drive together to start the second half. The Bulldogs moved down to the 13-yard line, but Burrell, rolling right, was dropped by Colt Loving for an eight-yard loss. A fourth-down Burrell to Kyle Hefley pass garnered 14 yards but South Harrison took over on downs.
When the Bulldogs failed to move the ball on their next possession, Duffy dropped back to punt near the goal line, tried again to field a bad snap and was fortunate to down the ball on his own five-yard line. Gallatin’s defense held firm for three plays but Smith found the end zone on a fourth-down keeper. The extra point kick failed but South Harrison led, 27-0.
The two teams traded scores in the fourth period. South Harrison took a 33-0 lead when Lenhart galloped 45 yards for a touchdown at the 8:51 mark. Sean Wood blocked the extra point kick. Gallatin got on the scoreboard on the final play of the game when Burrell hit Andrew Adkison over the middle from five yards out. Drayson Leeper set up the score with a 23-yard run.