Highland quarterback Kolton Stover unleashes a pass against Pleasant on Friday night.
Rob Hamilton | Morrow County Sentinel
A rough second quarter proved costly for Highland in their MOAC-opening home game against Pleasant on Friday.
The teams played to a 7-7 deadlock in the opening period, but Pleasant opened the second quarter with a touchdown and added two more scores to take a 28-7 lead into the half of a game they would win by a 31-7 margin.
Field position hurt the Scots throughout the first half. Pleasant’s first touchdown — a short run by Drew Neiderhouser — was set up by a punt return to the Highland 37. Their next three drives, two of which ended in touchdowns, began at the Highland 45, the Scots’ 42 and their own 49.
However, the Scots would rebound from that first quarter score by the Spartans to put together their own scoring drive. Starting from their own 28, the team got a three-yard run by Sam Hernandez and then a 20-yard pass Kolton Stover pass to cross midfield.
A scramble by Kolton Stover and a run by Kane Stover moved the ball to the 38 and a long pass to Caiden Daugherty put Highland in scoring position to set up a three-yard touchdown run by Kolton Stover. Malin Fichtner added the extra point to tie the game 7-7 with 4:29 left in the opening period.
Despite Pleasant’s kick return setting them up on the Highland 45, the Scot defense held firm on the next drive and forced their opponents to turn it over on downs at the Highland 13.
Unfortunately for the Scots, they would not be able to move the ball on the ensuing possession and Pleasant would regain possession at the Highland 42 with 1:39 left in the quarter. The Spartans would then drive down the field and score on the first play of the second quarter to regain the lead at 14-7.
Highland would then quickly turn the ball over to give Pleasant good field position again at the Spartan 49. Three plays later, another Pleasant touchdown increased their lead to 21-7.
Highland opened their next drive with two Hernandez runs that netted 12 yards and a first down at their own 40, but would then be forced to punt. Pleasant then ate up most of the final 6:20 of the half with a 12-play drive that covered 79 yards and ended with the team’s third touchdown of the quarter to give them a 28-7 lead going into the half.
Highland coach Ty Stover didn’t mince words when explaining what went wrong for his team against the Spartans.
“We’re not consistent at all,” he said. “We don’t play with enough passion. All phases of the game, we got beat tonight. Pleasant’s a great team.”
It looked like Highland would get some momentum early in the third quarter when Hunter Taylor picked off an Owen Lowry pass to give Highland the ball on the Pleasant 23. Unfortunately, the Scots turned the ball back over to the Spartans, who responded with a lengthy drive that kept the ball from Highland for over nine minutes.
Pleasant took 19 plays to move from their 32 to the Highland nine before kicking a field goal to go up 31-7. Highland would have two drives in the fourth quarter, but would not be able to move the ball in falling to 1-3, 0-1 in league play.
Highland finished with 133 yards in the game, with Stover completing 8-of-16 passes for 95 of that number. After the game, Coach Stover said his team has to pick things up in order to bounce back from the loss.
“I need the whole program to recoup and play like they’re playing in their backyard,” he said. “They beat us in every phase of the game tonight.”
Rob Hamilton can be reached at 419-946-3010, ext. 1807. Connect with him on Twitter at @SportsMCS
