A homecoming visit from winless Greenon Friday night was good for what’s been ailing Urbana.
The Hillclimbers won, 59-6, to start the Central Buckeye Conference/Mad River Division slate this season.
Urbana’s offense had no trouble moving the ball after Greenon went three-and-out, punted and set up UHS near midfield. After one touchdown was nullified by a block in the back on Urbana, five plays later Sam Niswonger ran in a 19-yard TD that counted. After Cooper Johnson’s extra-point kick, Urbana was up 7-0 at the 7:22 mark of the first quarter.
Greenon’s ensuing drive stalled in four plays again and Urbana had another TD nullified, this time by a personal foul. But a pass from Levi Boettcher to Devin Trent on the next play had the Hillclimbers knocking on the door at the Knight 2. Nick Johnson carried it in for the 2-yard TD on the next play and after the PAT kick threaded the uprights, UHS led 14-0 with 3:09 left in the first quarter.
Urbana scored again in the waning seconds of the first quarter when Boettcher connected with Alex Lohnes for a 69-yard scoring strike followed by Cooper Johnson’s PAT. UHS led, 21-0, to end the first quarter.
Boettcher completed a 41-yard TD pass to Lohnes with 2:02 to play in the first half for a 28-0 lead. The Hillclimber defense notched a key sack on Greenon’s QB with under 2 minutes to go in the half, pinning the visitors at their own 4 where they struggled to dig out of the hole. Urbana’s offense found itself in charge with under 20 seconds left before the half and Cooper Johnson nailed a 29-yard field goal as the clock ran down to give his team a 31-0 margin at the intermission.
To start the third quarter, Nick Johnson added a 7-yard TD run at the 9:26 mark and a 35-yard TD run for a 45-0 UHS lead, Mitch Moyer ran 25 yards for another TD and a 52-0 lead to end the third quarter.
Ezra Lee dashed 2 yards for a TD in the fourth quarter and a 59-0 lead.
Greenon did break its scoring drought on a 20-yard TD pass near the end of the game.
The Hillclimbers (2-4, 1-0) play at Ben Logan next Friday night.
