By SARAH CLARK

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LEES CREEK — New Richmond came to East Clinton unbeaten and unscored upon.

The Astros didn’t care.

East Clinton scored the first points against the Lions and handed them their first loss 13-12 on Friday in cross-divisional Southern Buckeye Conference action.

The Astros are now 4-3 on the season while the Lions fall to 5-1.

“They are a great football team,” said EC head coach Matt Hodge. “This is the type of game you love to play in. I can’t say enough about my kids’ effort and heart. That was a great team win.”

The tale of the game was fumbles.

After trading punts in the first half, the Lions set up first and 10 from their own 15 when Steve McFadden hit the Lion ball-carrier and knocked the ball loose. Nate Smith recovered and the Astros took over first and 10 from the Lion 26.

It only took one play and the Lion defense’s scoreless season came to an end.

Astro QB Matt Williams handed off to Steve McFadden who hit Kyle Akers in the endzone for the score.

Mike Perry tacked on the PAT and the Astros led 7-0 with 0:14.9 seconds remaining in the first quarter.

In the second quarter, the Lions forced EC three and out, and then set up a scoring drive.

Tyler Williams carried for 10 yards, then Steven Gantzer carried for two. Then Andrew Nealan broke loose for 33 yards and the touchdown. Justin Wilson lined up to take the PAT kick, but EC’s Williams broke through and blocked it to preserve the EC lead 7-6.

After the kick off, EC set up first and 10 from its own 11. Williams carried the ball, but fumbled. Teammate Nick McCord scooped it up and carried it 89 yards for the touchdown. This time, Perry’s PAT was blocked and EC took a 13-6 lead.

EC kicked off and the Lions took first and 10 from their own 49. The ball was fumbled and Matt Blackburn recovered to turn possession back to the Astros.

The Astros ground out a long drive that took them to the Lion 18, but could get no closer and turned the ball over on downs.

In the third quarter, the Astro defense took control and forced a three-and-out and two fumbles — one of which was picked up by Blackburn again to end the third quarter.

EC took over possession after the fumble recovery and put the ball on the ground — this time, a Lion picked it up and set up what could have been a scoring drive for NRHS.

Gantzer carried for a first down, then Williams hit Nick Wilson for a first down and got another after a pass to Brian Mazzaro. Two decent carries from Nealan set up a third and 1 from the EC 10-yard line. A Williams keeper for 5 yards then gave NR first and goal from the EC 5. Steve McFadden did it again for the Astros, stripping the Lion ball carrier and returning possession to the Astros.

The Astros took over on their own 3-yard line. The team went three-and-out, but the snap to punter Mike Seitz was bad and he barely got the kick off in time.

New Richmond took over first and 10 at the 23. Gantzer carried for 22 yards then took it in the final 1 yard for the score. This time, the Lions tried to fake the PAT and went for a conversion but were stopped just short of the line and EC retained the lead.

On the kickoff, the Lions tried for the onside kick, but one of their players caught it in the air before it traveled 10 yards giving EC the ball at the Lion 49.

After a penalty for the Lions having too many players on the field EC was forced three-and-out from the Lion 35. This time, Seitz punted the ball perfectly as it rolled dead just short of the endzone.

Again the Lions tried to build momentum with a minute left in the game, with some big runs and a couple of passes covering nearly 50 yards. Then the Lion Williams dropped back and threw a long pass which was picked off by the Astro Williams with 20.2 seconds remaining in the contest.

“Our defense came up big. They flew to the football and hit. They created a lot of those fumbles because we were hitting all night tonight,” said Hodge.

The Astros will head back into league action next Friday as the team travels to Blanchester for a SBC National Division contest. Currently, Blanchester and East Clinton are 1-0 in league play. Williamsburg is 0-2 in the league and Batavia has yet to play a league match.

SUMMARY

NRHS 0 6 0 6 — 12

EC 7 6 0 0 — 13

FIRST QUARTER

0:14.9 EC S. McFadden pass to Kyle Akers for 26 yards, Perry PAT good, 7-0.

SECOND QUARTER

6:59 NRHS Nealan on 33-yard run, Wilson PAT blocked, 7-6.

6:28 EC McCord on 89-yard run off fumble recovery, Perry PAT blocked, 13-6.

THIRD QUARTER

No scoring.

FOURTH QUARTER

4:53 NRHS Gantzer on 1-yard run, conversion failed, 13-12.

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