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NEW MIDDLETOWN, Ohio (WKBN) – The defending Division V state champions didn’t miss a beat in their week one matchup with Springfield as South Range rolled to a 41-14 victory.
The Raiders have now won 31 consecutive regular season games. Coach Dave Rach posted his first win of his career as Blake Ewert and Aidan Dominguez each scored twice. The Raiders’ quarterback Tristan Toy made an impressive debut by tossing a touchdown and also running another in.
South Range amassed 79-yards on their opening drive to put the Raiders up 8-0. Raider running back Blake Ewert ran the ball 23-yards to place the ball inside the red zone. On the next play from scrimmage, Tristan Toy found Brady Crumbacher in the flat as the receiver took it from there 16-yards to pay dirt. On the ensuing extra point attempt, the snap was botched. Jimmy Powell picked it up and tossed the ball in the direction of Dylan Smesko, who hauled in the two-pointer to give the Raiders an early 8-0 lead.
Toy intercepted an errant Springfield pass to set the Raiders up in Springfield territory. A few plays later, it was Toy again who ran in from 30-yards away to extend South Range’s advantage to 15-0.
On South Range’s third possession of the game, the Raiders received a pair of chunk plays from Ewert (19-yard run) and a catch from Gaven Nagy (25 yards). To complete the drive, Ewert went in from 3-yards away to propel the Raiders to a 22-0 lead early in the second quarter.
Next time, the Raiders possessed the ball, Ewert’s catch and run for 49-yards put the down at the goal line. Aidan Dominguez pushed his way into the end zone to extend South Range’s lead to 28-0. The Raiders scored four time on as many drives.
Springfield marched down the field for their first score of the game late in the first half. Dante Gentile ran the ball hard and wasn’t going to be denied on his last tote from the 5-yard line as No. 19 carried the ball into the end zone with 1:17 remaining in the first half.
To begin the second half, Springfield was forced to punt.
After a 35-yard punt return by Crumbacher, South Range failed to move the chains on fourth down as both defenses began the second half strong.
Ewert capped off an impressive drive with a 7-yard touchdown run to extend the Raiders’ advantage to 35-7. The drive saw a pair of 20-yard plus gains on the ground by Ewert and Dominguez.
After a South Range takeaway, Dominguez finishes off their next drive with a 24-yard tote to score his second touchdown on the night (41-7).
No give up in the Springfield Tigers as Wyatt Kuboff scored on a 2-yard touchdown run with 3:22 remaining to close the gap to 41-14. Joey Centofanti and Gentile each had logged double-digit runs that allowed Kuboff’s way into the end zone.
South Range will open their home schedule next Friday by welcoming Green. Springfield will try and get back on track when they visit Brookfield.
SCORING CHART
South Range, 41-14 (Final)
First Quarter
SR – Brady Crumbacher, 16-yard TD catch from Tristan Toy (Jimmy Powell to Dylan Smesko), 7:17
SR – Toy, 30-yard TD run (Luke Starkey kick), 2:06
Second Quarter
SR – Blake Ewert, 3-yard TD run (Starkey kick), 10:56
SR – Aidan Dominguez, 1-yard TD run (pass failed), 5:29
Sp – Dante Gentile, 5-yard TD run (Kaesen Kosek kick), 1:17
Third Quarter
SR – Ewert, 7-yard TD run (Starkey kick), 0:07
Fourth Quarter
SR – Dominguez, 24-yard TD run (kick failed), 7:25
Sp – Wyatt Kuboff, 2-yard TD run (Kosek kick), 3:22
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