Football: Hamilton Township ends drought against Bloom-Carroll, stays unbeaten
Friday, October 13, 2023
By Jarrod Ulrey
julrey@cbussports.com
Hamilton Township’s Nadir Langston looks for a running lane during the Rangers’ 31-28 home win over Bloom-Carroll Oct. 13. Photo: Kevin Lam
After being shut out each of the past three seasons by Bloom-Carroll, it might have been natural for the Hamilton Township football team to quickly lose its confidence after it surrendered a long touchdown pass on the third play of the latest matchup between the programs.
The host Rangers proved time and again Friday, however, that they were ready to put that pain behind them.
Kicker Andrew Druska made a 25-yard field goal with 50 seconds remaining to give Hamilton Township a 31-28 lead and his team held on to win by that score, snapping a six-game losing streak in the series.
The victory improved the Rangers to 9-0 overall and 6-0 in the MSL-Buckeye Division and snapped Bloom-Carroll’s 27-game league winning streak.
The Bulldogs dropped to 7-2 overall and 5-1 in the league.
“They embarrassed us on their field last year, so we had to come back and get this one,” said quarterback Josh Woods, whose team lost to the Bulldogs 48-0 a year ago. “We worked so hard in the offseason for this, doing 5 a.m. lifting to get to this point.”
Woods completed 27 of 32 passes for 304 yards and one touchdown, including going one stretch in the second half when he completed 15 consecutive passes.
With 2:30 to go in the third quarter, Hamilton Township running back Nadir Langston found a hole on the outside and ran for a 33-yard touchdown to make it 28-21.
Bulldogs running back Dylan Armentrout ran for 34 yards to the Rangers 30 on the next drive but fumbled at the end of the run.
Bloom-Carroll’s Dylan Armentrout tries to evade Hamilton Township’s Jayden Jarrell during the Bulldogs’ game with the Rangers Oct. 13. Photo: Kevin Lam
Armentrout made up for the miscue with 6:13 to go, however, when he ran for a touchdown on fourth-and-goal from the 3 to tie it at 28.
Hamilton Township moved to the Bloom-Carroll 19 five plays into the ensuing drive when Woods hit Jovon McBride downfield for a 44-yard reception. The Rangers got as close as the 6 during the drive before settling for Druska’s field goal.
“We did what we had to do,” McBride said. “We have one of the best offenses in the state and we knew we could get the job done.”
On the game’s final possession, Bloom-Carroll quarterback Ethan Thanthanavong connected with Brodyn Bishop for 26 yards and Carter Cornelius for 12 yards.
Then on first-and-10 from the Rangers’ 23 with 10 seconds remaining, Thanthanavong was sacked for a 3-yard loss by Langston.
Treyton McKee’s 43-yard field goal with 2 seconds left went wide right to kick off the Rangers’ celebration.
“I had to come through for my team,” Langston said. “I knew we’ve got to keep them in bounds and I knew they were going to pass it and that they wanted that touchdown. I had to go get (the sack).
“I haven’t beaten them since seventh grade. I’m ecstatic. To make that happen on my senior night, it’s crazy.”
The Rangers had been outscored by Bloom-Carroll by a combined 94-0 over the last three seasons and fell behind 7-0 when Thanthanavong hit Jayse Rockwood for a 67-yard touchdown.
Hamilton Township, however, responded by scoring on the ensuing possession as Langston ran in from 1 yard.
Hamilton Township quarterback Josh Woods throws while getting pressure from Bloom-Carroll’s Jaden Ball (#72) during the Rangers’ win Oct. 13. Photo: Kevin Lam
Thanthanavong found Armentrout for a 68-yard touchdown pass three plays into Bloom-Carroll’s next drive, but again the Rangers had an answer as Woods connected with McBride for an 80-yard touchdown to tie it at 14.
The Rangers went up 21-14 on a 3-yard touchdown run by Langston, one play after Woods completed a 10-yard pass to McBride on a fake field goal on fourth-and-10 from the Bloom-Carroll 13.
“That’s a heck of a football team, and we knew they were explosive offensively,” Bulldogs coach Jeremy McKinney said. “We had a lot of self-inflicted wounds. We have high expectations and we try to play at a high level of football. We’ll regroup.”
Langston rushed for 111 yards and three touchdowns and also blocked a 39-yard field goal attempt late in the first quarter.
McBride had nine receptions for 186 yards and one score and Brady Holt added eight catches for 62 yards for the Rangers, who are looking to lock up a home playoff game in Division III, Region 11. They close the regular season Oct. 20 at Logan Elm, which is 8-1.
The Bulldogs close the regular season against Circleville also looking to set themselves for a long playoff run in Region 11, where they’re defending champions.
Thanthanavong passed for 236 yards and two touchdowns, Armentrout rushed for 86 yards and one score on 16 carries and Bishop contributed 111 yards and one touchdown on just eight rushes.
“Our kids prepared, and we’ve got heart,” Rangers coach Tennyson Varney said. “These kids care about our community. We talk about it and we practice it: How are you going to react when it’s not going your way? What are you going to do? It could go crazy either way, but they stayed in there. That’s a really good Bloom-Carroll football team and I’m just super proud of our kids and this senior class.”