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FB vs. Hillsdale 9-16-23
14
Hillsdale HIL 0-3 , 0-1
38
Winner Ashland ASH 1-2 , 1-0
Hillsdale HIL
0-3 , 0-1
14
Final
38
Ashland ASH
1-2 , 1-0
Winner
Score By Quarters
Team 1st 2nd 3rd 4th F
HIL Hillsdale 7 0 0 7 14
ASH Ashland 7 7 10 14 38

Game Recap: Football | | Dusty Sloan, Ashland University Director of Athletic Communications

No. RV Eagles Rout Chargers At Home For First Win Of 2023

For the first time in 20 years, Doug Geiser had the opportunity to ring the Victory Bell following an Ashland University home football win.
 
On Saturday (Sept. 16) night at Jack Miller Stadium/Martinelli Field, the No. RV and defending Great Midwest Athletic Conference champion Eagles took care of Hillsdale, 38-14, in the 2023 league opener for both teams – giving Geiser his first victory as Ashland head coach.
 
Ashland is 1-2 overall and 1-0 in the conference, and the Chargers are 0-3, 0-1.
 
Saturday night also was the 47th edition of the Traveling Trophy game, and the trophy will return to the second floor of AU's Troop Center.
 
NOTABLES
  • Hillsdale took a surprise onside kick recovery to start the game and went 54 yards in five plays to take a 7-0 lead. Garrit Aissen found Sam Lee in the end zone for a six-yard scoring pass.
  • Ashland responded with 3:32 to go in the opening quarter when senior tailback Larry Martin sprinted in with a 13-yard run, knotting the score at 7. That run capped off an 11-play, 77-yard drive.
  • In the final minute of the first half, senior linebacker Jackson Myers grabbed a tipped pass and went 34 yards for the go-ahead score at 14-7. It was the Eagles' first pick six since 2017.
  • Ashland turned the tables on the second-half kickoff, with sophomore wide receiver Tyler Davis recovering a Hillsdale fumble in Charger territory. That takeaway was turned into a 32-yard field goal by sophomore kicker A.J. Rhodes for a 17-7 lead at the 12:28 mark of the third quarter.
  • A TD strike from junior quarterback Trevor Bycznski to senior wide receiver Dezmin Lyburtus of 25 yards at the 3:22 mark of the third period made it a 24-7 Eagle advantage. Bycznski then hit freshman wide receiver Jamari Croom for a 17-yard TD and a 31-7 lead inside of the 12-minute mark of the fourth.
  • Ashland continued to get into the end zone, with Martin going in for his second rushing touchdown of the night, from three yards out, for a 38-7 lead with 7:16 to play.
  • Hillsdale's rushing touchdown with 1:55 to go resulted in the game's final points.
  • Ashland was plus-4 in turnovers against Hillsdale, and the defense added seven sacks and eight tackles for loss. Leading the way were senior defensive ends Chris Julian and Deeb Alawan with two sacks each, with Myers adding five total tackles, a sack, a tackle for loss and the pick six.
  • Bycznski was 22-for-32 for 226 yards and two touchdowns, with Lyburtus grabbing eight passes for 106 yards and a score.
 
QUOTABLES
  • "More than anything, I'm proud of the kids," Geiser said. "After the loss to Ferris, I challenged them with two different things – No. 1, you're going to respect the rivalry…the other thing was to stick together. We still have all of our goals for the season in front of us."
  • "It's always a big thing playing your rival at home and getting that victory," Alawan said. "Going 0-2 the first couple weeks, it was hard, but we kept grinding in practice. It was awesome to get that big victory."
  • Myers said, "We just played until the end of the game. Last year, we went into Hillsdale and kind of overlooked them. We definitely didn't this year."
  • "The credit goes to the team. We've been working hard," Lyburtus said. "It just feels great, and I know everybody feels the same. Getting that first win in a big rivalry, it is a great feeling."
 
UP NEXT
Ashland will go on the road for another conference game on Sept. 23 at 4 p.m. against Tiffin (3-0, 1-0).
 
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