CHAMPION - Girard's prolific passing game did not disappoint as Adam Charles passed for 283 yards and two touchdowns as the Indians rolled past Champion on Sept. 25, 31-6.
Friday's game against Niles was not done prior to press time.
Champion score first, with Travis Damron scoring from 5-yards out with 3:56 left in the first quarter. But Charles and the Indians offense answered right back. With 2 minutes left in the first, Charles connected with Landon Smith for a 61-yard touchdown, tying the game.
Girard (5-0) took control in the second. Tallen Birmingham rushed in a 5-yard score and Charles threw another 60-plus yard touchdown to Smith. Girard capped its first-half scoring with a field goal.
Smith finished the night with 186 yards receiving. Birmingham rushed for 50 yards as the Indians improve to 5-0 on the year.
Damron was the Flashes' leading rusher, putting up 90 yards. The Flashes are 1-4.
GIRARD 48,
NEWTON?FALLS 14
NEWTON FALLS - Looks can be deceiving, especially when it comes to the records of football teams.
The Girard Indians and Newton Falls Tigers entered play in an All-American Conference Blue Division game with identical 3-0 records. If those records indicated a close game, the Indians put that thought to rest with a dominant performance in a 48-14 win here Sept. 18.
There wasn't much the Indians did wrong, other than a pair of interceptions thrown by senior quarterback Adam Charles. Charles made up for those mistakes by throwing for 249 yards and two touchdowns.
Junior Landon Smith was a force on offense and defense, including a 35-yard touchdown catch and a 66-yard run on a reverse to set up a score.
When it was over, the Indians had 439 yards of offense and another notch on a perfect record. They also made a statement for the six opponents that remain on their schedule.
"Our offensive and defensive lines did a great job all night giving seams," Girard coach Bud McSuley said. "Our skilled kids, when you give them time they make plays.
"We had a little adversity. We throw a pick and they get it to the 1 and we're tied 7-7. We came right back and put it in the end zone and blocked a kick and put it into the end zone. Good teams come back from adversity."
The interception McSuley referred to was by Falls defensive back Eric Kline at the Indians' 30. One play after Kline's return to the 1, quarterback Matt Brazin scored on a sneak to tie the score 7-7.
The Indians needed just four plays to regain the lead on a 2-yard touchdown run by Tallen Birmingham. The Tigers weren't able to get a first down on their next possession, which led to a blocked punt that Kyle Richey picked up and ran 15 yards for a touchdown.
That was the end of the intrigue. Girard added three touchdowns in the third quarter to open a 41-7 halftime lead.
"Girard is good, and we knew going into the game that we were going to have to play our best game," Falls coach Greg Lazzari said. "We feel they're one of the best teams on our schedule. They're one of the best programs in our area as far as the level goes. Defensively, they were after the ball. Offensively, they moved the ball. They were the flat out better team and the score reflects that."
Smith showed his athleticism on the 35-yard touchdown reception to open the scoring. McSuley decided to go for a first down on fourth-and-11. Smith jumped to haul in the pass near the 20 and then sprinted through the secondary.
"I was actually supposed to run a wheel route on that, but I ran a curl," Smith said. "Adam Charles put it right up over the guy's head and I went up and got it. Then the dude behind me pushed me, so I just got off that and ran for a touchdown."