The Bethel-Tate Tigers entered last Friday night’s game against winless Clermont Northeastern looking to improve their playoff chances. Scoring 47 points in the first half doesn’t hurt.
The Tigers rolled over the Rockets 54-6 in the team’s Southern Buckeye Conference opener.
Bethel jumped out to a 7-0 lead early in the first quarter that grew to 21-0 by the 6:00 mark. The team’s lead jumped to 34-0 at the end of the first quarter.
Jeffery Botts only threw three passes for the Tigers, but he completed all three of them for 58 yards and a touchdown. Five different Tigers runners tallied a rushing touchdown in the blowout victory. Jacob Bussell led the team with six carries but had just 32 yards. Owen Holtke totaled just 11 yards on four carries but crossed the goal line for a touchdown.
Austin Carter had four carries for 68 yards and a pair of scores while teammate Steven Cooper ran the ball just three times but tallied 21 yards and a touchdown. Justin Hixson and Jeffery Botts combined for four carries for 69 yards and a pair of touchdowns for the Tigers. Hixson also had 58 receiving yards, including a 54-yard strike from Botts, and a receiving touchdown.
Bethel still finds themselves in playoff contention. The newest polls released by the Ohio High School Athletic Association have the Tigers seventh in their region. The top eight teams make the playoffs.
The Tigers will look to improve their playoff position Friday, Oct. 16 with a game at Batavia.
