“It’s just a great way to start a season,” Piqua coach Bill Nees said. “This is a good group, an outstanding group of seniors, and the big thing tonight is we were able to make some big plays.”
The Trojans struck first, driving 62 yards for a 35-yard field goal with 5:19 left in the first. Jack Kleinhenz snuck the ball inside the left upright for three.
The Indians answered quickly, driving 53 yards for a touchdown connection from Brady Ouhl to brother Blane Ouhl, who held off a defender and made a tough over-the-shoulder catch on a pretty rainbow throw.
The hosts started with a short field themselves to a Trojans personal foul on the kickoff.
They added to their lead midway through the second quarter when Brady Ouhl kept the ball on third-and-3 and scampered around right end untouched for a 44-yard touchdown.
The PAT kick was wide left, but Piqua still held a 13-3 lead with 5:31 to go in the half.
Troy looked poised to cut into the lead two minutes later after a 48-yard pass from Josh Mayfield to Kleinhenz, but Jasaiah Medley’s touchdown-saving tackle at the Piqua 28 would prove large.
Mayfield converted a third down with a 17-yard scramble to the Piqua 6 only to see the Trojans fumble the ball away a play later. Damien Lawson covered it for the Indians at the 2.
After forcing a punt, Troy again drove inside the Piqua 10 but came away empty when Ca’ron Coleman intercepted Mayfield in the end zone.
“You could see it right there: lost opportunities,” said Troy coach Dan Gress. “We left a lot of points on the field that we didn’t get cash in and some plays that we didn’t make.”
The Indians went right back to it in the third quarter, forcing a three-and-out then taking advantage of a short field thanks to a Troy facemask penalty on punt coverage.
Starting at the Trojan 39, Piqua needed only four plays to add to its lead with a 5-yard touchdown run by Bryson Roberts.
That gave the hosts a 19-3 lead, where it stayed after an unsuccessful two-point conversion attempt.
The Trojans struck back with a 4-yard touchdown run by La’Manual Kemp-Short with 4:19 left in the third quarter.
The Indians capped the scoring with a 70-yard interception return for a touchdown by Tanner Kemp in the final minute.
Nees said preparing for a rivalry game to start the season was difficult, especially since neither team was able to scrimmage another opponent in the preseason.
“It was nerve racking because all of a sudden it’s right up there, you know?” Nees said. “We have these countdown clocks. They have them, we have them, and you’re always accused of looking ahead, but now all of a sudden that’s done. It’s time. And everybody came in cold. So they’re good. They’re really good football team again this year and we’ll see how things progress.”
In his first varsity start, Brady Ouhl completed 8 of 13 passes for 116 yards and a touchdown. The sophomore also ran for 44 yards while his brother, a senior, led the team with 49 yards on three catches.
Mayfield threw for 184 yards and ran for 57 but threw three interceptions for Troy.
“My heart breaks for the seniors,” Gress said. “But we a coaches have to go back and do a better job of preparing them next week.”
Troy travels to Xenia next week for a matchup of the defending division champions in the Miami Valley League.
Piqua will play at Butler.
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