Lebanon, OH - A big-time Eastern Cincinnati Conference matchup took place on Friday night, as Loveland traveled up north to Miller Road to take on the Lebanon Warriors. Both teams were looking to keep their momentum rolling, as the Tigers were coming off of a huge victory over rival Kings Knights 31-20, while the Warriors throttled Little Miami for their first conference win of the season. With both teams looking to extend their winning streaks and stay afloat in the loaded ECC, this game was shaping up to be a battle and certainly lived up to the hype.
The Tigers got on board early, as on just the third play of the game, Tyler Roberts (11) found Brayden McCaleb (12) streaking over the middle, and McCaleb took it 73 yards to give the Tigers a 7-0 lead. However, the Warriors didn’t hesitate to respond, and after being gifted starting field position inside the Loveland 25, Alex Klein punched one in from three yards out to tie the game up at 7.
After a Lebanon field goal late in the first quarter to make the score 10-7, the Tigers took over to start the second, and Colton Endicott (12) capped off an 8-play, 53-yard drive with a 9-yard rushing touchdown that gave the Tigers the 14-10 lead. Yet again, the Warriors responded, and Klein scored his second touchdown of the night to make it 17-14 and shift the momentum back over to the Lebanon sideline. A Loveland punt put the ball back into the hands of the red-hot Warriors offense and they continued to put points on the board, as Luke Faier found Cam Williams in the back of the endzone to extend the Warriors’ lead to 10. The teams would trade possessions, but a Kolby King (12) interception would help set up a field goal for Brady Stidham (10) and the half would end with the Warriors up 24-17.
The second half opened up with a Lebanon punt, and the Tigers were able to capitalize, as Endicott found the endzone for the second time, tying the game at 24 a piece. Both teams would then trade turnovers, as first Klein would fumble the ball away into the hands of the Tigers, but just a couple of plays later, Roberts threw an interception into the outstretched arms of Luke Berberich. The teams would trade punts for the entire rest of the third quarter but after a big run by Endicott, and a roughing the punter penalty against the Warriors, Jewel Vorbroker (10) would score a 5-yard touchdown to give the Tigers their first lead since the second quarter. For much of the fourth, it seemed Lebanon’s hope was lost. But with just 75 seconds left, Faier found Kyle Koch in the back of the endzone to tie the game up at 31, and the contest headed to overtime. The Warriors went 3-and-out to begin, and missed a field goal wide left, meaning that with a score, the Tigers would win this game. Just four plays later, Endicott waltzed in for his third touchdown and the Tigers won their second straight game.
The Tigers are back at home this Friday, hosting the Walnut Hills Eagles for the homecoming game. Be there and be loud!