Random Thoughts: GMC, wild games

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent editor

This week’s installment of Random Thoughts includes the GMC football title race, a wild out-of-state game, a not-quite-as wild one closer to home, Defiance College, and hoops scheduling oddities

GMC

Barring an upset, it appears there will be GMC tri-champions in football this year.

After Ayersville beat Antwerp 30-24 on Friday, the Pilots, Archers and Tinora are all tied for the top spot (4-1 GMC) with two games to go. Here are the games remaining:

Antwerp: at Paulding (5-3), vs. Edgerton (2-6)
Ayersville: vs. Wayne Trace (4-4), vs. Fairview (1-7)
Tinora: at Edgerton (2-6), vs. Hicksville (1-7)

Wild

I saw this high school football score from North Carolina on MaxPreps over the weekend: Pender 106 Hobbton 83. Yes, that’s correct, 106-83, and they didn’t even get to finish the game. There was a just over a minute left in regulation when the stadium lights shut off, ending the game.

Pender led 40-29 after the first quarter alone and it was 54-49 at halftime. The 189 combined points is the highest ever for a high school game in North Carolina.

Another eye-popping number: Pender rushed for 912 yards in the game and attempted just two passes. Hobbton’s quarterback threw six touchdown passes, 45, 70, 20, 50, 47 and 41 yards and ran for a score.

Wild II

While not as wild as that game, St. Marys Memorial and Kenton combined for 60 points in the first half of last Friday’s game that featured two teams with completely different offensive philosophies. The Roughriders led 36-24 at halftime and went on to win 59-32.

The Roughriders rushed for over 550 yards in the game while Kenton accounted for nearly 300 yards through the air.

A change

From the outside, this seemed rather abrupt, but Defiance College made it official on Friday – the school is leaving NCAA Division III and the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference for the NAIA. The change will apparently allow student-athletes to earn athletic scholarships.

The overall student-athlete and spectator experience, we believe, will be enhanced by rejoining the NAIA,” said Dr. Richanne C. Mankey, President. “Students will be able to not only continue their passion for a particular sport from high school into college, but they have the opportunity, now, to receive a scholarship for doing so.”

The change will take effect July 1, 2024 and when that happens, most of the school’s athletic teams will compete in the Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference, while the football team will join the Mid-States Football Association.

Defiance College was an NAIA member from shortly after World War II to 1991.

Hoops oddities

I peeked at some boys high school basketball schedules this morning and noted some oddities.

The Van Wert Cougars will play six of their first seven games on the road.

Lincolnview will host Fort Jennings at December 23, then will play just one more home game between then and January 26.

Crestview will have just one home game between December 27 and January 19. The list of road games includes a January 13 game against Cincinnati Purcell Marian at the Hoosier Gym in Knightstown, Indiana.

As always, if you have thoughts on any of the above topics, feel free to email me at sports@thevwindependent.com.