By Jesse Swafford | CSwaff Media
Photography by Jesse Swafford | CSwaff Shots
LEWISBURG, OH — Tri-Village found itself facing an early deficit Friday night at Tri-County North. By the time it was over, the Patriots had turned a competitive game into a rout.
Tri-Village erased a 13-7 second-quarter deficit by scoring 42 unanswered points, pulling away for a convincing 49-13 victory over Tri-County North, extending the Patriots to a 3-0 record on the year.
The Patriots struck first behind Staley Colston, who broke off two big runs to move Tri-Village from its own 42-yard line to the TCN 3. Colston carried it for a third consecutive play and finished the drive with a 3-yard touchdown run to give Tri-Village a 7-0 lead.
Tri-County North responded with a pair of turnovers that quickly changed the complexion of the game. After the Panthers drove to the Tri-Village 14 before turning the ball over on downs, Cooper Cherry returned a Brecken Gray interception for a Panther touchdown just two plays later to tie the game at 7.
Gray then fumbled on the next offensive play, giving the Panthers possession at the Patriots’ 30. TCN capitalized early in the second quarter when Peyton Fannin scored on a 14-yard run. The extra point was missed, but the Panthers had grabbed a 13-7 lead.
That would be the last time Tri-County North scored.
Tri-Village quarterback Cole Swafford began the Patriots’ response by connecting with Griffin Richards for a 44-yard touchdown, putting Tri-Village back in front 14-13 with 9:10 remaining in the half.
After a TCN punt pinned the Patriots at their own 2-yard line, Tri-Village drove the length of the field and Swafford eventually broke free for a 28-yard touchdown run, extending the advantage.
The Patriots weren’t finished before halftime. Swafford connected with Teddy Miller for a huge gain from the Tri-Village 49 to the TCN 5, then finished the possession himself with a 2-yard touchdown run. Tri-Village entered the locker room with a 28-13 halftime lead after scoring 21 unanswered points in the second quarter.
The momentum continued after the break.
Tri-Village recovered a TCN fumble at its own 41 before Swafford found Hayden Hunt for a 26-yard completion to help move the Patriots into scoring position. Swafford capped the drive with a 1-yard touchdown run, pushing the lead to 35-13.
With 44 seconds remaining in the third, Swafford scored again from 3 yards out for his fourth rushing touchdown of the night, giving Tri-Village a 42-13 advantage.
The third quarter ended with one of the night’s wildest sequences. Aaron Bruner intercepted a TCN pass and headed the other direction before Fannin chased him down, forced a fumble and recovered it in the end zone for a touchback.
Tri-Village’s defense eventually found the end zone itself in the fourth. Ryker Marshall scooped up a TCN fumble and returned it 63 yards for a touchdown, extending the lead to 49-13 with 6:51 remaining.
Levi Johnsman added another fumble recovery in the closing minutes as the Patriots finished off a dominant defensive second half.
After falling behind 13-7, Tri-Village outscored Tri-County North 42-0 the rest of the way. Swafford accounted for five touchdowns — four on the ground and one through the air — while the Patriots’ defense repeatedly created turnovers and short-circuited TCN possessions. The Panthers fall to 1-2 on the season.
What began as an early back-and-forth battle ultimately became a statement road victory for Tri-Village.
