Hiram OH- On Thursday evening the Hiram Terriers hosted the Heidelberg Student Prince for a season opening matchup at Charles A. Henry Field.
The Hiram Terriers would begin the night with possession, but the Heidelberg defense would shine early and often tonight. Isaiah Kammer came up with an early statement tackle for loss on Hiram's first play from scrimmage. The Terriers opening drive ended with a punt. The ensuing Heidelberg drive saw Senior QB Drew Sims lead a dominant inaugural possession. Tj Rhamy was found early and often. Montavious Yearby would hit paydirt on his 8-yard rushing touchdown.
Trey Farris welcomed Egya Quasion-Sackey to the game, dropping him behind the line for a loss of three. This was Farris's first of four tackles for loss in his stellar season opening performance defensively.
The Terrier drive concluded in a punt. Heidelberg was able to find the endzone again. Oliver Kelleher and Tj Rhamy came up with two big catches, setting up the Student Prince for their second touchdown of the night. The touchdown coming from the aforementioned Rhamy would be scored from one-yard out, putting Heidelberg up 13-0. Down two scores, Hiram was hoping to close out the first quarter on a high note. The Heidelberg defense had other plans, forcing another punt on a defensive series capped off by a big tackle for loss by Tyler Turek. With time winding down, Heidelberg made their way down to the Hiram 18-yard line, the Student Prince ended the initial quarter of play leading 13-0.
Just a few plays into the second quarter, Yearby would find the endzone again for his second rushing touchdown of the evening, Heidelberg's third to this point. Down 20-0, Sophomore QB Sean Tejeda would orchestrate a Terrier scoring drive. Inside the 15-yard line he would rip off a 14-yard scamper to set Jaden Johnson up for the one-yard score. Hiram would cut their 20-point deficit down to 13 early on in the second period.
Yearby would counter for Heidelberg, scoring his third touchdown of the half, but he wouldn't be done yet. Hiram would get possession back down 20 once again. Their final first half offensive series would end in a blocked punt, setting up the Student Prince up at the Terrier 7-yard line. It had been the Montavious Yearby show all night. It continued as he scored his fourth first half touchdown, as Heidelberg found themselves on the high side of a rout, leading 34-7. An Anthony Sessi 32-yard reception set Hiram up for a field goal from Chris Miller to end the half. Miller went on to miss it, sending this game into halftime with the Student Prince leading 34-7.
Ithan Cholewa helped Heidelberg move the sticks early on in the third quarter. Before you could blink, Sims would hand it off to Yearby and he would take it 59-yards to the house, a statement run to open up the half.
Hiram's opening possession ended with a punt, but they would find their way back into the end zone as Gavin Cruser picked off Drew Sims and took it 19-yards for the pick-six. Heidelberg, now leading 41-14, would strike back with another 50+ yard touchdown. Drew Sims connected with Tj Rhamy, who broke numerous Terrier tackle attempts as he scampered away for the score.
Another Hiram punt set up Ithan Cholewa for a 12-yard touchdown catch. Heidelberg was running away with this one, up 55-14. Hiram's final third quarter possession saw a Chris Miller punt, ending the quarter.
Brandon Stickel would save a stalling drive for the Student Prince, his 24-yard field goal put 58 points on the board for Heidelberg in their season opener. Following Miller's 7th, and final punt of the game, Stickel would drill a 48-yarder putting the Student Prince on top 61-14.
Hiram's lifeless offense continued as Jaden Jennings would replace Tejeda under center in the fourth quarter. The final blow would be delivered by Korbyn Haley, sneaking into the end zone to cap off a dominating night for Heidelberg.
The Terriers will play at Mount St. Joseph next Saturday.