BAINBRIDGE — Blanchester began the Justin Schmitz Era Friday night with a hard-fought 35-14 loss to Paint Valley.

Down 7-0 following a lengthy Paint Valley game-opening drive, the Wildcats responded when Bryce Sipple rumbled 20 yards and with Jarrod Daniels extra point kick tied the game at 7-7 with 9:07 to go in the second quarter.

But the Bearcats scored 28 unanswered points to go up 35-7.

Sipple passed nine yards to Sebastian Smith in the fourth quarter for the final score of the game.

“The game was winnable,” Blanchester head coach Justin Schmitz said. “I feel like we had a really good gameplan. Turnovers just killed us. They had 14 or 21 points off turnovers. We didn’t do great job of filling as linebackers and that gave them (Bearcats) some confidence.”

Paint Valley held a 236 to 169 advantage in yardage but three turnovers gave the Bearcats a short field.

Blanchester gave up two touchdowns late in the first half, Schmitz said. The turnover in this case came on the kickoff following the first touchdown.

“That was a 14-point swing,” Schmitz lamented.

The Wildcats held the Bearcats to just 2 of 11 on third downs but Paint Valley was able to convert three of five fourth-down plays.

“I feel pretty good about our team when we get into the league,” Schmitz said. “Once we get back to league play, I think we can hang. I think we can win the league. This was a good measuring stick for us.

“We did find a little bit about ourselves (Friday) as players, as coaches, as a team. We did not give up. We fought and that means more to me than what showed up on the scoreboard.”

SUMMARY

Aug 18, 2023

@Paint Valley High School

Paint Valley 35, Blanchester 14

PV^7^13^7^8^^35

BL^0^7^0^7^^14

SCORING

First Quarter

PV-1 yard run (PAT Kick)

Second Quarter

BL-Bryce Sipple 20 yard run (Jarrod Daniels PAT)

PV-19 yard run (PAT failed)

PV-25 yard run (PAT Kick)

Third Quarter

PV-21 yard pass (PAT Kick)

Fourth Quarter

PV-3 yard run (2 Point Run)

BL-Sebastian Smith 9 yard pass from Bryce Sipple (Jarrod Daniels PAT)

STATISTICS

Rushing: PV 43-178; BL (38-131) Bryce Sipple 16-66-1; Sebastian Smith 13-40-0; Caleb Sears 4-13-0; Isaiah Snader 1-0-0

Passing: PV 5-11-1, 58 yards, 1 TD; BL (5-17-1, 38 yards, 1 TD) Sipple 3-6-0, 28 yards 1 TD

Receiving: PV (5-58-1); BL (5-38-1) Zach Musselman 2-18-0; Caleb Sears 1-10-0; Sebastian Smith 1-9-1; Ayden Basham 1-1-0

Tackles: BL Sebastian Smith 8 (3 TFL), Caleb Sears 3, Zach Musselman 3, Jude Huston 3 (1 sack), Ayden Basham 2, Tristen Malone 2, Bryce Sipple 1, Chase Barnes 1, Kane Scott 1 (1 sack)

Interceptions: BL Bryce Sipple 1

Penalties: BL 6-35, PV 7-47

First Downs: BL-11, PV-15