OWENSVILLE – Michael Mulvihill reached paydirt five times Friday, four of them in the first half, to help Blanchester spoil Clermont Northeastern’s homecoming with a 45-21 victory.

It was the Southern Buckeye Conference National Division opener for both schools.

Blanchester has won 12 straight in the series.

The Rockets (2-4, 0-1) have dropped four straight since starting the season with two wins.

Mulvihill carried the ball into the end zone from 5, 3 and 5 yards out on Blan’s first three drives to give the Wildcats (4-2, 1-0) an 18-0 advantage. The latter two scores were sandwiched around a Rocket fumble on a kickoff return.

Following Mulvihill’s third score, CNE marched 69 yards in 14 plays to pull within 18-7 with 3:14 left in the first half.

Mulvihill added another first-half touchdown, six seconds before the intermission on a two-yard plunge. He set up his score with a 49-yard romp the play before on 4th-and-4 from Blan’s 49.

The Wildcats went up 32-7 on their first drive of the second half on Sammy Roush’s one-yard TD run that capped a drive that chewed nearly six minutes of clock.

Blan had a chance to force a running clock a drive later, following a CNE fumble, but a Rocket defender made a circus catch in the end zone for an interception.

Two plays later, C.J. Boothby raced 73 yards to cut Blan’s lead to 32-13 with 1:36 left in the third quarter.

The teams traded scores on the next three drives. Wildcat Bryce Sipple went 24 yards to the end zone to make it 39-13 Wildcats with 10:31 left in the game. CNE got a 52-yard TD reception from Grant Brown three minutes later to set the score at 39-21. Mulvihill’s final score of the evening, a 27-yard run, rounded out the scoring.

Mulvihill also led BHS with 10 tackles while Caleb Shank had eight. The Wildcats held the Rockets to 160 total offense (85 passing, 75 rushing) and forced three turnovers.

Meanwhile, the Wildcats rolled up 404 yards with 338 of those coming on the ground. Mulvihill had 230 yards on 23 carries with the five touchdowns.

Blanchester returns to action at home Friday versus 5-1 Williamsburg.

SUMMARY

Sept 23, 2022

@Clermont Northeastern HS

Blanchester 45, Clermont NE 21

B^12^13^7^13^^45

CNE^0^7^6^8^^21

First Quarter

B-Michael Mulvihill 4 yard run (PAT Failed)

B-Michael Mulvihill 3 yard run (PAT Failed)

Second Quarter

B-Michael Mulvihill 6 yard run (PAT Failed)

CNE-1 yard run (PAT Good)

B-Michael Mulvihill TD run (Elijah McVey PAT)

Third Quarter

B-Sammy Roush 1 yard run (Elijah McVey PAT)

CNE-Touchdown (PAT Good)

Fourth Quarter

B-Bryce Sipple 24 yard run (Elijah McVey PAT)

CNE-50 yard Touchdown Pass (2 Point Conversion)

B-Michael Mulvihill 26 yard run (PAT Failed)

–

STATISTICS

PASSING: Michael Mulvihill 6-15, 66 yards

RUSHING (40-338) Michael Mulvihill 23-230-5, Bryce Sipple 4-50-1, Sebastian Smith 5-27-0, Sammy Roush 6-26-1, Caleb Sears 1-6-0, Team 1-(-1)

RECEIVING (6-66)

TACKLES: Michael Mulvihill 10, Caleb Shank 8, Dylan Short 5, Dustin Trace 4, Ty Goodwin 3, Tristen Malone 2, Aiden Begley 2, Dylan Creager 2, Sammy Roush 1, Caleb Sears 1, Collin Elston 1, Cody Kidd 1, Gabe Staehling 1, Team 1

FUMBLE RECOVERY: Dylan Short 1, Dustin Trace 1, Team 1