After five brutal non-league games, the Blanchester High School football team jumped into SBAAC National Division play last week.
The first five weeks, BHS went 0-5.
So far so good with the National Division portion of the slate.
The Wildcats brutalized Bethel-Tate 49-21 to begin its bid for a 5-5 season record. Not what the ‘Cats wanted for sure, but after 0-5 it’s a positive worth striving for in 2018.
Against the Tigers, Blan fell behind 7-0 then reeled off 21 straight points to take control of the game.
“We didn’t get down mentally early and were able to find some confidence,” BHS coach Brandon Sammons said. “Our guys played hard and got after it which is always a good thing in being successful on the field. I think our guys had a mental side that was in better shape knowing we were in conference play and attacking a league title.”
Blanchester will host Williamsburg Friday night at Barbour Memorial Field. Homecoming festivities will take place this week prior to kickoff which is set for 7 p.m.
Williamsburg is 2-4 but these Wildcats have four losses to teams that are a combined 21-3 – Batavia, unbeaten Paint Valley, Hillsboro and Minford.
Williamsburg has a winning record this season (2-0) against teams with losing records. Blanchester has a losing record.
The WHS bread and butter this season has been the run game on offense but Sammons is not dismissing the pass game.
“They do love to run the ball,” said Sammons. “It’s their play-action and pass game that we have to stay aware of. They can lull you to sleep and then catch you in that and get a quick score with their tall receiver or pop a quick run if you don’t do your job. If we execute we’ll be fine.”
Blanchester won last year’s game easily 69-14. Brandon Sammons team also won 41-6 in 2016.
Williamsburg last defeated Blanchester in 2015, 27-20, the last of a three-game win streak for WHS against BHS.
