FREDERICKTOWN – Will Hartley admitted this was his hardest week in his career as Fredericktown coach.
His Freddies went into Friday’s Homecoming game shorthanded, and it showed. Hartley could only watch as Dane Nauman led Highland with 289 rushing yards and four touchdowns – all in the first half – as the Scots defeated the Freddies, 41-20, in Friday’s Knox-Morrow Athletic Conference game.
Fredericktown began the season with 41 players on their roster. Injuries early on knocked that number down, and more players had to sit out all week due to COVID quarantine.
In all, 28 players suited up for the Freddies.
“This has been the toughest week ever for our program,” Hartley said. “We’ve had kids quarantined, kids injured, and that continued through the game. We were struggling to field 22 kids in the second half.
“This is a low point, but we have to continue to battle each week.”
Highland (5-2, 4-0 KMAC) jumped out to a 13-0 lead with touchdowns on its first two drives. Nauman scored from 19 yards away, picking up 57 yards in that first drive. After forcing a punt, the Scots scored again when Cooper Merckling threw to Mason Duncan for 12 yards.
Fredericktown responded with a four-play, 89-yard drive, highlighted by a 63-yard run by Teegan Ruhl. He then scored from four yards out.
On Highland’s next play, Nauman scored from 52 yards out to give the Scots a 20-6 lead.
Highland’s next drive began on a short field following a bad snap on a Fredericktown punt. The Scots took over at the 19, and Nauman scored on a 13-yard run a few plays later.
With 1:25 left and the ball on their own 12, it appeared the Scots would just run the clock out and take their 27-6 lead into the locker room.
Nauman had other plans.
He took the handoff, broke a tackle, then sprinted 88 yards to give Highland a 34-6 halftime lead.
“We know any chance we can get the ball, and we have our O-line, and our receivers, and our fullback, then he (Nauman) has a chance to score,” Stover said.
Merckling finished the game completing 7 of 12 passes for 137 yards and a touchdown. His Fredericktown counterpart, Kaid Carpenter, rushed for 31 yards while going 7 of 17 for 68 yards.
Highland focused on its younger players in the second half. Freshman Samuel Hernandez rushed for 90 yards on just two carries.
“We had the freshmen in for the entire second half,” Stover said. “Our young guys prepare us for Friday night.”
Fredericktown scored late on runs by Mason Hoeflich and JJ Grennel.
Highland remains tied for first place in the KMAC and appears headed for a Week 10 showdown with Northmor for the conference title. In the meantime, the Scots will prepare for Cardington-Lincoln this coming Friday.
Fredericktown (3-4, 1-3) travels to East Knox next week.
