Rochester Holds On To Bell Trophy For Sixth Straight Season
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
AKRON - The Tippecanoe Valley Vikings squared off against their rivals the Rochester Zebras for the right to the Bell Trophy Friday night.
Going into the game, the Zebras had retained the trophy and bragging rights for five straight years. Despite Valley's best efforts and their own worst efforts, the Zebras extended their winning streak to six with a 7-0 victory.
The game was filled with miscues and questionable decisions on both ends.
It was also played in winds normally reserved for hurricanes and tropical storms. Mother Nature affected the air attack of both squads. That boiled the game down to the big uglies on the line.
On Friday night, the Zebras' linemen were just a tad uglier than Valley's. The only score of the game came when Rochester senior fullback Jeff Byers rumbled behind his blockers from 47 yards out to give his team the lead and eventually the win.
Valley threatened on its second drive of the game.
The Vikings were blessed with terrific field position the entire game. On their second set of downs they began at midfield. Powered by the running game, Valley closed to within Rochester's 13-yard line before the drive stalled.
The Vikings' attempt at a fake field goal that not only failed but pushed the ball back 10 yards, giving the Zebras breathing room.
On the Vikings' next possession, they had the ball at Rochester's 48 yard line. This time Valley drove down to the Zebras' 14-yard line. The drive was halted when defensive back Wes Geller picked off a pass from Valley quarterback David Beyers.
The game's lone scoring drive started with Rochester on its own 18-yard line. The Vikings appeared to have put the kibosh on the drive when they forced the Zebras to punt from their own 37-yard line.
The turning point in the game occurred when a Valley defender was called for roughing the kicker, advancing the pigskin 15 yards and giving Rochester a fresh set of downs. Byers scored one play later.
Late in the first half, Rochester fumbled on its own side of the 50, giving the ball to Valley. The Viking drive was once again extinguished by a Geller interception of a pass from junior Josh VanCleave. Geller finished the game with three picks, all in the second quarter.
VanCleave entered the game after Beyers was knocked out with a knee injury. VanCleave then finished the game. Beyers could be seen on the sideline with his knee heavily wrapped and in obvious pain.
The second half saw Rochester almost taunt Valley with miscues. The Zebras were called for five penalties in the third quarter alone.
Rochester's Byers also put the ball on the ground three times during the game. The Vikings recovered all three times.
Valley's closest scoring chance came early in the fourth quarter. The Vikings used their power running game to draw to within Rochester's 6-yard line on first and goal.
Four plays later, the Vikings were seven yards further from paydirt.
Once again, however, Rochester had trouble with the whole closing-the-door notion. The Zebras controlled the ball and the momentum of the game with under three minutes left. On third-and-six with the clock running, Rochester decided to run a quick out to a flanker. Instead of running the ball and bleeding the clock to under two minutes, the Zebras gave Valley the ball on the wrong side of the two-minute marker.
True to the night's form Valley was unable to convert Rochester guffaws into points.
The Vikings were not only hampered by the loss of Beyers. Apparently Hurricane Iris made a detour in Mentone. The Vikings faced winds that reached 30 miles per hour at times. The elements and Rochester's defense left Valley out of the end zone all night and dropped the Vikings to below .500 on the season (3-4 overall and 2-3 in the TRC) going into Friday's game in Denver against North Miami.
ROCHESTER 7
VALLEY 0
Rochester 0 7 0 0 - 7
Valley 0 0 0 0 - 0
R V
First downs 6 6
Rushing yards 28-113 43-19
Passing yards 63 43
Comp.-Att.-Int. 5-10-0 4-14-3
Total offense 176 62
Penalties/yards 6-45 2-20
Scoring
Second Quarter
R-Jeff Byers 47 run 3:18 (Paul Soderland kick)
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
Rushing - Valley: Jon Rice 18-46, Brandon Cody 6-11, Bryan Wong 2-6, Kyle Bruner 3-8. Rochester: Jeff Byers 9-68, Ty Horn 9-32, Tyler Frounfelter 2-8, Reid Surface 1-3.
Passing - Valley: David Beyers 2-7-0 28, Josh VanCleave 2-7-0 15. Rochester: Surface 5-10-0 63.
Receiving - Valley: Luke Scripture 1-18, Britton Burkhart 1-10, Brandon 1-15. Rochester: Josh Lett 2-50, Matty Miller 2-10, Geller 1-2. [[In-content Ad]]
AKRON - The Tippecanoe Valley Vikings squared off against their rivals the Rochester Zebras for the right to the Bell Trophy Friday night.
Going into the game, the Zebras had retained the trophy and bragging rights for five straight years. Despite Valley's best efforts and their own worst efforts, the Zebras extended their winning streak to six with a 7-0 victory.
The game was filled with miscues and questionable decisions on both ends.
It was also played in winds normally reserved for hurricanes and tropical storms. Mother Nature affected the air attack of both squads. That boiled the game down to the big uglies on the line.
On Friday night, the Zebras' linemen were just a tad uglier than Valley's. The only score of the game came when Rochester senior fullback Jeff Byers rumbled behind his blockers from 47 yards out to give his team the lead and eventually the win.
Valley threatened on its second drive of the game.
The Vikings were blessed with terrific field position the entire game. On their second set of downs they began at midfield. Powered by the running game, Valley closed to within Rochester's 13-yard line before the drive stalled.
The Vikings' attempt at a fake field goal that not only failed but pushed the ball back 10 yards, giving the Zebras breathing room.
On the Vikings' next possession, they had the ball at Rochester's 48 yard line. This time Valley drove down to the Zebras' 14-yard line. The drive was halted when defensive back Wes Geller picked off a pass from Valley quarterback David Beyers.
The game's lone scoring drive started with Rochester on its own 18-yard line. The Vikings appeared to have put the kibosh on the drive when they forced the Zebras to punt from their own 37-yard line.
The turning point in the game occurred when a Valley defender was called for roughing the kicker, advancing the pigskin 15 yards and giving Rochester a fresh set of downs. Byers scored one play later.
Late in the first half, Rochester fumbled on its own side of the 50, giving the ball to Valley. The Viking drive was once again extinguished by a Geller interception of a pass from junior Josh VanCleave. Geller finished the game with three picks, all in the second quarter.
VanCleave entered the game after Beyers was knocked out with a knee injury. VanCleave then finished the game. Beyers could be seen on the sideline with his knee heavily wrapped and in obvious pain.
The second half saw Rochester almost taunt Valley with miscues. The Zebras were called for five penalties in the third quarter alone.
Rochester's Byers also put the ball on the ground three times during the game. The Vikings recovered all three times.
Valley's closest scoring chance came early in the fourth quarter. The Vikings used their power running game to draw to within Rochester's 6-yard line on first and goal.
Four plays later, the Vikings were seven yards further from paydirt.
Once again, however, Rochester had trouble with the whole closing-the-door notion. The Zebras controlled the ball and the momentum of the game with under three minutes left. On third-and-six with the clock running, Rochester decided to run a quick out to a flanker. Instead of running the ball and bleeding the clock to under two minutes, the Zebras gave Valley the ball on the wrong side of the two-minute marker.
True to the night's form Valley was unable to convert Rochester guffaws into points.
The Vikings were not only hampered by the loss of Beyers. Apparently Hurricane Iris made a detour in Mentone. The Vikings faced winds that reached 30 miles per hour at times. The elements and Rochester's defense left Valley out of the end zone all night and dropped the Vikings to below .500 on the season (3-4 overall and 2-3 in the TRC) going into Friday's game in Denver against North Miami.
ROCHESTER 7
VALLEY 0
Rochester 0 7 0 0 - 7
Valley 0 0 0 0 - 0
R V
First downs 6 6
Rushing yards 28-113 43-19
Passing yards 63 43
Comp.-Att.-Int. 5-10-0 4-14-3
Total offense 176 62
Penalties/yards 6-45 2-20
Scoring
Second Quarter
R-Jeff Byers 47 run 3:18 (Paul Soderland kick)
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
Rushing - Valley: Jon Rice 18-46, Brandon Cody 6-11, Bryan Wong 2-6, Kyle Bruner 3-8. Rochester: Jeff Byers 9-68, Ty Horn 9-32, Tyler Frounfelter 2-8, Reid Surface 1-3.
Passing - Valley: David Beyers 2-7-0 28, Josh VanCleave 2-7-0 15. Rochester: Surface 5-10-0 63.
Receiving - Valley: Luke Scripture 1-18, Britton Burkhart 1-10, Brandon 1-15. Rochester: Josh Lett 2-50, Matty Miller 2-10, Geller 1-2. [[In-content Ad]]