Spotting your opponent 21 first quarter points is all most teams would need to excuse itself and give up and let whatever happens, happen, but that was not what the spirited and determined Goshen gridiron gladiators did in its 35-13 Division III state playoff loss to the Lemon-Monroe Hornets.
The visiting Fighting Hornets, from Butler County and a member of the Southwest Buckeye League, were never down, but the host Warriors, champions of the Southern Buckeye Conference American Division were never out.
Monroe’s senior 6-foot, 2-inch, 215-pound running back Jared Ferguson returned the opening kickoff 94 yards to put the team uniformed in navy blue and gold ahead to stay. The man being seriously sought by Ohio State scored two more times in the opening 12 minutes on runs of two and 40 yards.
Goshen made its first strike in the second quarter on a powerful 22-yard burst by senior fullback John Strong. The score at halftime was 21-6.