MORROW -- Kickoff: 7 p.m. Eastern.
Setting the scene: In their home opener Friday night against West Clermont, the host Panthers received the opening kickoff and orchestrated a methodical offensive drive beginning at their own 35 yard line, but the quick 61-yard progress wouldn't last. The Panthers momentum came to a screeching halt as the West Clermont defense mounted a heroic effort and stole the games opening rhythm as they stonewalled Little Miami on a fourth-and-goal situation with the Wolves backed up deep in their own territory at the four yard line.
The teams traded punches during the next two series, then West Clermont's power running attack began to hit. With 6:39 remaining in the opening stanza, bruising RB Mysaun Sanders rumbled for an 18-yard TD to break the stalemate and lifted the Wolves to a 7-0 lead.
Then, with 1:01 remaining on the clock in the first quarter, Little Miami responded with a 21-yard Gunnar Hoffman FG. The second quarter went back-and-forth, then, with just 24-seconds until halftime, WC QB Michael Corcoran found WR Hayden Jones who broke LM coverage and found pay dirt through the air with a 26-yard TD strike to send the visitors into the halftime intermission with a 14-3 cushion.
From there, both teams remained scoreless until the 3:19 mark in the game when West Clermont connected on a 24-yard TD pass from Bryson Earley to Hayden Jones to lift the Wolves to a 21-3 lead.
However, on the next series Little Miami wouldn't go away easily. QB Grant Maupin found WR Braden Bischoff for a 12-yard TD (kick failed) to make the score 21-9. Then, Little Miami converted the following onside kick and logged another TD with less than one minute to play.
For a second, Little Miami's second onside attempt appeared to give the Panthers one last breath of hope, but the referee signaled in West Clermont's direction and the Wolves would prevail 21-16 in the opening game of the ECC 2022 slate.
Top 5: QB Grant Maupin ranks at No. 5 in the ECC with 339 total offensive yards after two games. Two-way star DB Brayden Bischoff ranks at No. 2 with 19 total tackles, and DL Tristan Kornaker also makes the list at No. 2 in the ECC with two sacks in as many games.
Weather: Mostly cloudy with a 7-percent chance of precipitation and a daytime high of 86.
Unfamiliar Territory: Turpin enters Week 3 at 0-2 overall and 0-1 in the Eastern Cincinnati Conference. The last time the reeling Spartans started a season at 0-2 was in 2017 when they finished at 4-6.
2022 LMHS Football Gameday Guide: Week 3 vs. Turpin
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2022 THS Football and Cheer Roster
Video: Week 2 Highlights courtesy of LMHS Digital Media Arts
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