by Right from the get-go you could tell this game was gonna be dictated by the Highland Hornets.
In what was their last game against the Copley Indians after playing them every year since 1976 (except for the COVID season), Highland improves to 5-0 with a thorough and convincing win over 42-9. It is the second year in a row the Hornets are 5-0 and the third time in the last four seasons. Copley meanwhile goes to 3-2 and 1-1 in American Conference play and suffers their largest loss of the 2025 season.
The first three plays from either team were Dane Wininger incompletions for Copley, and after a good return by Highland’s Luke Gerding, Highland was at the Indians 42 yard line. Two plays later, senior quarterback Grady Gibb fired a 40 yard touchdown strike to Jake Weber. On the next drive, Wininger threw an interception to Kallen Whitling. The Hornets made sure Copley would regret it when Casey Myser punched in a touchdown, the first of three for him that night.
The Indians looked like they were finally going to figure it out when they converted two fourth down and short situations. But on their third fourth down and 15th play of the drive, Wininger’s scramble did not get enough. Again the Hornets scored when Myser on the next play dashed right and ran it from 63 yards for a touchdown. After another Copley punt, Highland got another touchdown drive, this time being a punch up the middle by Dylan Lazar.
Oh yeah, this all happened during the first quarter.
In the second quarter, Highland had three drives and got a touchdown on two of them. One of them being another run by Myser, getting him to 11 total on the season. The other being a great catch in the corner by Weber to extend the lead to 42-0. On the final drive, the typically reliable Jonah Kowza missed a knuckling kick to the right to take the game to halftime.
The Indians would finally get on the board when an awry snap on a punt led to a safety. Their first touchdown came via a Wininger touchdown to end the third. The Hornets took care of business by milking out most of the clock in the fourth and winning 42-9.
Highland will return to home to take on the Tallmadge Blue Devils next Friday, and Copley goes to Veterans Stadium next week to play the Aurora Greenmen.
