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KIRTLAND, Ohio – As the high school football season winds towards the halfway point, week five gives a key look as to how teams match up for the second half of the season.
The Kirtland Hornets shutout the Wickliffe Blue Devils 55-0 at Rogers Field on Friday (Sept. 27), for the fourth shutout in five games.
On both sides of the ball, Kirtland was powerful in the contest. The offense scored on all six possessions while the Kirtland defense forced five turnovers with three interceptions and two fumbles over the course of the game.
Luke Gardner scored three touchdowns with two rushing and one receiving for Kirtland. He scored on the second play of the game on a 55-yard TD run. In the second quarter, he busted off a 44-yard touchdown run that put the Hornets up 28-0. Just before halftime, he caught a 48-yard touchdown pass from Liam Powers.
Gardner finished with 170 rushing on 11 carries with two touchdowns. He also caught three passes for 83 yards with his third TD of the night.
Mason Sullivan had three touchdown runs of under 15-yards in the game. In the first quarter, he scored from two yards and 14 yards. His second quarter score was from 11-yards away.
M. Sullivan scored three times after running the ball 13 times for a total of 92 yards.
Mason Rus added a one-yard TD run and Gage Sullivan took a 44-yard interception return back to the house for the final score of the night.
Powers threw for 117 yards on five passes with one passing touchdown for Kirtland.
G. Sullivan, Anthony DeMarco and Joey Grazia each had interceptions while DeMarco and Louie Loncar each forced fumbles on the Hornets defense.
Kirtland’s offense totaled 494 yards of offense with 377 rushing yards and 117 through the air. Wickliffe finished with 174 yards of offense on 111 rushing yards and 63 passing yards.
For Wickliffe, Evan Rypinski was five-of-15 for 48 yards and three interceptions. Chase Fortkamp accounted for 61 yards on 14 carries.
Through five games, Kirtland has outscored teams 179-7. Friday’s game set a season-high in points scored.
The Hornets will travel to Middlefield next week to face Cardinal while the Blue Devils will host the Beachwood Bison.
