Eagles make case for top seed in playoffs withwin

BROOKVILLE — Unlike basketball, high school football teams usually don’t have to construct resumes toimpress voters for postseason seeding. This year is unique. So is Bellbrook’s football team.

With one game remaining in2020’s shortenedsix-game regular season, Bellbrook continued to make its case for the top spot in Division III, Region 12 with a 42-21 win Friday over host Brookville in a meeting of Southwestern Buckeye League Southwestern Division unbeatens. Coaches vote on seeding for the playoffs Tuesday and Wednesday. Brackets will be released Thursday. Higher seeded teams can host playoff games through the regional finals.

“Iwould hope (we get the No. 1 seed),” Bellbrook coach Jeff Jenkins said. “I think our resume speaks for itself. We’vehadsomeveryimpressive wins against some very impressive teams.”

Ranked No. 2 in the Associated PressDivision III state poll, Bellbrook ( 5- 0, 4- 0) notched another key win by outscoring the Blue Devils 28-0 in the second quarter and forcing five turnovers in the game. Ranked No. 10 in the state in D-V, Brookville (4-1, 3-1) outscoredBellbrook 14-7 in the second half.

The Eagles havewon 10 of the last 11 against Brookville, including five straight. Itwas the fourth straight game in the series that Bellbrook scored 41 points or more.

It was also the last time the two will face off for a league title. Having played annually since 1975, they will be in different SWBL divisions next year due to re-alignment.

“At halftime I told ( the kids) they were going to define themselves in the second half,” Brookville coach MikeHetrick said. “They did everything we asked.”

The game featured the SWBL’s top two defenses and offenses.

Bellbrook entered having allowed 21 points, while Brookville had yielded 23. The Eagles had scored 152 points and the Blue Devils 119.

Bellbrook scored28 points in the final 7:27 of the secondfor a 35-7 halftime advantage. The Eagles scored on a 22-yard run by Jonah Atchison, a 35-yardpass fromAlex Westbrock to Ethan Fryman, a4-yardrunbySethBorondy and a 55-yard fumble return by Nick Cumpston.

Brookville opened the third quarterwith a 10-play drive that ended with a fourth- down interception at the Eagles’ 1-yard line. Three plays laterBrookville’s Dylan Starnes hit Bellbrook quarterback AlexWestbrock in the end zone and forced a fumble that teammate Trevor Lockard recovered for a touchdown.

Bellbrook responded with a 10-play drive that resulted in a 1-yard Borondy touchdown run.