BELLEVUE — The big play hurt Galion multiple times on Friday night, as the Tigers saw their season end in week 11. Bellevue hosted Galion in the first round of Division IV, Region 14 playoffs, and is moving on after a 40-9 victory.
“I focused on just how grateful I am for this team and these kids, all the stuff we have been through this year,” Galion head coach Matt Dick explained. “It’s a really, really special group. I’m going to miss time with them.”
Galion’s season ends at 6-5, which is not a bad spot at all with what this team endured this year. Just four seniors dressed in week 11, so the future is bright.
“There many of times where we could have ranked and went 2-8 or even worse, these kids just battled,” Dick spoke.
Galion ran 75 plays for 286 yards, while Bellevue needed just 36 plays to put together 412 total yards of offense. That just goes to show the chunk yards that Bellevue often picked up.
Ashton Martin was not the Bellevue quarterback to start the season but injuries happened and he was relied upon in week 11. Martin needed just six completions to throw for 246 yards and two scores.
“Hats off to that kid for making some big time throws,” Dick said.
Martin’s top target was Tyler Ray, who brought in three passes for 160 yards.
Galion’s quarterback Braxton Prosser was 16-of-29 and threw for 111 yards. Prosser threw one interception and rushed for 78 yards.
Gabe Ivy scored a 42-yard touchdown for Galion, their only score of the game. The Redmen held Ivy in check besides that, he finished with 83 yards on 21 totes.
Elijah Chafin was Prosser’s favorite target. Chafin caught seven passes (season-high) for 67 receiving yards.
The Tigers got a pretty good field position from an opening Bellevue punt. On that opening drive, the Tigers got a 32-yard field goal from kicker Jackson Hart. Hart was 1-for-3 on field goal attempts.
“Defensively I thought they (Bellevue) were really physical. When I watched film it wasn’t like they did some great defense or anything like that. It comes back to blocking and tackling and that type of stuff.”
The Redmen (7-4) wasted no time and answered quickly on a three-yard carry by Seth Bova. Brody Horn opened the second quarter with a short touchdown run to give his team a 14-3 lead. Horn led in the rushing category on Friday night with 107 yards on 20 carries.
Martin hit Ray for a 52-yard score to give Bellevue a 20-3 advantage at halftime.
Ivy’s 42-yard touchdown run looked to give Galion a nice spark to start the second half, but Bellevue had a response.
Ashton Martin hit Jackson Martin for a 13-yard strike to make it a three-possession game again.
Horn scored a 23-yard rushing touchdown early in the fourth. Then, it was a 51-yard exclamation point of a run by Bova to end this one. The running clock took over with 5:23 left and the time quickly evaporated.
Bellevue will play Cleveland Glenville next week. Glenville defeated Napoleon 46-8, in the opening round of the playoffs.
