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HANOVERTON -- United’s football team sent a message to the rest of the Eastern Ohio Athletic Conference with its 56-7 win over Columbiana on Friday.
It was the largest margin of victory for the Eagles against Columbiana and it was the Clippers’ biggest margin of defeat since a 52-0 loss to Cadiz in 1989.
Eagle quarterback Tom Brown rushed for 127 yards on nine carries and two touchdowns including a 94-yard run in the first quarter to lead the way on offense. Brown also completed three of five passes for 51 yards and a touchdown.
The Eagles outgained the Clippers 330-89 in a first half that had United in front 42-0. The entire second half was played with a running clock with both teams using mostly back-ups.
Defending EOAC champion United (3-1 and 1-0 in the EOAC) extended its winning streak to seven against Columbiana (3-1 and 0-1 in the EOAC).
“We came out right from the get-go and got on them early,” United coach D.J. Ogilvie said. “Everything snowballed and we played very well tonight.”
United senior M’Kyan Haynes was impactful on both sides of the ball with 11 carries for 74 yards and a 31-yard interception return for a touchdown that had the Eagles up 28-0 with 1:09 left in the first quarter.
Columbiana came out passing early but ended up punting six times in the fist half as the Eagle defense wasn’t giving much ground. Columbiana starting quarterback Hayes McCoy had missed time earlier in the season due to an injury but was back against the Eagles. United almost intercepted McCoy several times in the first quarter before Haynes finally got the pick six.
“We knew they had been passing the ball over and over again, so I was just in my spot and D-line got pressure and he ended up throwing it to my spot. I went and got it and returned it with Wyatt Heaver in front of me,” Haynes said.
Haynes said that was his second interception return for a touchdown with the other coming last season against Southern.
“It was a great team effort tonight,” Haynes said. “We did our jobs and that is what we are coached to do.”
Columbiana had come into the game off to its best start since 2011, but quickly found itself in trouble with United firing in all phases of the game.
“They brought their A game and we maybe brought our D game,” Columbiana coach Bob Spaite said. “We could have caught some ball that would have made it closer but the ultimate result wasn’t going to change.”
In the first quarter, Brown scored on a 14-yard run to get the Eagles on the board. Austin Ceresna followed with a 13-yard run before Brown’s 94-yard run and Haynes’ interception return really put the Clippers on the ropes.
“That was a deal breaker,” Ogilvie said of Brown’s run. “Tommy Brown made a great run. You think when a team is pinned back on the 6-yard line, they think ‘Hey we have some field position.'”
In the second quarter, Haynes hit Kota Shasteen on a 19-yard touchdown pass to make it 35-0 and Rohan Kelly finished off the starters’ scoring with a 53-yard touchdown with 1:02 left in the half.
United freshman quarterback Nick Gruszecki showed promise in the second half with five carries for 78 yards and a touchdown as well as a crisp 19-yard pass on the sideline to his brother Jaxson Gruszecki. Brayson Fisher added three carries for 44 yards and a touchdown for the Eagles.
Clipper sophomore quarterback Carter Griffith hit Race Mediate on a 47-yard touchdown for Columbiana’s only score.
United will host Lisbon next Friday. Columbiana will host Woodmore next Friday. Woodmore is a replacement for Leetonia in the league schedule since the Bears opted to leave the EOAC last school year.