Willard falls to Port Clinton

WILLARD — The Willard football team was no match for visiting Port Clinton in Friday's SBC Bay Division game at Flashes Field. The Redskins (7-1, 3-0 Bay) cruised to a 49-7 victory over the host Crimson Flashes (0-8, 0-3). Cam Gillum threw for five touchdowns, two of them to senior wideout Josh Hurst, while the Port Clinton defense put on a clinic, shutting out Willard until late in the game. Gillum rarely faced pressure from the Flashes' defense and was able to operate with ease thanks to the stout Redskins line. Entering Week 8 averaging 49 points per game, there was no question Port Clinton had one of the SBC's premiere offenses. Coincidentally, on the other side, Willard's defense was allowing 49.6 points per game. And while the Redskins offensive unit is strong, it doesn't take away from their defense. Since a season-opening 49-44 shootout versus high-powered Bellevue (7-1), Port Clinton had allowed 8.6 points per game in six games heading into Friday's game. Some matchups can expose statistics as misleading. Friday was not one of those nights. Willard got inside the Port Clinton 30-yard line twice in the first quarter, but couldn't penetrate the red zone, missing a long field goal and turning it over on downs. Gillum and Hurst wasted no time showing off Port Clinton's offensive firepower through the air. After the missed Willard field goal, the Redskins went on a 10-play, 70-yard drive to go up 7-0. A 39-yard sideline jump ball from Gillum to Hurst put them in scoring position. A 13-yard out route by Hurst got them in the end zone. On the next drive, the Port Clinton running game got involved, but not in a traditional manner. The team's leading receiver, Tyler Webb, took the ball out of the backfield and cut to the sideline through a sea of crimson jerseys for 52 yards, extending the lead to two scores with 8:56 to play in the half. After a muffed kickoff by Flashes standout running back Dario Lopez, Port Clinton had another rushing touchdown eight seconds later. Gillum threw for two more TDs before the half ended, a sideline toss to Hurst and an end zone floater to junior tight end Adam Thorbahn. Willard visits Oak Harbor (4-3, 1-1) next week before closing out the regular season at home against Vermilion (1-7, 0-3). Willard 0 0 0 7 — 7P. Clinton 7 28 14 0 — 49 PC — Josh Hurst 13 pass from Cam Gillum (Andrew Hanson kick)PC — Tyler Webb 52 run (Hanson kick)PC — Garrett Cornell 7 run (Hanson kick)PC — Hurst 28 pass from Gillum (Hanson kick)PC — Adam Thorbahn 8 pass from Gillum (Hanson kick)PC — Owen Auxter 20 pass from Gillum (Hanson kick)PC — Deagan Meyers 7 run (Hanson kick)W — Carson Cinniger 5 pass from Cam Robinson (Luke Stein kick)