Collaboration
Statistical information from the game in this article was provided by Kris Mowry, Brandon Wells and Tony Van Duyne with the Ashland Arrows Broadcasting Network hosted by YouTube.
MARION – One season after playing to a scoreless halftime tie against Marion Harding, the Ashland football team ratcheted up its offense to the max Friday night in a 53-29 rout of the Presidents.
The Arrows (2-0) posted four touchdowns that covered at least 65 yards apiece – two of those on a breakout night from sophomore Killian O’Brien.
It was an explosion of offense that helped them score 50-plus points for the first time since a 56-13 pummeling of Madison in 2017.
“After two games we’ve had a lot of big plays and guys have made some good catches and runs,” Ashland head coach Scott Valentine said. “(Junior quarterback Nathan Bernhard) has put the ball on them and we’re (showing explosiveness), but we’ve got to do it for the full season.”
“The year of experience Nate had really has benefited him, along with the hard work he and a lot of the other guys put in in the offseason.”
Bernhard accounted for six total touchdowns, throwing for five and running in another. He finished 16-of-24 passing for 384 yards, hitting O’Brien on scores of 66, 65 and 26 yards – all in the first half.
The sophomore, who had 10 yards on four catches in Week 1, went for 161 yards on four receptions Friday night and added a first-half interception to his totals.
O’Brien’s output keyed AHS to a 39-14 halftime lead and helped the squad bring home the game’s Erie Bell traveling trophy.
“He played a little defense last year for us and we knew he had the skills offensively to contribute there, too,” Valentine said. “He had a big night on both sides of the ball.”
Senior Michael Franz scored long touchdowns on the ground (66 yards) and through the air (70 yards) while junior Dakota Kruty found the end zone from 76 yards away on his lone catch of the night.
Junior Gabe Baith was the workhorse of the receiving unit with eight catches for 67 yards and his brother, sophomore Greyson Baith, scored on a 10-yard run.
Senior Gavin Hoffman added another interception for the Ashland defense, his second in two games.
Ashland senior Liam Gertel led the Arrows with multiple sacks on a night during which AHS spent plenty of time in the Presidents’ backfield.
Last year at home against Marion Harding (1-1), the Arrows had to hold on for a 14-6 win.
Friday was plenty different, and the Arrows are 2-0 for the second straight season.
“I didn’t think I called a very good game last year against them and it put us in some tough situations early,” Valentine said. “I felt that with our passing game and Nate throwing the ball, we could take advantage of them man-to-man tonight.”
Ashland has won its first two road games for the first time since 2020. And after going 1-5 on the road last year, it’s a welcome turnaround thus far.
“I think you build confidence when you get some road wins,” Valentine said. “But there are lots of little things we’ll learn from this week.”
Ashland finally cracks open its home schedule in Week 3 when it welcomes the Linsly Cadets (0-1) from Wheeling, W.Va. The Arrows will be featuring their first-ever Military Appreciation Night.
Linsly was shut out in its season-opener Thursday against Westinghouse (Pa.), 52-0, and has additional Ohio schools on its schedule this season that include St. Francis DeSales, New Philadelphia, Steubenville and Dover.
