DANVILLE — Aidan Burke and his Danville teammates spoiled Ed Honabarger’s homecoming on Homecoming night.
Burke, a 5-foot-9, 220-pound hammer, had a key interception and rumbled for 4-yard touchdown as the Blue Devils blanked Honabarger’s Loudonville Redbirds 22-0 on a sloppy night at Tough Street Stadium.
Honabarger returned to Danville for the first time since taking over at Loudonville in May. He was the Blue Devils head coach for 16 years before stepping down after the 2019 season.
“I haven’t been on the visitor’s sideline since I was in high school and we scrimmaged here my junior year in 1985,” said Honabarger, a graduate of West Lafayette Ridgewood High School in Coshocton County. “It was really, really weird.”
Remnants of Hurricane Helene rolled through the area not long before the 7 p.m. kickoff, the deluge turning the field into a muddy mess. Those conditions suited Burke just fine.
“I like playing in conditions like this,” said Burke, who overcame an early fumble. “The one thing I need to work on is protecting the ball. We talked about it all week because we knew there was a good chance we’d be playing in the rain.
“The ball was slippery, but I’m not making any excuses. I have to take better care of the ball.”
Burke’s fumble gave the Redbirds the ball at the Danville 18-yard line, but the senior, who moonlights as a linebacker, intercepted a Loudonville pass near his own goal line and returned it to the Danville 24 early in the second quarter.
Fifteen plays and 76 yards later, Burke capped the drive with a 4-yard plunge. The drive took more than 9:30 off the clock and, after Burke’s two-point conversion run, Danville led 8-0 with 32 seconds to play in the half.
“This was definitely an Aidan Burke game, especially when he started to secure the ball after the fumble,” Danville coach Matt Blum said. “It’s easy to say, ‘Why are you fumbling?’ Well, it’s hard to hold onto the ball when it’s muddy and raining.
“He’s a heck of a kid. I’m glad he’s on our side.”
Loudonville (0-6, 0-3) recovered an onside kick to start the second half and moved the ball to the Danville 32, but quarterback Dilan Wade’s fourth-down pass intended for Collin Caley fell incomplete and the Blue Devils took possession with 8:36 to play in the third.
Danville (4-2, 2-1) took advantage of the Loudonville turnover, marching 68 yards on eight plays. Quarterback Jacob Hackman capped it when he hooked up with Wesley Payne on an 18-yard scoring strike to make it 14-0 with 4:27 to play in the period.
“We forced a couple of turnovers, but we didn’t take advantage of them,” Honabarger said. “Then, when we made a mistake, they were able to capitalize.”
Danville sealed it early in the fourth quarter after another Loudonville turnover on downs. Hackman scored on a 23-yard QB keeper on fourth-and-three to make it 22-0.
Danville was coming off a 41-6 loss at Northmor.
“We definitely had to bounce back after last week,” Burke said. “We got punched right in the mouth and we had to punch back. We’re back on track now.”
While he never served on Honabarger’s coaching staff, Blum understands what Honabarger means to the program and the community.
“He accomplished so much here. He set the foundation for this program,” Blum said. “Ed’s son coached with us the last two years.
“Even though I never coached with him, I know all about him. I couldn’t ask for a better mentor.”
