CINCINNATI – Moeller (Cincinnati, Ohio) running back Tucker Skove may not have run for as many yards as celebrated Wayne (Huber Heights, Ohio) quarterback Braxton Miller, but Skove did run for more TDs.
And that’s why Moeller escaped with the win.
Skove scored five touchdowns, including the game-winner, to lead Moeller to a 35-28 comeback win over Wayne on ESPNU Sunday night in the final game of the ESPN RISE High School Football Kickoff.
Skove, who had 656 yards and nine touchdowns on 102 carries last year, finished with career highs in carries (32), yards (151) and touchdown runs (four). He also caught six passes for 69 yards and another score.
“Tucker is a leader,” Moeller coach John Rodenberg said. “He gave the halftime speech, and they rally around him because he is tough.”
After Moeller fell behind 28-14 at halftime, Skove scored three second-half touchdowns to complete the comeback. He scored on Moeller’s first two possessions after halftime, then his 1-yard run with five seconds left culminated a 66-yard drive that clinched it.
“It was all about getting it in there one more time,” Skove said. “We did whatever we had to do to get this win.”
Miller, the No. 2 quarterback in the ESPNU 150, rushed for a career-high 212 yards. Unfortunately for him, 206 of those yards and all three of his touchdowns came on 13 first-half carries. The Ohio State recruit managed just six yards on 11 carries in the second half.
Miller also completed 7-of-12 passes for 39 yards and an interception.
“It stings,” Wayne coach Jay Minton said. “It stings because it shows we should be up there playing with those guys. But in order to be up there, you’ve got to beat them.”
Miller ran for more than 100 yards for the third time of his career. The other two times came against archrival Centerville (Centerville, Ohio).
TOTAL YARDS
The teams combined for 756 total yards, with Moeller accounting for 461. Talk about balance – the Crusaders had 234 yards on the ground and 227 through the air.
LOOKING AHEAD
Wayne will appear on ESPNU again next week as part of the Herbstreit National Kickoff Classic. The Warriors play McKinley (Canton, Ohio) at 3:30 p.m. on Sunday at Ohio State’s Ohio Stadium.
Moeller faces Hamilton (Hamilton, Ohio) next Saturday.
QUOTABLE
“We can’t rely so much on Braxton Miller. We have 10 other guys on the field and weapons at other places. We have to distribute the ball better. In the first half, he played well. In the second half, he had everybody keying on him. That makes it pretty tough.” – Minton
