Tipp City came into the big football showdown with Tecumseh standing tall at 7-0, but some people wondered how good they really were. It took a last second score to beat Greenville this season, and a missed extra point to survive against Milton Union. Tecumseh turned a fumble into a touchdown midway through the fourth quarter, but the Red Devils survived to win their eighth straight game, 34-24 over the Arrows, who fell to 5-3 on the season.
Tipp came out and immediately went on a 13-play drive to open the game, mixing the pass with the run, and when Cameron Johnson scored from three yards out with 7:00 left in the opening period, the Red Devils took a quick 7-0 lead.
Both teams exchanged punts before Tecumseh came back with possession at their own 35. Tipp held them to a three-and-out, but when the Arrows went to punt, Matt Owens had the clean block, setting up another Tipp score. Ben Hughes found Jacob Hall from 25 yards out, and the Red Devils pushed their lead to 13-0.
Tecumseh came back with a solid drive of their own, highlighted by a 32 yard pass from Tony Evans to Jimmy Rowland, sending the Arrows inside the Tipp five yard line. Jeremy Herdman then put Tecumseh on the board with a three yard run, cutting the deficit to 13-7. After both teams exchanged punts, Tipp came back and increased their lead. After converting on a pair of third downs in the drive, Hughes hit Johnson with a 31 yard strike in the end zone, and the visiting Red Devils took a 20-7 lead.
Right before the half, the Arrows cut into the Tipp lead when Jeff Helt connected on a 27 yard field goal as time expired, and the Red Devils maintained the lead at the half 20-10.
Tecumseh’s defense did their job in the third, stopping the Red Devils on a fourth down inside the 10 yard line, which set up their offense to go on a 15-play drive, ending with a six yard touchdown run by Derek Riffell, and pulling the Arrows to within three, 20-17 early in the fourth period..
Tipp scored to push their lead to 27-17, but the Arrows wouldn’t go away, as they recovered a fumble deep in Tipp territory, and Evans plunged in from one yard out, pulling the Arrows to within 27-24. Their onside kick failed, and Tipp drove down and scored to seal the victory for the Red Devils. Tecumseh (5-3) travels to Bellefontaine on Friday for a 7:30 contest.