DANVILLE — The Blue Devils are scoring points at a historic rate.
Danville is 3-0 for the first time since 2017 thanks in no small part to an offense averaging 54.3 points a game. No team in the past 20-plus seasons, including the record-setting 2015 outfit, has scored more points to open a season.
The 2015 Blue Devils averaged 50.6 points a game en route to a regional championship. That team, coached by Ed Honabarger and led by Ridge Durbin, scored 142 points in its first three games. Honabarger’s 2001 and 2004 teams scored 154 points through three games.
Danville lost five All-Ohioans to graduation after reaching the regional championship game last fall. That group included Division VII Defensive Player of the Year Levi Lyons and first-teamers Kaiden Colopy and Max Payne.
The Blue Devils will head to Fredericktown on Friday to open KMAC play. It’s one of two all-Knox County clashes on the docket.
Danville (3-0) at Fredericktown (1-2): The Blue Devils pounded Fairfield Christian Academy 41-7 last week as quarterback Walker Weckesser completed 7-of-9 passes for 84 yards and three touchdowns. Running back Cole Delaughder rushed for 171 yards and a touchdown and caught a TD pass as the Blue Devils built a 41-0 halftime lead. Delaughder leads the KMAC in rushing with 390 yards and five TDs on 45 carries. Weckesser has completed a conference-best 66% of his passes for 227 yards and four TDs and rushed for 118 yards and four scores. He also leads the KMAC with a pair of interceptions, returning one for a touchdown. Josh Byers has a team-best 20 tackles, while Caleb Lucas is tied for the league lead with three sacks.
The Freddies are looking to rebound from last week’s 34-20 loss at Utica. Quarterback Blake Sipes has rushed for a team-high 231 yards and two touchdowns on 47 carries while completing 18-of-30 passes for 235 yards and three TDs. Running back Elijah Roush has rushed for 174 yards and a TD on 29 carries. Gavin Toombs has a team-high eight catches for 92 yards and two TDs. Cirk Parker ranks second in the KMAC with 37.5 tackles
Centerburg (1-2) at East Knox (1-2): The Trojans have lost two in a row for the first time since 2021 after last week’s 20-7 setback at Worthington Christian. Running back Caylan LeMaster has rushed for 229 yards and two touchdowns on 45 carries, while quarterback Jesse Rings has thrown for 180 yards and two TDs. Trevan Harris has 10 catches for 97 yards and a touchdown.
Like Centerburg, East Knox has dropped two in a row. The Bulldogs fell to Colonel Crawford 49-15 last week. Quarterback Jax Lester has completed 23-of-50 passes for 305 yards and two touchdowns, while running back Blake Elliott has rushed for 187 yards and three TDs on 26 carries. Bracen Davis is the KMAC leader with 12 receptions for 132 yards and two TDs. Defensively, Elliott leads the league with 45 tackles.
Lexington (1-2) at Mount Vernon (1-2): The Minutemen picked up their first win of the season, rallying for a 28-27 victory over Clear Fork. Receiver Brayden Fogle caught a pair of touchdown passes, including what proved to be the game-winning 35-yarder from quarterback and fellow sophomore Joe Caudill in the fourth quarter. Seven Allen, a transfer from Madison and another of Lex’s talented sophomores, caught a 93-yard touchdown pass from sophomore Markale Martin on a halfback pass on Lexington’s first play from scrimmage in the second half. Martin also rushed for a 3-yard TD.
The Yellow Jackets couldn’t get anything going in a 42-0 loss to undefeated Delaware Hayes, as the Pacers built a 28-0 halftime lead. Mount Vernon gave up 280 yards and four touchdowns through the air. Mount Vernon is looking for its first win over Lexington since opening the pandemic-altered 2020 season with a 14-0 victory at Lex. Jonny Askew is one of the most exciting players in the Ohio Cardinal Conference. Jake Taylor had seven tackles and a sack in the loss to Hayes.