SOUTH MADISON COUNTY — Lapel had its opponent change, but it got the outcome it wanted in the season opener on its new synthetic turf field on Friday.
The Bulldogs were originally scheduled to play Madison County foe Elwood in the Aug. 21 lid-lifter, but EHS officials announced two days prior to the game the Panthers were going to have to cancel.
Hamilton Heights, a Class 3A school, was the Game 1 foe but proved to be no match for the Class 2A Bulldogs.
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Lapel christened its new digs 42-19 as junior quarterback Brennan Stow threw four touchdown passes — to four different receivers — and rushed for another score in the win.
Stow completed 13-of-22 passes for 197 yards. Tanner Mroz, Hayden LeClerc, Parker Allman and Caden Eicks were all on the receiving end of six-pointers. Running back Tyler Dollar ran for 173 yards and added a rushing touchdown.
It was the first time Lapel had played Hamilton Heights.
Its opponent this week will be very familiar.
Lapel (1-0) will travel to rival Frankton (0-1) for a 7 p.m. Friday kickoff. The Eagles lost 12-6 loss at Tri-Central last week.
Lapel would like to keep a lengthy winning streak alive against its corporation comrades. The Bulldogs have won nine straight versus the Eagles. Frankton’s last win was in 2012, the first season for current Lapel coach Tim Miller.
Along with seven regular-season wins, the Bulldogs have twice ended the Eagles’ season in sectional play.
The game is the first of three straight scheduled to be played on the road. Lapel does not return for a home game until a Sept. 18 date against Cardinal Ritter.
Lapel isn’t the only South Madison County school coming off a big season-opening win.
Pendleton Heights won in impressive fashion against a Mississinewa squad it had split with during the last two seasons.
The Arabians shut out the Indians, 27-0, in Gas City on Friday. Pendleton Heights lost, at home, 26-21 last season after beating the Indians 31-30 in 2018.
Like the Bulldogs, the Arabians offense was led by a junior quarterback. Luke Candiano was Pendleton Heights’ leading rusher with 78 yards and a touchdown. He also completed 12-of-16 passes for 117 yards and another score.
Tyler McKinley, one of few veterans returning to the receiving corps, had seven catches for 89 yards and a touchdown.
As expected, seniors Luke Bays, DeMarco Cooley and Caden McClain led the Arabians defense. Bays and Cooley each had two sacks. McClain had 2.5 tackles for loss.
It was Pendleton Heights’ first shutout since a 50-0 win against Greenfield-Central on Sept. 7, 2018.
Also like the Bulldogs, the Arabians will open the home portion of their season on a new artificial turf gridiron. County rival Anderson will be the opponent on refurbished John Broughton Field.
The Arabians have beaten Anderson four straight years, each of the previous seasons under fifth-year head coach Jed Richman.
Anderson lost 48-0 to Yorktown last week.