On paper, Edinburgh’s final home game of the regular season was a mismatch. Anyone present at the game did not need paper to know it, as Class A No. 5 North Decatur blasted the winless Lancers 82-0.
The loss was the Lancers’ 11th consecutive dating back to last season and worst since an 86-0 defeat at Indian Creek in the 2010 opener.
But positives can still be taken from this game and season.
“A lot of our young guys have gotten a lot of reps,” Edinburgh coach Tyler DeSpain said. “We’re at 12 seniors, but eight of them are out and I think we lost a couple more (tonight). At one time we had nine freshmen and sophomores out there. That’s just life of 1A football sometimes.”
For North Decatur (7-1), the positives were plenty. It was the team’s sixth straight win and first shutout. Included in that win total was one over 4A Connersville.
It was also the second consecutive game the Chargers scored 50 or more points.
“North Decatur is a state title contender, and they have a great program,” DeSpain said. “Our kids fought. Not one player gave up, and they are excited and want to play football.”
The Chargers had two defensive scores, and two special team touchdowns on a punt and kickoff return in addition to their eight offensive touchdowns. Eight different players scored.
North Decatur only ran four plays in going up 27-0. Junior Corbin Thackery had the big night and started off the proceedings with a 46-yard punt return for a touchdown.
After an Owen Eldridge 9-yard touchdown run, Thackery’s older brother Cohen scored on a 14-yard fumble return. Just 10 seconds and one play later, 280-pound defensive tackle Kayden Scudder recovered another Lancer fumble and rumbled in 20 yards for the score.
The younger Thackery scored three more times on runs of 26 and 37 yards and had a 56-yard kickoff return to open the second half, while Eldridge scored a second touchdown on a 34-yard run. Also scoring for the Chargers were Simon Barber, Mason Morris, Hayden Koehne and Brayden Yeager.
Thackery ended up with 105 yards on six carries and the Chargers had 343 yards total.
North Decatur’s defense was just as impressive, giving up only 23 total yards to Edinburgh (0-8).
“It sucks losing like this,” DeSpain said, “but it’s also an eye-opener to us as a coaching staff, to our players, the community and the administration. It goes from top to bottom. That’s how you change programs around. From top to bottom.”
Week 9 sees Edinburgh traveling to Park Tudor.
