Bellevue falls 27-7 to Div. IV power Shelby

SHELBY — Each week presents a new challenge for Bellevue and second-year head coach Alex Shepherd. After beating Route 20 rival Clyde and then Wauseon, Week 3 featured a measuring-stick matchup for the Redmen. That challenge featured the defending Division IV state runner-up and defending two-time Mid-Ohio Athletic Conference champion Shelby, which last year defeated Bellevue 49-6 at the Bellevue Athletic Complex. Even after losing Mr. Ohio runner-up Brayden DeVito, the Whippets brought back Shelby's all-time receiving leader Brady Bowman and running back Gavin Baker. Brady Bowman made his mark in Friday's game with a receiving touchdown as well as a punt return touchdown. "I am blessed to play with a team full of great players, but even better people," Bowman said. "My guys stepped up even down Michael (Shepherd) tonight." The Whippets (3-0) were without starting quarterback Michael Shepherd, who was out with mononucleosis. Before Friday night, the gunslinger was 27 for 35 for 431 yards and five touchdowns. The Redmen (2-1) did not know about Shepherd not playing until warmups. "They have a lot of capable players so nothing really changed tonight in our game plan," Shepherd said. "It benefited us in some ways, but the guy who came in did a good job." Starting in his first varsity game for Shelby was Branson Reed, who shared snaps with Hayden Duval. In the first quarter, both teams struggled to move the ball until late in the quarter when an Ike Brown pass was intercepted by Reed at Shelby's 45-yard line. After Gavin Baker got the ball into Bellevue territory, Reed found Bowman, who fought through the defensive coverage for a 37-yard touchdown. Entering the contest, the only points the Whippets had given up this season was a fumble return as they had outscored their opponents 102-6. The stingy Whippets defense kept that up as it kept the Redmen scoreless throughout the first half. During the second quarter, Bellevue got a fourth down stop at the 27-yard line, then a drive later blocked a field goal to head into halftime down 7-0. In the second half, the opening kickoff was fumbled by the Redmen, but Bellevue got a fumble of its own on the ensuing kickoff. After going three and out, Bowman made his mark on the game again returning the ensuing punt 67 yards to make the score 14-0. "I am just super proud of my guys," Bowman said. "I almost cried after the game because I am that proud of my teammates and how we fought in this game." In the fourth quarter, the Whippets found the scoreboard behind a 21-yard screen pass from third-string quarterback Hayden Duval, who found Luke Blevins. The Redmen showed some fight as Brown hooked up with Cooper Winke on a fourth down pass to make the score 20-6. A Zach Moses extra point made the game 20-7. Shelby wrapped up the scoring as Gavin Baker found the end zone from six yards. "That is a really good team," Shepherd said. "We knew they had a really good defense and tonight definitely proved that." Bellevue will turn its focus to its third road game in as many weeks as they travel to Norwalk (0-3) in a Northern Ohio Conference crossover game. "We just got to get some things fixed," Shepherd said. "Our defense gave us a shot but we need to play clean complimentary football." Bellevue 0 0 0 7 — 7 Shelby 7 0 7 13 — 27 S — Brady Bowman 37 pass from Branson Reed (Everett Harris kick) S — Bowman 67 punt return (Harris kick) S — Luke Blevins 21 pass from Hayden Duval (kick failed) B — Cooper Winke 21 pass from Ike Brown (Zach Moses kick) S — Gavin Baker 6 run (Harris kick)