Niles runs past Edwardsburg 49-0, sets new school scoring record

Published 11:41 pm Friday, October 6, 2023

By Ryan Haines

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NILES — Host Niles dominated the trenches as it ran all over Edwardsburg 49-0 during homecoming at Viking Stadium Friday night.

Junior Paul Hess (17 rushes for 156 yards) and senior Julian Means-Flewellen (7 rushes for 117 yards) led the way for a Vikings offense that overwhelmed the Eddies 358-130 in total yards.

“Our coaches did a great job in preparing us for this game,” Hess said. “The line did a great job, and I couldn’t have done anything without them tonight.”

Edwardsburg (3-4; 3-2 Wolverine Conference) struggled to move the ball, turning the ball over on downs four times throughout the game and starting their first drive on a three-and-out. The Vikings then took three plays on their first possession to go up 7-0 on a Talon Brawley 12-yard run.

In fact, Niles (6-1; 5-0 Wolverine Conference) would score on its next six possessions. Brawley would quarterback sneak for a touchdown, and also find sophomore Brenden Olsen on 11-yard TD pass.

“Brenden did a great job getting open,” Brawley said. “Our offensive line did a good job with the protection, and they continue to get after it. Plus handing the ball off to the three-headed monster of Hess, Means-Flewellen, and Sam Rucker makes our offense explosive.”

Hess not only led the team in rushing yards, but also has three touchdowns on the night.

Means-Flewellen took the opening handoff in the second half 65 yards to the house to break the game open 36-0.

“I just saw the hole and the offensive line did great job,” Means-Flewellen said about the score. “Growing up, Niles wasn’t anything in football and now it feels so good to change that culture in my senior year.”

Niles fell just short of scoring 50 points for the sixth time in seven games. However, they did set a single-season points record at 335 with two games to go, topping their 321-mark last season. The Vikings have now won 11-of-13 games while averaging 45.2 points per game.

The last time Niles notched back-to-back shutouts was 1979 when it beat Portage Central 31-0 and Portage Northern 21-0. Niles dropped a goose egg on Vicksburg 50-0 last week.

“We had a pretty good game plan for Edwardsburg,” Niles Head Coach Scot Shaw said. “We have been fortunate, and our kids have bought in. They do not take anything lightly in practice or games.”

Niles will travel to Plainwell Friday night and then host fifth-ranked Paw Paw in what could be the Wolverine Conference championship the following Friday.

The loss drops Edwardsburg to 3-4, putting their streak of 13 straight years in the playoffs in jeopardy. It’s the most losses since they finished their 2012 campaign at 6-4.  That’s also the last season in which the Eddies have lost back-to-back conference games, at the hands of Dowagiac and Paw Paw.

Together with the 35-0 loss to Paw Paw last week, this is the first time since 1988 when the Eddies have been shutout in back-to-back games. That year Edwardsburg was blanked by Buchanan, River Valley, Cassopolis and Berrien Springs.

“They [Niles] have a good mix of size and strength up front,” Edwardsburg Head Coach Dan Purlee said. “We got beat in every area and that is a tough offense to defend. We knew they were going to be tough. I told the guys after that game that we need to stay together, and we have two winnable games coming up.”

Edwardsburg will host Vicksburg Friday night for homecoming and then travel to Sturgis the following week, looking to end the season at 5-4 with a chance of making the playoffs.

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