High School Football: Badin Buries McNicholas 48-6

HAMILTON — The cold rain did not dampen Badin High School’s efforts to win the final football game of the regular season Friday night.

The Rams celebrated their first victory over visiting McNicholas since 2011, a 48-6 triumph that put an exclamation point on their Greater Catholic League Coed Central Division championship.

“It was awesome,” said Badin senior halfback Davon Starks, who carried the ball 12 times for 129 yards and two touchdowns. “Our offensive line did a great job tonight. They opened up some holes and allowed us to run into open space and do what we do.”

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Badin, 7-3 overall and 5-2 in the GCLC, is headed for the playoffs for the first time since 2015. The Rams are apparently traveling to Vandalia Butler (6-4) for a Division III, Region 12 opener next Friday, though the official Ohio High School Athletic Association pairings will be released Sunday.

“Everything just went right for us tonight,” said Badin coach Nick Yordy, who received a Gatorade shower from his players. “But we have to focus for next week. It’s going to be a whole new level of competition from here on out.”

The Rams did almost all their offensive damage on the ground as quarterback Zach Switzer was just 1-of-2 through the air.

McNick (1-9, 0-7) started the game with a nice drive that ended when the Rams’ Alex DeLong blocked a field-goal attempt. The visitors wouldn’t score until Andrew Cox hit Nick Clark for a 7-yard touchdown on a slant pattern with 6:52 left in the game.

Badin tallied three touchdowns in the opening quarter, runs by Switzer and DeLong along with a 41-yard interception return by Marshall Flaig, who also had a fumble recovery.

Starks marked his TDs and Ben Grawe added a scoring run in the second period to make it 42-0 at the break. Peter Clemmons notched a 1-yard touchdown in the third quarte.

This is the Rockets’ worst season since going 1-9 in 1995. They had won the last six Central titles, sharing it with the Rams in 2015.

McNicholas 0-0-0-6—6

Badin 21-21-6-0—48

B: Zach Switzer 1 run (Luke VanSteenkiste kick)

B: Marshall Flaig 41 interception return (VanSteenkiste kick)

B: Alex DeLong 31 run (VanSteenkiste kick)

B: Davon Starks 12 run (VanSteenkiste kick)

B: Starks 49 run (VanSteenkiste kick)

B: Ben Grawe 3 run (VanSteenkiste kick)

B: Peter Clemmons 1 run (Kick failed)

M: Nick Clark 7 pass from Andrew Cox (Run failed)