Oak Hills 32, Princeton 19

When the going gets tough give your best player the ball and that’s just what Oak Hills (3-2, 1-1) head coach, Dan Scholz did in Friday night’s come from behind win over Princeton (0-5, 0-2). Down 13-0 in the first quarter the Highlanders called on junior running back, Demarco Ruffin to carry the load and he answered the call brilliantly.

Ruffin carried the ball 37 times for a career high 313 yards rushing. He also total another 115 yards on a reception one kickoff and one punt return. He would finish one tired but happy Highlander with 428 all-purpose yards in the contest.

Down by two scores Oak Hills would take their first lead on a Liam Sallquist three yard run midway through the second quarter. Sallquist would also throw for a career high two touchdowns in the affair.

The Vikings would retake the lead when quarterback Tyrell Gilbert sprint 33-yards for a score less than a minute before halftime making it, 19-14 Vikings. Gilbert finished the evening with 105 yards rushing and 152 more with two touchdowns through the air.

Princeton would not sniff the end zone after intermission as the Oak Hills defense clamped down and the ground game dominated the clock on offense. The Highlanders used the ball control strategy to their favor with Ruffin as he set up a Sallquist to Matt Elliott touchdown toss three minutes after break. He would close out the scoring on the next to last play of the third stanza with a 36 yard jaunt across the goal line. OakHills would end up winning the time of possession battle by 11:33 seconds as they pulled away from the Vikings in the end.

Oak Hills will head north to face an angry Middletown (2-3, 0-2) team who is desperate for a win. Princeton will try to take down undefeated Lakota West (5-0, 2-0).