For The Daily Reporter
GREENFIELD — After two close games to open its Hoosier Heritage Conference schedule, the Greenfield-Central Cougars came out on homecoming night poised for their first conference victory of the season.
Following the homecoming fireworks, however, the Class 4A No. 15 Shelbyville Golden Bears took control to defuse Greenfield-Central 31-13.
After forcing a three-and-out on Shelbyville’s opening drive of the game, Cougars quarterback Jeremiah Fields tossed an interception to a well-disguised Golden Bears linebacker.
The momentum shifted quickly on the very next play as the Cougars recovered Shelbyville running back De’Shaun French’s fumble. The Cougars proceeded to drive directly down the field behind Michael Sosnowski and Andy Kim to take a 7-0 lead on the former’s 4-yard touchdown run.
At halftime, the score was 7-7 behind 68 first half rushing yards from Sosnowski and the Cougar defense forcing two more turnovers in the form of another French fumble and an interception of prolific Shelbyville quarterback John Lux.
Following an extended halftime to crown a homecoming king and queen and an unexpected delay to get power back to the lights, Shelbyville imposed its will by outscoring Greenfield-Central 24-6 in the second half.
Despite bottling up senior running back French in the first half, the playmaker ripped off numerous long runs in the second, including a 59-yard run to put Shelbyville up 21-7 late in the third quarter. French also added a 50-yard run in the 4th quarter and finished with 18 rushes, 145 yards, and two touchdowns.
Greenfield-Central added a late touchdown on a 10-yard pass from Fields to Spencer Hurt, but as they’ve struggled with all season, the offense fell quiet in the second half.
With the loss, Greenfield-Central falls to 0-3 in the HHC and 2-3 overall for the season. The Cougars host top-ranked and county rival 5A New Palestine next Friday night at 7:30 p.m.
