Taft football blanks Hughes High School to tighten up CMAC race

On a night when their football game was competing against the Blink festival downtown, Taft High School's Senators didn't bat an eye but batted some footballs.

In a pivotal Cincinnati Metro Athletic Conference game at Stargel Stadium, Taft smothered Hughes 39-0 forcing a running clock in the second half. In their previous seven games, Hughes was averaging over 44 points per contest.

"It's a really big game for us," Taft coach Tyler Williams said. "Our kids came out and executed the plan. We're getting better each and every week. We were looking for a game like this."

Senior quarterback Javier Ison threw a pair of touchdown passes and a trio of 2-point conversions getting the Senators out to a 31-0 halftime lead. It was the loudest pounding of the night outside of the Hughes and Taft drum crops battling away from the field in the third quarter.

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"He stepped in at the beginning of the season when our starting quarterback from last year (Anton Canady) went down with a torn ACL," Williams said. "He stepped in and took over that role. The run game has been great and we have our receivers making great plays and great catches."

Junior Tayshawn Banks had a 70-yard punt return for a touchdown in the first quarter and a pair of interceptions on the night. Senior Jay'Quan Bostic had a leaping catch in the end zone and an interception. Banks transferred from Colerain in the offseason with Bostic coming from Woodward.

"We knew the game we were getting into and we knew what kind of game we had to prepare for," Banks said. "I had to step up and be that guy for my DBs. We have great momentum going into the playoffs. I feel good about next week, I feel good about first-round. Our team is only getting better."

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Senior Johnny Cotton also had a touchdown reception and a 2-point catch. Junior Charles Hawkins scored the first touchdown of the game from the backfield with senior Jahmar Richardson adding the last.

"I pretty much knew the offensive game plan was good," Hawkins said. "I was expecting it."

Hawkins has been the main Taft running back recently and recorded a 200-yard game against Meadowdale in his first start. Senior Gavin Crawford carried the load early in the season with a 187-yard game against Roger Bacon. Moving from linebacker on occasion, Richardson had run 144 yards against Indian Hill. Last year he was a 1,018-yard rusher.

Both teams play for the CMAC-Red Division title where Withrow is in command. The Tigers were at Western Hills Friday night blowing out the Mustangs 54-0. They host Hughes next Friday, Oct. 21. Withrow already owns a 17-14 win over Taft.

"Our kids are playing lights out right now," Williams said of Taft peaking late in the season.

Hawkins agrees.

"I think we've got a good shot at state," said the young man in the No. 1 jersey.

Hughes has been playing the last three weeks with T.J. Engleman and Lorenzo Engleman Jr. who transferred from Princeton along with senior cousin Jaleel Engleman. T.J. and Lorenzo were both ruled ineligible by the OHSAA for the second half of the season. Through five games, T.J. had 598 yards rushing and nine touchdowns and 524 yards passing for nine touchdowns. Lorenzo Engleman Jr. had picked off four passes.

Friday night, down two Englemans, the Big Red offense was held to a big fat zero.

The transfer ruling hasn't been popular at Hughes but coming into the Taft game, the Big Red had won two games and were 6-1. Now 6-2, it was a frustrating night for the Big Red and a frustrating night for T.J. Engleman, who recently decommitted from his offer to Georgia Tech. He voiced his displeasure on Twitter. Saturday, he's slated to be on the sidelines for the Kentucky/Mississippi State game in Lexington.

Both Taft and Hughes could be factors in the playoffs with the Senators coming in as the No. 4 seed in Division IV via the OHSAA computer rankings. Hughes entered Friday as the No. 5 seed in Division III. First off, Taft plays Woodward next weekend with Hughes traveling to first-place Withrow.

"They have a great offense and score a lot of points," Williams said of Woodward. "They have one of top quarterbacks and top receivers in the conference so that'll be a great test for our defense."

Taft 39, Hughes 0

HUGHES 0 0 0 0 0

TAFT 15 16 8 0 39

T - Hawkins 23-yard run (Brown kick)

T - Banks 70-yard punt return (Ison to Jackson)

T -Ison 43-yard pass to Cotton (Ison to Godrey)

T - Ison 12-yard pass to Bostic (Cutts run)

T -Richardson 3-yard run (Ison to Cotton)

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Cincinnati high school football: Taft blanks Hughes in rivalry game