Golden Bears improve to 2-0 with 51-0 victory at Rushville

RUSHVILLE – Shelbyville scored the most points Friday and produced the largest margin of victory over Rushville since a 69-15 win in 2002.

Kameron Holland and Layden Fitzgerald each scored two touchdowns Friday at Hinshaw Field in a 51-0 victory. The Golden Bears led 37-0 at halftime and the second half was played with a running clock.

“We did exactly what we were supposed to do,” said Shelbyville head coach Scott Fitzgerald, who now has the Golden Bears 2-0 for the third time in the last four seasons. “We came in and were the better football team and took control of the game right away. We did some things and executed the things we worked on all week long. And we showed we were the more physical and better football team.”

Holland (photo), a senior getting his first career start at running back, finished with 86 rushes on 10 carries and ended Shelbyville’s opening two drives with scoring runs.

“It was a hard win. I think everybody did their part and that played a big part in the success today,” said Holland. “It’s always nice to get the young guys in toward the end of the game and get some experience. Next year, they will be out here.”

Rushville (0-2) had one chance to alter the trajectory of the game when quarterback Owen Zachery connected with Kai Pernell for 26 yards on a fourth-an-11 play.

A penalty on the next snap moved the Lions the wrong direction but Zachery hooked up with Pernell again and a penalty on the Golden Bears put Rushville inside the 10-yard line.

Shelbyville’s defense held from there and Luke Coomes blocked a 32-yard field goal attempt and it was all Golden Bears from there.

Fitzgerald (photo) scored his first of two touchdowns with a 5-yard run in to the end zone on the next possession then took a screen pass from quarterback Tyler Gwinnup and raced down the Shelbyville sideline for a 49-yard touchdown.

“I just got out there and saw my two linemen in front of me. I didn’t see any black (Rushville) jerseys. I just saw white and I just hit the gas and didn’t want to let anyone catch me,” said Fitzgerald.

Shelbyville got the ball back with 59 seconds left to go in the half and needed just six plays to go 43 yards for a Jackson Myers touchdown reception that extended the lead to 37-0.

Shelbyville scored touchdowns on its opening two possessions of the third quarter – the first on a Gwinnup pass to Austin Martzall for a 24-yard touchdown on a fourth-and-16 play. The second unit then created enough space for freshman quarterback Max Lockridge (photo) to rumble 25 yards for the game’s final score.

The Golden Bears finished with 400 yards of offense – 184 on the ground and 216 yards through the air. Gwinnup completed 16 of 19 pass attempts.

The defense limited the Lions to minus-26 yards rushing and just 76 yards passing. Shelbyville had 12 first downs to Rushville’s five.

Shelbyville will host Beech Grove in week three at McKeand Stadium. It will be the Golden Bears’ inaugural Hoosier Legends Conference game.

The Shelby County Post is a digital newspaper producing news, sports, obituaries and more without a pay wall or subscription needed.