LEXINGTON — For the first time since 2021, the Minutemen are 1-0.
Lexington quarterback Joe Caudill made sure of it.
The Michigan State-bound Caudill ran for two touchdowns and threw a pair of TD passes as Lex cruised to a 36-16 win over Ontario on opening night at Robert H. Whitney Stadium.
“Joe is a football player. I’d put that kid at all 22 positions,” Lexington coach Andrew Saris said. “That’s a great Ontario team. We knew they were still a great team coming into this and I thought our kids rose to the challenge.”
Caudill broke the ice on Lexington’s first possession, scoring on a 3-yard keeper with 9:47 to play in the first quarter.
Ontario responded immediately when Kooper Kilgore took a handoff from first-year quarterback Trey Remy and raced 86 yards to the Lexington 5-yard line. Kilgore scored on a 1yard run on fourth and goal to cut Lexington’s lead to 7-6.
Lex answered when Caudill found Dantrell Hughes for a 49-yard catch-and-run TD to make it 13-6.
The Minutemen made it 15-6 with a safety early in the second quarter after an errant Ontario punt snap sailed out of the back of the end zone.
Ontario cut the deficit to 15-13 on Gavin Miller’s 3-yard TD run with 4:27 remaining in the opening half, but Lex again responded when Caudill found Seven Allen for a 40 yard touchdown to make it 22-13. Kilgore booted a 44-yard field goal with 23 seconds left before halftime to make it 22-16.
Lexington scored the only points of the second half. Brandon Reaves rumbled 15 yards for a score in the third and Caudill capped it with a 1-yard plunge in the fourth.
(The photos below were shot by Tom Theodore and shared via Great Sport Shots)
Back In The Groove
Lexington senior Avery Crawford tore a ligament in his foot in last year’s opener against Ontario and missed the entire season. He picked off a pair of passes Friday.
“It was pretty serious,” Crawford said of the foot injury. “I had to be smart with it.
“I had family and friends and they helped me (get through the injury).”
Growing Pains
The teams combined for nine turnovers. Lexington committed five, while Ontario gave it away four times.
“There’s a lot of things we’ve got to shore up,” Saris said. “You can’t have those turnovers. And penalties.
“I know it’s Week 1 and mistakes are typical, but we’ve got to make sure we clean those up.”
Fresh Faces
Ontario lost a wealth of talent to graduation, including do-it-all quarterback Bodpegn Miller. Miller, who is a receiver at Ohio State, was on the sideline Friday night.
Sophomore Trey Remy, who replaced Miller at QB, threw four interceptions in his first start, but orchestrated three first-half scoring drives.
“We’ve got a lot of new guys in new spots,” Ontario coach Aaron Eckert said. “I thought the first half we competed well. Then Lex did a good job of coming out and taking it to us up front.
“We’re going to learn from this and get better and grow as a football team.”
Stats
Caudill completed 9-of-16 passes for 207 yards and two touchdowns with one interception. He rushed for 79 yards and a pair of scores on 18 carries. Allen caught five passes for 115 yards and a TD.
Remy was 8-for-28 for 82 yards in his first start. Kilgore rushed for 144 yards and a TD on 12 carries.
(Photos below were taken by Curt Conrad)
