September 7, 2018.  Shelbyville edged Greenfield-Central for what proved to be the only win of the football season. 

And the next season. 

And the season after that.

A 26-game losing streak spanning three seasons included 13 shutouts and 22 losses of 40 points or more.

That streak is over.  The Golden Bears beat visiting Richmond on Friday at McKeand Stadium, 22-16.

Shelbyville never trailed.  Richmond fumbled a pitch to the running back on the first play from scrimmage.  Axel Conover recovered for Shelbyville at the 26-yard line and Cael Lux capped a short drive with a six yard touchdown.

Shelbyville increased the lead to 14-0 on another Lux touchdown with 29 seconds left in the first quarter. 

It stayed that way until late in the first half.  Facing a fourth down with just over a minute to play, Shelbyville chose to go for it instead of punt from the Bear’s 29-yard line with just over a minute to play.  The play call proved to be perfect but the execution just missed as quarterback Colton Adkins overthrew Alex Macharia running wide open down the left sideline.

Richmond took over on downs.  A 28-yard run by Marquis Johnson followed by a one-yard score by Lucas Hall and a two-point conversion narrowed the Shelbyville lead to 14-8 at halftime.

Shelbyville took the third quarter kickoff and turned it into an 18-yard touchdown run by Axel Conover.  But the score was negated by a penalty which, ultimately, better served the Golden Bears purpose.  Shelbyville ran nearly another four  more minutes off the clock and Cael Lux scored from a yard out with 4:39 remaining in the third quarter.  With a two-point conversion run by Adkins Shelbyville regained a 14-point lead, 22-8.

Richmond’s Marquis Johnson scored on an eight yard run with 11:29 remaining in the fourth quarter.  The two point conversion brought Richmond back with six, 22-16.

Shelbyville had a chance to put the game away but a late drive stalled at the Richmond 10-yard line.  Freshman kicker Aiden Helfer-Vazquez missed a 25-yard field goal attempt that could have put the Golden Bears up by two scores.

Richmond took over on downs with 2:33 remaining.  But the Red Devils last ditch chance went backwards stalled by failed plays and penalties including a personal foul call after a brief altercation on the sideline at the end of a play.  Jayden Shipp reached the original line of scrimmage on a run on fourth down but Shelbyville took the ball on downs and ran out the clock.

And the streak is over.

Head coach Brian Glesing with Mark Drake and Johnny McCrory on the Cagney’s Pizza King Postgame on GIANT fm Sports.

Cael Lux rushed 30 times for 82 yards and three touchdowns.  Adkins and Conover each added 38 rushing yards.  Austin Miller had 15 yards on the ground.

Conover added seven tackles to go with his fumble recovery.  Jackson Parker picked off two Richmond passes to bring his total to three in the first two games of the season.

Adkins was 4-of-10 passing for 55 yards.

Richmond turned the ball over three times.  Last week, Greensburg threw and interception.  Shelbyville has not committed a turnover in the opening two ga,es.

It was the first meeting between the programs since the Red Devlis eliminated Shelbyville from postseason play in a 2012 sectional game at Richmond's Lyboult Field, 14-0.  

Shelbyville and Richmond are both in the eight-team field of 4A Sectional 21 and could meet again in the postseason.

Shelbyville (1-1) will host #8 (4A) Delta (2-0) in the Hoosier Heritage Conference opener next week (pregme coverage on GIANT fm Sports at 6pm).  Delta beat Muncie Central 49-6 in the season opener and picked up a Week 2 road win at Columbia City, 14-10.