RUSHVILLE -- Anyone associated with Shelbyville’s football in recent years program could understand what Rushville was going through. 

In 2021, Shelbyville snapped a 26-game losing streak after two winless seasons.

Rushville was saddled with back-to-back winless seasons and a 24-game losing streak entering this season.  A come-from-behind win over Milan in the 2022 season opener ended that streak.

The Lions 41-39 win over Shelbyville Friday in week 2 is the start to another streak – a win streak.

You have to go all the way back to Sept. 14 and Sept. 21 of 2018 to find Rushville’s last consecutive football victories.

Shelbyville’s defense was on its heels early. Rushville’s up-tempo offense is geared to run a play every nine seconds and scored on the opening drive just over three minutes into the game.  Jayden Roosa’s six-yard touchdown run followed by the extra point gave Rushville the early 7-0 lead.

Rushville went up 14-0 as senior quarterback Austin Vance found 6-foot, 5-inch junior wide receiver Dylan Thompson over the middle for a 47-yard catch and run about two minutes later.

Vance was 9-for-20 passing for 122 yards and two touchdowns. 

He tied the Rushville single game record for touchdown passes with four against Milan last week.  It tied the mark set by Doug Marlowe against Shelbyville in 1992.

Shelbyville (0-2) got on the board at the 4:21 mark of the first quarter.  Quarterback Eli Chappelow capped a 61-yard drive with a two-yard touchdown run.  Aiden Helfer-Vazquez's extra point cut the Rushville lead in half, 14-7.

Chappelow accounted for four Golden Bear scores with three rushing touchdowns and one passing. 

Chappelow was the GIANT fm Ashford Place Health Campus Player of the Game. He was 11-for-19 passing for 217 yards. The junior also recorded 62 yards rushing and four tackles on defense.

Rushville (2-0) quickly re-established a 14-point cushion by taking the ensuing kickoff down to the Shelbyville 20-yard line.  The Lions scored on the next play from scrimmage, a Harper Miller 20-yard run.

Harper was the top ball carrier on the night with 174 yards on 31 carries. He scored twice on the ground.

A game that yielded 28 combined points in the first eight minutes went quietly the rest of the half as Shelbyville stabilized its defense.

Shelbyville quickly narrowed the gap in the third quarter.  After a drive stalled at the Rushville 24, Helfer Vazquez converted his first varsity field goal from 32 yards out to bring Shelbyville back to a 21-10 deficit.

A fumble by Rushville on the Lions next drive was turned into a Shelbyville 19-yard rushing touchdown by Axel Conover (95 yards rushing).  With a successful two-point conversion pass, Rushville’s lead was trimmed to 21-18 with 6:56 remaining in the third quarter.

The rest of the way the old rivals alternated scores.  Rushville pushed the lead to nine, 27-18, late in the third quarter with a Vance touchdown pass on fourth-and-goal from the six-yard line. The extra point kick was missed.

Shelbyville pulled to within two on three occasions in a fourth quarter that saw the Lions and Golden Bears combine for 35 points.  The first time was on a Chappelow to Lux 60-yard pass and run, 27-25.

Rushville took advantage of another kickoff return.  Starting the offensive series at the Shelbyville 43-yard line, Miller scored the second of his rushing touchdowns to extend the lead, 34-25.

Chappelow’s nine-yard run two minutes later again brought Shelbyville within two, 34-32.

But Shelbyville couldn’t stop the high-octane Rushville offense.  Roosa ran 26 yards for his second touchdown of the night with 5:16 remaining.  The three-year veteran for the Rushville football team, finished with 13 carries for 86 yards.

Shelbyville had one final possession and made it count with Chappelow’s third rushing touchdown of the night to again pull within two, 41-39. But with only 58 seconds remaining Rushville was able to run out the clock.

The win snapped an 11-game losing streak in the series for Rushville.  It was the first meeting between the program's since 2012 when Rushville moved from the Hoosier Heritage Conference to the Eastern Indiana Athletic Conference.  Rushville second-year head coach Isaac Sliger was on the field as a player for the Lions that year as Shelbyville won in overtime, 21-20.

Shelbyvillle travels to Delta (2-0) to open Hoosier Heritage Conference play in week 3.  Delta got by Columbia City Friday, 21-14.

Steve Bush photo