Eastern Hancock’s Evan Wheeler goes in for a touchdown against Knightstown earlier in the season. On Friday, he scored twice in a 52-14 win over Monroe Central.
Tom Russo | Daily Reporter
PARKER CITY — A week after being shut out, the Eastern Hancock offense was back to doing what it normally does.
With no rain or high winds to deal with this time, the Royals eclipsed the 50-point mark for the third time this season, defeating Monroe Central on the road 52-14 in a pivotal Mid-Eastern Conference matchup.
The Royals moved to 4-3 on the season and 2-0 in conference play. They’ll have a chance to win the conference title next week against Shenandoah.
Sparking Eastern Hancock to the big win was a 26-point second-quarter outburst.
Ahead 12-7 entering the second period, the Royals offense scored four times, while the defense held the Golden Bears scoreless and forced two turnovers.
In his first game back from an injury suffered earlier in the season, running back Mark Kube found the end zone twice.
He kicked off the second-quarter scoring with a 6-yard touchdown run, and later in the quarter, following a Monroe Central fumble, punched in a 4-yard score.
With just under five minutes to go in the half, quarterback Elijah Edon hit Eli Manship in the back corner of the end zone for an 11-yard touchdown to push the lead to 25-7.
Kube’s 4-yard score came at the 1:46 mark of the half, and 16 seconds later the Royals were back in the end zone to cap off the first half.
Tristen Love scooped up a Golden Bears fumble and found his way to the end zone for the 38-7 halftime lead.
Evan Wheeler had the first touchdown of the game, running in a short score to put the Royals on the board first 6-0.
After Monroe Central answered on a touchdown pass to Carter Duncan, Manship caught his first of two first-half touchdowns.
Edon rolled out to his right and found Manship after he stopped for a second and then beat his defender deep for a 44-yard touchdown.
The Golden Bears cut it to 38-14 midway through the third quarter, but the Royals answered on another Wheeler touchdown run.
Late in the fourth quarter, freshman quarterback Matt Hunt hit freshman wide receiver Luke Manship on a touchdown pass to cap off the scoring.
The Royals host Shenandoah on Friday beginning at 7 p.m.
