DANVILLE — Coach Ed Honabarger had to like what he saw from his Danville Blue Devils in the season-opening football game for 2010 at Memorial Park as his Blue Devils dismantled the Eagles of Grove City Christian by a score of 46-0. While the offense was making big plays and chewing up rushing yards marching up and down the field, the defense was stifling the Eagles’ offense, creating havoc in the backfield and limiting the Eagles’ longest drive of the night to just eight plays.
GCC punted after just three plays, the ball sailed over the head of the Eagles’ punter and Shaun Durbin fell on the ball in the end zone for the game’s first score for a 6-0 lead. Later in the first quarter at the 6:48 mark, Heath Buckingham bulled into the end zone from 2 yards out, and the extra point made it 13-0. That TD was set up after Marcus Durbin picked off the GCC quarterback and returned the ball to the 17.
Two more scores came in the second quarter. The first was on a 20-yard scamper by Zach Brewer and the next on a 3-yard tote by Brody Butler, and the Devils enjoyed a 26-0 lead at halftime.
GCC showed some signs of life early in the third quarter, but it was short-lived. After the Eagles drove to their own 46-yard line, a punt ensued which Brewer snared and bolted 80 yards for a TD and a 33-0 lead after the extra point.
Another Eagles’ drive to midfield ended on loss of downs, and Danville responded with yet another scoring drive with Brody Ball handling the bulk of the rushing and capping the drive with a 1-yard carry. The game’s final score came from Austin Gonzales when his 1-yard TD run made it 46-0.
Danville amassed 215 yards on 36 rushes, led by Brewer who had 63 yards on nine carries. Quarterback Marcus Durbin was four of seven passing for 36 yards. One reception each went to Butler, Buckingham, Brewer and Shawn Durbin.
The Devils’ defense limited GCC to 15 yards rushing on 31 carries and 38 yards passing. Danville held a whopping edge of 14-3 in first downs. Durbin punted only once for 50 yards. They fumbled three times, losing two; and were penalized six times for 51 yards.