The Delphi Oracles hosted the Sheridan Blackhawks who, despite their nearly annual state championship chase, are suffering through a losing season. The visitors came into the game with a 1- 4 record, but doubled their wins for the year when the Oracles could not take advantage of their turnovers and came up short against the Blackhawks, 21-7.

The Oracles forced the Blackhawks into five turnovers but on four of those occasions Delphi gave the ball back. The one time the Oracles didn’t lose the ball back was when the halftime horn sounded.

On their first possession the Blackhawks amassed 52 yards and four first downs on 14 plays to take a 7-0 lead. Delphi came right back with its own 52-yard drive to tie the game at 7. An 18-yard pass from Tanner Cripe to Braden Atwood and a 26-yard run by Tanner Lynde accounted for most of the yardage. A 43-yard kickoff return by Sheridan’s Eric Price was wasted on a holding penalty that brought the ball back to the Sheridan 41- yard line. Sheridan advanced the ball and had a first down at the Oracle 27 when, on three consecutive plays, two by Atwood and one by Matt Brown, the defense stiffened to bring up a fourth and five at the 22. Too close to punt and too far to attempt a field goal, coach Larry Wright decided to go for it. QB Ryan Pitzer threw the ball toward the end zone to an open man, when out of nowhere, Karson Bender jumped up to knock the ball away. It took one play for Sheridan to get the ball back. Patrick Samuels intercepted a Tanner Cripe pass at the 37-yard line. When Blackhawk Angel Soto missed a 26-yard field goal the Oracles had forced their second turnover. Again, they could not produce any points off of it as time ran in the half.

Matt Brown recovered a fumble at the Sheridan 36- yard line with 8:18 remaining in the third. As in the first half, the Blackhawks did not take long to get the ball back. Cripe was intercepted on the first play. Unlike Delphi, Sheridan was able to convert the turnover into points, driving 75 yards in 13 plays to lead 14-7 going into the final period.

Early in the fourth, on third and ten from their own 41, Cripe found Atwood open down the left sideline. The ball was a little long and he could not come up with the reception, making the Oracles punt the ball away. A short time later Brad Roth pounced on a loose ball and the Oracles had the ball at the Sheridan 46. With a short field and an opportunity to tie the game. Delphi could not handle the prosperity when, four plays later, Cripe was intercepted again. Sheridan, for the second time, converted the turnover into points. Running 15 plays and six minutes off the clock to put the game out of reach at 21-7 with less than a minute remaining.

The Oracles are at Rensselaer Friday night. Game time is 8 p.m.