Playing the Tipton Blue Devils for the second week in a row, the Delphi Oracles again fell short, this time in the first round of the Sectional playoffs, 41-13.

The Blue Devils may have been looking past the Oracles after defeating them last week, 49-0, or maybe the Delphi boys just decided to play a better game. Either way, the Devils had to work a lot harder to send the Oracles home with their seventh loss in ten games. The game wasn’t decided until the fourth period when Tipton scored two TDs to finally put the score out of reach.

Both teams must have been thinking of deja vu when the game started. Tipton took a 7- 0 lead four minutes into the game. It took less than a minute after the Oracles got the ball to put the previous rout in the past. After their first run lost four yards, Delphi ran for three first downs on as many rushes to make Tipton coach Aaron Tolle call an early timeout. Whatever Tolle said, it worked, because after moving the ball to the Tipton 20 with a first and five situation. Delphi was only able to muster two yards on three plays. On fourth and three at the 18 a Tanner Cripe pass fell to the ground to turn the ball over. It was the first of six turnovers by the Oracles. But, credit the Delphi coaching staff for trying to win, four of those turnovers were on fourth down situations that failed. The first period ended with Tipton holding the lead at 7-0.

Early in the second quarter Delphi advanced the ball to the Tipton nine yard line with a first and goal. Three running plays netted them no yards and on fourth down the Oracles lined up in the wildcat. Braden Atwood took the snap and with a receiver open at the goal, Atwood, who was being rushed threw the ball behind the receiver for a turnover. Just like with their opening drive in the first, the Blue Devils scored a TD the first time they had the ball in the second quarter. Tipton’s Seth Jacobs sprinted 68 yards for the score and a 14-0 lead.

The Oracles still had a chance in this game and closed the gap to 14-6 when they marched 74 yards on six plays. Matt Brown had three runs of over ten yards each to lead the way. The extra point was no good. Tipton closed out the first half scoring with a TD just before the half. After a missed extra point the score was 20-6. Delphi could have been tied the game or been in the lead had they been able to convert each time they were in the red zone.

After a Tipton TD early in the third the Oracles again closed the gap to a two touchdown lead. A 61-yard pass from Cripe to Karson Bender led to a one yard TD run by Tanner Lynde. With a score of 27-13 at the end of three the Oracles were still in the game. They had reason to be hopeful because they had been able to move the ball most of the night.

But those hopes were soon doused when Tipton forced the Oracles to punt. On their next possession the Oracles turned the ball over on a fumble. Meanwhile, the Blue Devils were scoring a pair of TDs to put seal their win at 41-13.