UNION — A potent offense.

That is what Nathan Cabot’s Owensville Dutchmen football team ran into Friday night during homecoming against the Union Wildcats at E.A. Stierberger Stadium.

Down 35-6 at halftime, the visiting Dutchmen could not overcome Union’s stingy defense and potent offense falling 48-12 on the road in Franklin County.

“We simply did not execute like we wanted to tonight,” Cabot said. “You have to tip your hat to Union, they were the better football team out there on the field.”

Opening the game with the football has usually meant that good things happen for the Dutchmen offense.

That was not the case Friday with Union forcing Owensville into a three-and-out leading to a punting situation.

Union took over at their 49-yard line and wasted no time breaking the 0-0 tie early in the game.

Finding open field quickly, Union senior running back Matt Bray out ran the Dutchmen defense on a 51-yard touchdown run at the 10:39 mark of the first quarter. Hunter Grafrath’s extra point gave UHS a quick 7-0 lead.

Looking to answer Union’s score, Owensville could not overcome mistakes on their next offensive drive.

A mishandled snap and a false start penalty ultimately led to another punting situation for OHS.

Union’s next possession on offense also saw a bad snap.

Two plays into the next Wildcat drive, quarterback Derek Hulsey had to fall on a bad snap being tackled by Dutchmen senior linebacker Zach Adams for a big loss.

That play eventually led to a turnover on downs giving the ball back to Owensville’s offense.

Held to negative yardage most of the opening quarter, a Brendan Decker 12-yard run at the 6:05 mark of the first quarter put OHS on the positive side of the total yardage equation along with giving them their first first down of the game.

Taking over at their 21-yard line, Union needed just over two minutes to double their lead.

Christophe Poinsett capped a 79-yard drive with a 1-yard touchdown run at the 1:05 mark of the first quarter. Grafrath’s kick left Owensville trailing Union 14-0.

Ending the first quarter trailing 14-0, Owensville began the second quarter with the football.

Chewing up nearly six minutes of game clock, OHS converted a pair of third-down plays before Decker found a wide open Cason Gray on a 23-yard TD pass.

In spite of the missed two-point conversion attempt, the Dutchmen found themselves within striking distance trailing 14-6 with 7:23 until halftime.

Just over two minutes later, Union found the end zone at the 4:50 mark of the second quarter on a Hulsey to Peyton Burke 27-yard touchdown pass.

Owensville now trailed Union 20-6 in the late stages of the first half.

Unable to match Union’s score, the Dutchmen saw the Wildcats add another touchdown on a Poinsett 60-yard punt return. OHS trailed UHS 28-6 following the pass for two points with 3:04 for the half.

Almost 90 seconds later, the host Wildcats scored again leaving the visiting Dutchmen trailing 35-6 at halftime.

Starting the second half looking to avoid a running clock, Owensville saw Union start it with a touchdown at the 9:47 mark of the third quarter.

Before it started, senior Garret West blocked Union’s extra point attempt leaving OHS trailing 41-6.

Trailing 48-6 after three quarters, Owensville opened the fourth quarter nearly stopping the running clock.

Facing a fourth-and-seven from the Union 39-yard line, Decker found open field on a 26-yard run keeping the drive alive. Decker finished the game with a team-high 80 yards rushing on 13 carries. He was also 9-19 through the air with 86 yard passing, a touchdown and an interception.

On the very next play, Austin Lowder ran it in from 13 yards out. Unable to convert the two-point conversion, the clock kept running with Owensville trailing 48-12.

On defense, Seth Scheidegger, Trenten Watkins and West each had nine total tackles to pace Owensville. TC Fisher was close behind with eight total tackles.

Returning home this Friday night, the Dutchmen will host Sullivan’s Eagles in what could be a preview of the first round of the Class 3, District 2 Tournament.