TIPP CITY — The Tippecanoe football team hung around all game against Piqua Friday night.

And when the opportunity presented itself, the Red Devils made the plays to come away with a 23-20 victory in MVL action.

Tippecanoe improved to 7-1 overall and 6-1 in the MVL and will host Greenville Friday night.

Piqua dropped to 6-2 overall and 5-2 in the MVL and will play at Vandalia-Butler Friday night.

The Indians had led the entire game and were still in front 20-16 when Tippecanoe recovered a fumble with 9:40 remaining on its own 36 yard line.

It appeared the drive would be a three-and-out, but on fourth-and-four, Piqua ran into the punter to give Tipp new life.

Another Piqua penalty would move the ball down to the Indians 42-yard line and Tipp would score the winning touchdown eight plays later.

Tipp was in a first and 15 from the Piqua 36-yard line after a penalty, but an eight-yard run by Liam Poronsky and nine-yard run by Xavier Jones on consecutive plays gave the Red Devils a new set of downs.

On second and nine from the 18-yard line, Poronsky found Evan Liette for an 11-yard gain and Jones ran it into the end zone from seven yards out on the next play. Jackson Kleather — who kicked three field goals in the game — hit the PAT to make it 23-20.

After a three-and-out by Piqua, Tippecanoe got the ball back near midfield and ran the clock out.

On third and 11 from its own 49, Poronsky found Stanley Clyne for a 14-yard gain and on third-and-three from the Piqua 30, Jones ran six yards to seal the win as Tipp kneeled down on the game’s final two plays.

An interception by Dre’Sean Roberts at the Piqua 46 had set up the Indians for the first score of the game early in the first quarter.

After Brady Ouhl connected with Ryan Brown on a 25-yard pass on third-and-11, Ouhl threw a short pass to Colten Beougher at the Tipp 21-yard line and he took it into the end zone. Jackson Trombley’s PAT kick put Piqua up 7-0.

Tipp would get field goals of 34 and 46 yards from Kleather on its next two possessions to cut the deficit to 7-6.

Midway through the second quarter, Piqua would take over at the Tipp 46 yard line.

A 33-yard pass from Ouhl to Dre’Sean Roberts set up a three-yard TD run by Ky Warner and with 3:06 left in the half, Piqua led 14-6.

Tipp would answere with a 34-yard TD pass from Poronsky to Clyne with 1:05 remaining in the half and Kleather’s PAT kick would make it 14-13.

Tipp would recover a fumble late in the first half and attempt a 61-yard field goal on the final play of the half, but Piqua blocked it.

Piqua put together a 75-yard drive on its first possession of the second half.

Ouhl found Elijah Frazier for a 35-yard gain on the second play of the drive.

Sam Schmiesing had a 15-yard run down to the three-yard line and ran it into the end zone on the next play.e

After Trombley ‘s PAT kick, Piqua led 20-13 with 7:22 remaining in the third quarter.

Tipp then drove from its own 18-yard line to Piqua 23 early in the fourth quarter and Kleather kicked a 40-yard field goal to narrow the deficit to 20-16 early in the fourth quarter.

On Piqua’s next drive, Ouhl 23 yards into Tipp territory, before the Indians fumbled two plays later to set up Tipp’s game-winning drive.

Poronsky was 22 of 29 passing in the game for 179 yards for the Red Devils.

Clyne had five catches for 74 yards, Lukas Walker had seven catches for 46 yards and Evan Liette had six catches for 36 yards.

Xavier Jones led the rushing attack with 95 yards on 25 carries and Poronsky added 58 yards on 17 carries.

Josh Dietz led the defense with 14 tackles, Cael Liette had nine and Blake Thompson had seven.

For Piqua, Ouhl was 15-for-21 passing for 183 yards, with Dre’Sean Roberts catching eight passes for 74 yards.

Warner led the rushing attack with 73 yards on 23 carries.

Schmiesing led the defense with nine tackles.

Frazier had nine tackles, Mickey Anderson had eight tackles and Beougher added seven tackles.

You can reach Sports Editor Rob Kiser at [email protected]