08/29/2026
🏈🔴⚪️🔵 20 YEARS AGO: WEEK 2
THE HOME OPENER
📅 September 1, 2006
🏟️ Alexander Stadium
Piqua 42, Xenia 7
One week after opening the 2006 season with a tough 48–41 loss at Grove City, the Piqua Indians returned home looking for their first win.
They didn’t have to wait long to get things going.
On Piqua’s very first offensive play, Brandon Saine took the football up the middle, broke into the secondary, cut to the outside and raced 52 yards for a touchdown.
7–0 Piqua.
Saine’s second carry?
Another touchdown.
This time he broke a tackle near the line of scrimmage, bounced outside and went three yards into the end zone.
Two carries. 54 yards. Two touchdowns.
Piqua was off and running.
Saine would finish the night with 216 rushing yards on 20 carries, including another huge play — a 74-yard touchdown run in the third quarter that put the Indians ahead 35–7.
Afterward, Saine credited the guys in front of him:
“The offensive line blocked great and I just ran behind them and did what I could do tonight.”
After the disappointment of the opening-week loss, Piqua had responded with a convincing 42–7 victory in its home opener.
And just like that…
The 2006 Indians were 1–1.
Of course, 20 years later we know where this journey eventually ends. 🏆
But we’re going to enjoy getting there again, one game at a time.
Were you at Alexander Stadium that night? Were you a player, parent, student or fan? What do you remember about the 2006 home opener?
And if you have photos, newspaper clippings, programs or anything else from that night, post them below. We’d love to see them.
NEXT WEEK:
🏈 Piqua vs. Springfield North
📅 September 8, 2006
🔴⚪️🔵 20 YEARS AGO • PIQUA FOOTBALL • 2006
