Playoff Football: What we learned this Weekend
24 games, 48 teams and 48 minutes. For some that still wasn’t enough. Following this weekend’s state football playoff action only 24 teams still have a pulse.
Here’s what we learned Friday:
1. No one does the dramatic like Coldwater: The Cavaliers won their second straight game over a fellow Midwest Athletic Conference member in overtime when they finally survived archrival St. Henry 47-41 in four OTs in the D-V, Region 20 final at Wapakoneta’s Harmon Field. This is on the heels of last week’s 28-21 OT win over Anna. Coldwater has made a living though thriving in the closest games on the state’s grandest stage. In 2007 the Cavs ousted Kettering Alter 59-52 in five OTs and then beat heavily favored and nationally ranked Youngstown Mooney in the state championship by scoring 21 fourth quarter points and blocking a potential game-tying extra-point in the final seconds. Now this…
2. Steubenville and Mooney will meet next Friday: For the third straight season these Ohio powerhouses will hook up in the playoffs. Two years ago Mooney beat Big Red 35-20 in the regional final en route to being state runner-up. Last year, Steubenville returned the favor with a 28-16 win in the regional semifinals en route to finishing state runner-up. The winner of this match-up, which occurs in the D-III state semifinals, will again play in the state final.
3. Antwan Gilbert will not set the state rushing record: OK, so it was a stretch. Gilbert, a junior running back from Trotwood-Madison, entered Friday’s D-II, Region 8 final against Winton Woods needing 901 yards in potentially the final three games to break the single-season state record of 3,439 yards set by Bedford St. Peter Chanel’s Tony Franklin in 2001. Averaging 300 yards the final three games may seem absurd, but lately that’s what Gilbert has been. Since a Week 5 loss to Springfield that dropped the Rams to 2-3, Gilbert has rushed for 1,675 yards and eclipsed 240 yards in five of the ensuing seven games – all wins. The threat ended Friday. Winton Woods held Gilbert to 48 yards on 12 carries in a 28-7 win over the Rams at Mason High School. Gilbert ends the season with 2,586 yards and 32 TDs.
4. The Ohio Cardinal Conference wins in defeat: Chalk the OCC up as one affiliation that gained tons of credibility in 2009. In addition to D-IV regional finalist Orrville, which plays Saturday and tamed state title contender Genoa Area 36-35 last week, OCC champion Ashland made the conference proud Friday despite falling 45-42 to Mentor Lake Catholic in the D-II, Region 5 final at Green Memorial Stadium. In a game that featured nine lead changes Ashland came up just short to a very reputable Cougar team. Last week Ashland rallied from a 14-0 deficit with eight minutes to go to beat Warren Howland 19-14 in the regional semifinals.
5. DeSales has Watterson’s Number – For Now: For the second straight season, Columbus DeSales beat archrival Watterson in the regular season and then again in the playoffs. The latest lost for the Eagles came 24-10 in the D-II, Region 7 final at Dublin Coffman. Ouch.
6. Toledo Boycotts Maple Heights: For the third straight week, Cleveland-area power Maple Heights ended a Toledo City League schools’ season in the D-II playoffs. In the regional quarterfinals the Mustangs beat Toledo Rogers 36-36. Last week in the regional semifinals they beat Toledo Central Catholic 27-13. Friday Maple Heights ousted Toledo St. Francis 34-21 in the Region 6 final at Fremont’s Harmon Stadium.
7. Youngstown Ursuline is on a mission: Apparently someone told defending D-V state champion Ursuline it had been written off, because the Irish are playing with vengeance. Granted a three-loss regular season isn’t what anyone expected out of Ursuline, but looking back on those defeats now – to Ohio state semifinalists Mentor Lake Catholic (D-II) and Mooney (D-III) and Pennsylvania stalwart Pittsburgh Central Catholic – the joke is on the doubters! Wow, this team is humming. Friday the Irish put 47 points on a Cuyahoga Falls team that allowed 43 points during the regular season.
Here’s what we learned Saturday:
1. Ada almost did it again: Same scenario, same conferences and nearly the same results. In March, Ada’s boys basketball team derailed the title hopes of undefeated New Knoxville by upsetting the Rangers who entered the contest as the defending D-IV state champion, the Midwest Athletic Conference champion and nearly everyone’s pick to repeat as state champion. Saturday, the Bulldogs nearly bit the MAC again. This time facing undefeated Delphos St. John’s – the defending D-VI state champions, MAC champions and nearly everyone’s pick to win the state title again – Ada came up just short, falling 34-31 in OT in the Region 22 final at Findlay’s Donnell Stadium.
2. Massillon moves one step closer to its “first” state title: Yes, I know fabled Massillon has 22 state titles, but all of those were before 1972 when the OHSAA implemented the playoff system. Since then the Tigers have been to the state championship game three times and lost all three. With a 10-7 win over archrival Canton McKinley in the Region 2 final at Akron, Massillon moved one step closer to another state championship appearance. Win the next two games and those other 22 titles suddenly look a lot better.
3. Alter’s defense can be scored upon: Did Clinton-Massie score on the Knights? Yes. Did they score a lot? No. After pitching three straight shutouts and four in the last five games, Alter finally allowed points in its D-IV, Region 16 final against Massie. How many? Just seven. The Knights won their third regional title in four years with a 32-7 decision over the Falcons at Centerville High School. So far this postseason Alter has outscored the opposition 115-7.
4. Marion Local keeps it going: Sitting 4-5 after Week 9, the Flyers playoff chances looked slim with a Week 10 date against Anna looming in what shaped up to be a do-or-die game. After surprising the Rockets and slapping a 28-21 loss on them, Marion has rolled to three straight playoff wins and a fourth straight regional title. The Flyers beat Fort Loramie 27-0 in the D-VI, Region 24 final at Wapakoneta’s Harmon Field.
5. Solon no push over: I doubt many fans outside of Solon thought that after Glenville snapped Cleveland St. Ignatius’s 25-game win streak and sent the defending D-I state champions packing last week, that the Tarblooders would have much trouble with the Comets this week. Wrong. Cruising to a 28-7 halftime lead, Glenville held on for a 28-27 win over Solon at Parma’s Byers Field. Two crucial plays on special teams went the Tarblooders way late, including a blocked extra point that would have tied the game and a 50-yard missed field goal on the last play of the game.
6. Coshocton doesn’t care about tradition: In back-to-back weeks the Redskins have sent two of the state’s most storied programs home. Last week Coshocton beat Amanda-Clearcreek. Saturday, they beat Ironton. The Aces and Tigers combined have been in 13 state championship games and have won four state titles (two each). The Redskins are one win away from their first state championship game.
7. Another MAC team will lose next week: So far this postseason, two Midwest Athletic Conference teams have lost – and both have been to a fellow MAC school. Coldwater, which is in the D-V state semifinals, has ousted both Anna and St. Henry – in OT. Next week either Delphos St. John’s or Marion Local will go home as those two MAC schools meet in a D-VI state semifinal.
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