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Saturday, November 27, 2010
Wayne whips Hilliard Davidson; state final next
DAYTON - Like the rest of his teammates, all Wayne’s Seth Stuart wanted was to make the high school football playoffs. But that was no certainty.
“We were on the bubble, but we squeezed in,” said the senior wideout.
“We said we just needed to get in and we’ll do damage.”
The Warriors have done more than that. What began as a finger-biting journey and a barely qualifying No. 8 seed has blossomed into a state title berth. That’s what Wayne earned with a convincing 28-14 doubling of defending Division I state champ Hilliard Davidson on Saturday night at Welcome Stadium in a D-I state semifinal.
Wayne (11-3) will meet Lakewood St. Edward (14-0) in next Saturday’s state final at Canton’s Fawcett Stadium. St. Ed beat Toledo Whitmer 23-13 in the other semi at Massillon.
Wayne was incredibly efficient in dismantling what was regarded as stout and superior defensive team in Davidson. The Warriors ran at will behind senior Anthone Taylor — 26 carries, 182 yards — and got a splendid effort from quarterback Braxton Miller — 12 of 16 passing for 134 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions.
Even more impressive, Wayne scored on all four of its first-half possessions and led 28-7 at halftime over shell-shocked HD.
An exclusive running team, Davidson had attempted just four playoff passes through three games — one was a spike — and was at a loss facing such a big deficit.
“I knew if we did what we were coached to do that we would put up the points fast,” Taylor said.
“I told everybody that we need to score every possession we got.”
Taylor did just that, ripping off an untouched 14-yard TD run in the first quarter.
Wayne scorched HD with 21 second-quarter points that featured a short Miller scoring run and Miller tosses to Jordan Morgan and Marcus Bonner.
“For these kids to pull through and pull together and get this thing, wow,” said Wayne coach Jay Minton, shivering from a water dousing after the game.
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TweetWayne, Trotwood-Madison make GWOC statements
Wayne took center stage Saturday night. And it didn’t want to disappoint.
“We knew this was a statement game,” said Warriors running back Anthone Taylor after an impressive 28-14 dismantling of previously unbeaten and defending Division I state champion Hilliard Davidson at Welcome Stadium in a D-I state semifinal.
“We wanted to show the whole nation what we were coming with. We got to show the state of Ohio; don’t sleep on the GWOC. We weren’t just doing this for us. We were doing this for all of Dayton.”
At least for one season, Greater Western Ohio Conference football has elevated itself to heights previously unreachable.
Wayne (11-3) earned a D-I state-title date next Saturday against Lakewood St. Edward (14-0) at Canton. And the Warriors will be joined by GWOC brethren Trotwood-Madison, which earned its D-II title berth with a thrilling 34-27 comeback defeat of Uniontown Lake on Friday.
That’s two GWOC teams in the largest division state finals in the same season. Cleveland, Columbus and mighty Cincinnati D-I stud teams? Long gone.
“It’s always been good (area D-I football), and we know it around here, but I hope now people outside can feel it,” Wayne coach Jay Minton said.
“That’s not going to happen unless we go up there and get this next one.”
Centerville (twice) and Wayne (1999) are the only other area teams to advance to the D-I state title game. That was the state-wide knock on area D-I football, great players with underachieving teams. Not this season.
“We don’t have any scrub teams right here,” Warriors receiver Seth Stuart said.
“Us and Trotwood will represent the GWOC well. We’re there now; we can say it’s magic.”
Wayne had to hold its collective breath after the final game of the regular season just to see if it would qualify for the playoffs. It did, as the last No. 8 seed. Good enough.
“We knew once we got in we could go all the way,” senior linebacker Teven Williams said. “We just had to get in.
“It just shows how the GWOC is and how much talent is in the conference.”
No one is denying the effect that quarterback Braxton Miller has had on the program for four seasons. Of course this team is more than Miller, but it begins with number 5.
Sharp when he was needed most in the three previous playoff games, Miller was unstoppable against a defense that was labeled among the state’s best.
“We’ve been saying this (win state) since my freshman year, but it’s here now,” Miller said.
“ We’ve just got to put it away.”
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TweetWayne 28, Hilliard Davidson 14; final
Wayne wins state semifinal; title game next.
The Warriors (11-3) will play Lakewood St. Edward (14-0) in the D-I state final next Saturday at Canton’s Fawcett Stadium. St. Ed advanced by defeating Toledo Whitmer 23-13 in Saturday’s other D-I state semi at Massillon.
FOURTH QUARTER
HD 1st&10, H18, 3:28 … two possession game and not much time … Mickley off tac.; sheshhhh … 2nd&6 H22 … Cameron Walker bats down pass … 3rd&6 H22 … another dive up mid.; of course … 4th&3 W25 … QB Curtis keeper … 1st&10 H36 … 2:04 left … Curtis run … 2nd&5 H41 … completed pass … 1st&10 H49 … Sean Miliner on sack … 2nd&15 H43 … less than 1 min. … Mickley run; booooring …. 3rd&13 H46 …
W 1st&10 W36, 5:45 … Taylor strong up mid.; Taylor 24-179 yards … 2nd&6 W40 … Taylor run … 3rd&6 W41 … Taylor strong again up mid. … 4th&3 W43 … Newsome punt … here comes HD.
HD 1st&10 H13, 7:12 … QB Curtis keeper; yawn … 2nd&7 H16 … inc. to Nolan Gill; penalty, sideline warning on HD; ref smacked someone from HD on the play … 3rd&7 H16 … QB Curtis keeper; someone tell HD it trails by 14 … 4th&7 H16 … punt.
W 1st&10 H46, 11:57 … quickie to Stuart in flat … 2nd&1 H37 … Taylor run … 1st&10 H32 … Taylor run … 2nd&7 H29 … time now a factor for HD … Miller run … 1st&10 H21 … another quickie to Stuart in left flat … 1st&goal H9 … Taylor strong … 2nd&goal H5 … Taylor couple tough yards … 3rd&goal H3 … Taylor up mid. … 4th&goal H1 … Wayne going for it … Miller a naked bootleg, runs into plenty of trouble and swarmed for 10-yard loss. HD ball.
H 4th&4 H46 … HD going for it, which they should … ugh, TV timeout … inc. to Talbott, smothered by Michael Bonner.
THIRD QUARTER
HD 1st&10 H40, 1:43 … QB Curtis keeper; Bonner blows it up … 2nd&6 H44 … Talbott up mid. … 3rd&3 H47 … Wayne blitz wipes out everything; at least 5 Warriors on stop … 4th&4 H46 … end of third Q.
W 1st&10 W46, 3:01 … Taylor run; stoned … 2nd&10 W46 … Miller complete to Bonner on his knees … 3rd&4 H48 … Peterson can’t hold on to low pass … 4th&4 H48 … Newsome punt partially blocked by Dylan Skaggs.
HD 1st&10 H48, 4:26 … Mickley sweep; LB Teven Williams hard stop … 2nd&7 W49 … Mickley run … 3rds&3 W45 … QB Curtis keeper; tackle by Daryll Jackson … 4th&4 W46 … HD going for it … inc. to Tyler Talbott over middle; better pass and he would have had it; Wayne ball.
W 1st& W20, 4:58 … Miller run … 2nd&10 W20 … Bonner drops pass … 3rd&10 W20 … Miller scrambles; inc. Wayne hold; declined … 4th&10 W20 … big Mo has definitely shifted … Newsome punt.
HD 1st&10 H8, 7:10 … Mickley breaks untouched up mid.; stopped by Tre Thomas and Michael Bonner … 1st&goal W7 … Mickley upended by Tre Moore and Bonner on sideline … 2nd&goal W2 … quick handoff to Seiffert for no gain … 3rd&goal W2 … Qb Curtis keeper … 4th&1 W1 … power-I; Mickley over the top for TD … 5:18 … 5 plays, 92 yards, 1:52 … Wayne LB Anthony Hunter injured … JD Detmer kick … Wayne 28, HD 14.
W 1st&10 W46, 8:51 … Miller fakes handoff, fakes throw, takes off … 1st&10 H44 … Taylor run … 2nd&9 H43 … Miller deep to no one … Andre Cokes stopped short on route … Miller’s first inc. … 3rd&9 H43 … Taylor run … 4th&7 H41 … Newsome great high pooch punt.
HD 1st&10 H20 … up mid. … 2nd&6 H24 … Mickley up mid. for HD’s 4th 1st down … 1st&10 H34 … Seiffert up mid. … 1st&10 H47 … HD running game powering through mid. of Warriors defense … Mickley run … 2nd&5 W47 … Mickley run … 3rd&3 W45 … Mickley run … 4th&1 W44 … HD going for it … power-I … pitch … Tre Moore and Darien Thornton on stop. One foot short. Wayne ball.
1st half nuggets
• Wayne dominating in every significant stat:
1st downs: 16-3, Wayne
Rushes: 26-207 for Wayne to 14-51; Taylor 15-156, 1 TD.
Passing yds: 107-46, Wayne; Miller 9 for 9, 107 yards, 2 TDs; also has rushed for another TD.
Plays: 35-314 for Wayne; 15-97 HD.
Possession time: Wayne 15:23; HD 8:37.
• OK, this is a wipeout so far. Whatever got HD to this game has not worked, offensively or defensively. I’d say to start making arrangement for next weekend at Canton, except … I saw Trotwood on Friday. Like HD, the Rams trailed 27-7 at halftime, then blitzed Uniontown Lake with 27 second-half points for a thrilling 34-27 victory in a D-II state semifinal. Oh, and T-M scored the winning TD with 0:05 left.
• OSU coach Jim Tressell was rumored to be coming here. Haven’t seen him yet.
• Wayne also had this kind of halftime advantage over Cin. Moeller in the season opener and ended up losing.
• Lakewood St. Edward and Toledo Whitmer are tied 7-all at halftime in the other D-I state semi at Massillon.
• The best preparation for HD for Wayne was playing Centerville twice. Same kind of run first and often team.
SECOND QUARTER
W 1st&10 W26, 1:17 …Jordan Morgan on the KO return … Miller fake pass, handoff to Taylor … 2nd&5 W31 … penalty; Wayne false start … 2nd&10 W26 … Taylor untouched up mid. … Taylor 15-156 so far in 1st H … 1st&10 W47 … :33 … Miller scrambles to OB … 2nd&1 H46 … :26 … complete to Peterson on sideline, wiggles free … 1st&10 H13 with 0:11 left in half … time for one play and maybe a Newsome FG … penalty, Wayne false start … 1st&15 H18 … Miller strike to Marcus Bonner on quick post for TD … 0:07 … Newsome kick good … Miller 9 for 9 for 107 yards … Wayne 28, HD 7.
H 1st&10 H32, 3:51 … Teven Williams stones KO returner Tyler Talbott with great open-field stop … 2nd&8 H34 … QB Jimmy Curtis out to Keith Heitzman for 42 yards … 1st&10 W20 … Seiffert run … 2nd&5 W15 … Heitzman has verbally committed to Vanderbilt at TE/DE … 3rd&1 W11 … Curtis on fake, keeps and scores around end … 1:23 … 5 plays, 68 yards, 2:28 … JD Detmer kick good … Wayne 21, HD 7 … HD can thank a long pass for that scoring drive. Who would have thunk it? Not Warriors. Wayne was bunched all in the box.
W 1st&10 W35, 8:01 … Miller keeper … 2nd&8 W35 … Taylor run … 3rd&5 W40 … Miller a strike to Marshall Peterson on an out … 1st&10 W49 … Miller 5-for-5 … Miller wanted to go deep; instead scrambled; penalty hold on H; someone held Stuart from streaking up field; someone got caught … 1st&10 H44 … Miller quickie to Stuart … 2nd&4 H34 … Miller keeper around end; high stepping … 1st&10 H13 … H has no answer for Wayne offense … Wayne holds 10-1 advantage in first downs … Taylor tripped at last second to save TD … 2nd&8 H11 … Miller keeper; crushed … 3rd&11 H14 .. Miller to Jordan Morgan at about the 8; Morgan takes on 3 defenders and dives past cone for TD … 3:56 … 9 plays, 4:05, 65 yards. Wayne 21, Davidson 0; oh, my.
H 1st&10 20, 11:21 … Mickley up mid. … 2nd&6 H24 … Mickley again … 3rd&1 H30 … first H first down at 10:11 of 2nd Q … 1st&10 H31 … Nick Seiffert run … 2nd&7 H34 … pent., H ill. procedure; had 2 guys in motion; whoops … 2nd&12 H29 … H T.O. … Wildcats are completely out of sync offensively; again had 2 in motion; calling time apparently prevented another penalty … Mickley up mid. … 3rd&10 H32 … incredibly, two more H players in motion; what the heck? In Week 14? In the state semifinal? … penalty declined … 4th&8 H33 … punt. … Columbus Dispatch reporter says that Davidson has thrown 4 passes in 3 playoff games and one was a spike.
1st&goal H6 … Taylor 10-122 in first Q … Miller 4-4-0 28 yds … Taylor up mid. … 2nd&3 H3 … Miller fakes to Taylor, which draws H defense, then skips around end untouched for TD … 11:21 … Newsome kick … Wayne 14, Hilliard Davidson 0.
FIRST QUARTER
W 1st&10 W9; 5:40 … quickie to Seth Stuart … 2nd&5 W14 … Taylor untouched up mid., breaks to sideline and hauled down from behind after 45-yard dash … 1st&10 H31 … Stuart off rt. tac. … 2nd&6 H27 … Miller scrambles, dances … 3rd&5 H26 … Taylor rt. tac … 4th&3 H24 … Wayne going for it … Miller fakes to Taylor and keeps … 1st&10 H21 … Miller fakes to Taylor and keeps; stuffed … 2nd&10 H21 … Taylor on delay … Hilliard finally starting to stiffen after being crushed all over the field … 3rd&8 H19 … Miller rolls, complete to Andre Cokes … 4th&1 H12 … Wayne going for it … Taylor through big hole … this is waaaay too easy; have we said that yet? … 1st&goal H5 … end of quarter.
H 1st&10 H37, 8:09 … Alex Mickley off tackle … 2nd&8 H39 … Mickley up mid … 3rd&6 H41 … Davidson runs more than Centerville … another rush up middle for no gain … Wayne defense looking good … 4th&6 H41 … punt … not certain how it wasn’t blocked.
W 1st&10 W20: Two early Miller completions … Antone Taylor running strong … Miller scrambling all over field … 1st&10 H14 … Taylor untouched up mid. for TD … 8:17 … 9 plays, 80 yards, 3:46 … Marshall Newsome kicks extra point … waaaay too easy for Warriors. … Wayne really has not been clicking offensively - except for when the games are on the line - during its 3-game playoff run. Perhaps this is their breakout game. So far, so good. Wayne 7, HD 0.
DAYTON - It’s Wayne (10-3) vs. defending state champion Hilliard Davidson (13-0) at Welcome Stadium on Saturday night, D-I high school football state semifinals.
Do the Warriors have one more fateful moment in their season? Regardless, it’s been a tremendous playoff run for the GWOC Central co-champs. Hilliard Davidson has won 21 straight games over two seasons.
Lakewood St. Edward (13-0) plays Toledo Whitmer (12-1) in the other D-I at Massillon’s Paul Brown Tiger Stadium also Saturday night.
Tonight’s D-I winners advance to next Saturday’s D-I state championship at Canton’s Fawcett Stadium (7 p.m.).
If you’re in a remote location, know that frequent game-running updates will be posted here. Don’t mean to run anyone off, but for those of you with a premium Time Warner Cable package, the game can be seen live on Ch. 99.
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TweetTrotwood-Madison football rewind
A few final thoughts on the Rams’ 34-27 defeat of Uniontown Lake in the D-II state football semifinals at Gahanna Lincoln H.S. on Friday. The victory sends Trotwood (12-2) into next Friday’s D-II state title game vs. Maple Heights (14-0) at 7 p.m. at Massillon’s Paul Brown Tiger Stadium:
• It didn’t take long for the head-knocking to commence. Lake’s Taylor Freed was knocked out on the opening kickoff. Five minutes later he finally moved and eventually was helped to the sideline.
Freed tried to go shoulder pad to shoulder pad with a Ram. His only problem was the T-M player had a 30-yard head of steam. Might have been better for him to go low at the last possible instant.
Working on ID’ing the Rams player. It was the kind of hit that you never forget, and I want to hear about it in his words.
• Trailing 27-7 at halftime, how did T-M recover? Its offense shifted into dominator mode the final two fateful quarters, out-gaining Lake 298-56 in yardage and posting a 44-15 advantage in plays.
• Trotwood QB Marcus Graham was better than ever. The senior was a nifty 11 of 16 passing for 159 yards, 2 TDs and one INT. AJ Jordan (69 yards) and Renon Lorenzo (50) each had four receptions.
Graham also scooted for 66 clutch rushing yards, many when called plays had broken down and it was up to Graham to make something happen. None were more important than a 4th&3 at its own 45 with about five minutes left and trailing 27-20.
Graham dropped back and checked out once the pocket started to collapse. He wiggled and dodged his way to a first down. That led to a 6-yard scoring strike to Jordan on a similar twisting, dodging, roll out improvised toss.
Cameron Burrows’ INT thwarted Lake on its resulting drive. Then it was Graham time again. He hit Lorenzo for 11 yards on a crossing pattern, then heaved a bullet to Antwan Gilbert who carried two Lake defenders to the 2.
That led to Michael McCray’s winning TD reception, a nifty 2-yard toss from Graham.
“We couldn’t get their quarterback on the ground,” Lake coach Jeff Durbin said.
“That probably killed us as much as anything.”
• T-M coach Maurice Douglass on Graham:
“I’m so glad for Marcus Graham. He’s been through so much. So many people say so many bad things about him as a quarterback. But he’s a great leader and that’s the thing you want from your quarterback, is to lead your team to victory. And he did it again.”
• More Durbin: “They were making all the plays in the second half. We didn’t make any.”
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TweetRams storm into state title game
GAHANNA— Renon Lorenzo was a driven mess at halftime.
The Trotwood-Madison senior whippet-like wideout was bawlin’ like a school girl. And no wonder. Like anyone else who wasn’t playing defense, he had endured Uniontown Lake’s 27-point second quarter while idle on the sideline.
Trailing 27-7 and being broken more every minute, that seemingly ended the Rams’ dream season in the Division II state semifinal at Gahanna Lincoln High School on Friday night. Well, not quite.
“They were asking me why I was crying,” Lorenzo said.
“I told them I seen this. I seen that we were going to do this. I seen us doing it. We were all banging our chests hard.”
Then assistant Kerry Ivy sealed the deal by proclaiming that Trotwood would make high school comeback history. Once the chest thumping subsided, the Rams went to work.
Suddenly everything that hadn’t worked in the first half was executed flawlessly. Thanks to a big helping of Antwan Gilbert that resulted in 41 carries for 269 yards, T-M ran itself back into contention.
Then the Rams’ defense came to life. Big hits were the norm, as were three-and-outs for Uniontown, which had just 15 second-half plays.
Brothers Nicholas Grigsby and George “Bam” Bradley delivered many of those thumping whacks, combining for 18 solo stops.
The Rams, so sullen in the second quarter, could barely contain themselves touchdown after glorious touchdown.
Of course it would go to the final seconds. Michael McCray snared the winning TD with five seconds left. Maurice Blacknall delivered the final game-ending tackle and the 34-27 spirited comeback victory celebration was on.
“We knew that we were going to make the greatest comeback,” beamed Gilbert.
“That’s what we said in the locker room, the greatest comeback in Ohio and that’s what we accomplished. Now we got Week 15 to go.”
That would be the state championship vs. Maple Heights next Friday at Massillon Paul Brown Tiger Stadium. The only other time Trotwood has been to a state title game was when head coach Maurice Douglass was a senior in the 1981 season.
“I’m so happy for our kids and coaching staff and our community,” said Douglass, blinking back tears.
“Our community needs this really bad. Hopefully, the people will realize the importance of our sports and they’ll vote for the levy the next time we have it.”
The victory jettisoned Lorenzo back to his youth.
“This takes me back to my back yard,” he said.
“I dreamed of this. I always dreamed of this in the back yard throwing the ball to myself.”
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TweetLast-second score lifts Trotwood over Uniontown Lake, 34-27
GAHANNA — Michael McCray had just put the finishing touch on the most improbable comeback victory in Trotwood-Madison football history. But there was still some unfinished business for the budding sophomore.
McCray’s father, also Michael and a Rams assistant coach, was waiting.
“We just celebrated and talked to each other,” said the son, whose touchdown catch from quarterback Marcus Graham with five seconds left were the go-ahead points in a stunning 34-27 defeat of Uniontown Lake in a Division II state semifinal at Gahanna Lincoln High School on Friday.
“I told him I loved him. It meant a lot to me. You can put it down in history. Now we’ve got to go get another W.”
The win propels T-M (12-2) into next week’s state final against Maple Heights, a 27-17 winner over Lake Catholic in the other D-II semi at Solon.
That the Rams advanced to the state final borders on surreal. Trotwood surrendered 27 straight points in the second quarter and trailed 27-7 at halftime.
Then Antwan Gilbert took over. The senior carried almost exclusively in the final two quarters, gaining 269 yards on 41 rushes and scoring twice.
And when he wasn’t gaining big chunks, Graham was eluding would-be tacklers and keeping long scoring drives alive.
Both scored on short runs, then Graham flipped a 6-yard TD strike to A.J. Jordan to pull the teams even at 27-all with 6:29 left.
Lake finally got its offense untracked on the ensuing possession, but Cameron Burrows’ interception at the 18 set up T-M’s winning drive. Graham had clutch strikes to Renon Lorenzo and then to Gilbert to set up McCray.
On first and goal at the two, Graham faked to Gilbert, which drew most of Lake’s defense, then hit a wide open McCray.
“I was kind of nervous,” admitted McCray.
The entire T-M team celebrated, cried and prayed together afterward at midfield, seemingly not wanting to leave the scene of their finest moment. Assistant Jeff Graham, Marcus’ uncle, wept off to the side of the gathering, wiping away a fresh flood of tears every few seconds.
That’s the way it was for most.
“A been around a long time,” Rams coach Maurice Douglass said. “I haven’t seen one like this.”
“We just told the guys to keep believing. Coach (Kerry) Ivy told them that this was going to be the greatest comeback in the history of high school football. We made some defensive adjustments and got them in the right spots and the offense just did what they normally do. God is good.”
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