By Dean Eversole
MaxPreps.com
ÿ
Playoff time is here, meaning one loss now and the season is over. This past weekend the field was cut in half with the completion of the opening round. Now all games move to neutral sites and things can get very interesting.
ÿ
The best game of the weekend might have been one that everyone expected, Glenville and St. Ignatius. The Tarblooders marched into St. I's and escaped with a 19-12 victory, moving on in the playoffs where they will face the No. 1-seeded Mentor Cardinals in a rematch of week one, won by the Cardinals on a last-second field goal.
ÿ
The other surprise was found in the southern half of the state where Colerain was taken to overtime by Archbishop Moeller. The Crusaders nearly ended the Cardinals title run before even it got started.
ÿ
The Crusaders fell behind 28-0 to Colerain midway through the third quarter before beginning one the most unlikely comebacks the state playoff history. Moeller scored on four-straight possessions, a stunning feat against a defense that had allowed a mere 42 points on the season.
ÿ
"It was like a train that's out of control," Colerain coach Kerry Coombs told the Cincinnati Enquirer. "I've never seen anything like it, and I didn't have an answer for it. But our kids came back, made some plays and refused to quit."
ÿ
The no-quit attitude eventually led to a third overtime, where Colerain's Mark Tabar ended the wild affair with a 40-yard field goal.ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ
ÿ
"I just put my head down and kicked it, watched it go through, and then I ran away from everybody coming onto the field," Tabar told the Cincinnati Enquirer.
ÿ
The Cardinals are now smiling to the Regional Semifinals, where they will play Cincinnati Sycamore as a part of doubleheader at Nippert Stadium. The other game will be St. Xavier pairing off against Cincinnati Glen Este.
ÿ
The other overtime game was in Division VI, where the suddenly very hot Columbus Grove Bulldogs downed Monroeville 20-14. Grove scored the game-ending touchdown on its first possession after stopping Monroeville to open the overtime.
ÿ
In other divisional play, Piqua (D-II) knocked off Toledo Central Catholic, 33-14, ending the Irish's run for back-to-back titles. Patrick Henry (D-V) was the other defending champion to see its season come to a conclusion, losing to Fairview in a shootout, 52-49.ÿ
ÿ
There were plenty of expected outcomes also from around the state. Youngstown Mooney (D-IV) continued to roll winning 28-0 over Cuyahoga Falls. St. Henry (D-V) had little difficulty, advancing with a 37-0 victory over Tri-County North. This sets up a repeat of the much hyped week one matchup of St. Henry and Marion Pleasant, won by St. Henry, 35-7. Fellow Midwest Athletic Conference schools Marion Local (D-VI) and Coldwater (D-IV) also advanced. There has only been three occasions where a MAC school lost in the opening round of the playoffs since 1973. There were none in 2006.ÿ
ÿ
Lakewood St. Edward (D-I) took care of business with a 41-14 thumping of Painesville. They will play Warren G. Harding, who upset the higher-seeded Brecksville-Broadview Heights, 35-21. Canton McKinley (D-I) also advanced holding off a very pesky Toledo St. Johns team, 28-21. McKinley's old rival Massillon Washington (D-I) also advanced, rolling over Massillon Perry, 41-20.ÿ
ÿ
Next Week
ÿ
There are some interesting matchups this coming weekend, but the best one might be in Division IV, where two undefeated squads in the Oak Harbor Rockets and Coldwater Cavaliers will tangle. The Rockets are big and like to pound the ball on the ground. The Cavs will look to keep Harbor off balance on defense by mixing in the run with the pass. It should be an interesting struggle with the winner gaining the inside track for the regional title.