Braxton Miller leads Wayne to Ohio football semifinals

The nation's top-rated quarterback is on the verge of leading his team to Stark County – a notion that many pundits didn't see coming just a few short weeks ago.

Wayne (Huber Heights) senior Braxton Miller – who verbally committed to Ohio State this past summer – continued his team's improbable postseason run by helping the Warriors earn a 28-24 triumph over Cincinnati St. Xavier in the Division I regional final Saturday night.

"A magic season? We'll see," Miller told the Dayton Daily News. "We haven't made it to the magic land, yet."

Wayne (10-3), which was the No. 8 seed in Region 4, won its seventh consecutive game with a win over the Bombers at Welcome Stadium in Dayton.

Wayne had to rally for the win. After it trailed 24-21 with 7:34 left in the fourth quarter, the Warriors were able to put one more touchdown on the board about two minutes later when senior running back Anthone Taylor scored on 19-yard run.

Taylor, who has rushed for more than 1,300 yards this season, finished with 89 yards rushing and a touchdown. Miller, who was named the Associated Press Southwest District offensive player of the year this past week, threw 16 times for 178 yards and a touchdown. He also had a touchdown run.

"You can only contain him so much," St. Xavier senior linebacker and Boston College commit Sean Duggan told the Cincinnati Enquirer. "He's a heck of a player. He's going to Ohio State for a reason."

Wayne returns to Welcome Stadium this week when the Warriors play Hilliard Davidson (13-0) in a state semifinal at 7 p.m. Saturday. The winner plays the winner of Lakewood St. Edward vs. Toledo Whitmer on Dec. 4.
Wayne is the first Dayton-area team to win the regional title since 1999. Cincinnati teams have traditionally been the Southwest District representative in Division I.

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TROTWOOD-MADISON ADVANCES TO STATE
Trotwood-Madison (11-2) will play Lake (Uniontown) (10-3) in a Division II state semifinal at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Gahanna Lincoln. Trotwood defeated Kings 53-24 in a regional final on Friday. The Rams, who have won eight consecutive games, were led by senior running back Antwan Gilbert, who rushed 28 times for 241 yards and five touchdowns. He has 1,844 rushing yards and 23 touchdowns this season. It was Trotwood's first regional title since 1981.

McNICHOLAS ADVANCES TO STATE
Archbishop McNicholas (Cincinnati) (11-2) advanced to the Division III state semifinals as the Rockets play Columbus Bishop Watterson at 7 p.m. Saturday at Clayton Northmont. The Rockets were led by senior quarterback Matt Staubach, who rushed for 99 yards and two touchdowns in a 39-14 win over Eaton in the regional final. Senior linebacker Ryan Haynes had a sack and an interception for the Rockets.

HILLARY COMMITS TO WISCONSIN
Sycamore senior defensive back/running back Darius Hillary verbally committed to Wisconsin on Tuesday. Hillary, who is 5-foot-11 and 180 pounds, also considered Stanford, Boston College, Illinois and several other offers. Hillary became the third Cincinnati-area player to commit to the Badgers this fall. Moeller senior defensive end Jesse Hayes and Colerain senior fullback Trayion Durham also committed to Wisconsin.

ALABAMA COMMIT KELLY TO MISS ALL-STAR GAME DUE TO ACL INJURY
Lakota West senior offensive lineman Ryan Kelly (Alabama commit) will miss the Under Armour All-America Game with a torn ACL in his left knee, according to the Pulse Journal. Kelly, one of the nation's top linemen in the 2011 class, is expected to be healthy when he leaves for Alabama in June, according to the publication. Kelly verbally committed to Alabama in mid-July. Kelly is one of five Ohio players on the Under Armour Game roster. The all-star game will be played Jan. 5 at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Fla.

TOP STANDOUTS
* Conor Hundley, St. Xavier: The senior running back had 26 carries for 118 yards and two touchdowns in the Bombers' 28-24 loss to Huber Heights Wayne.

* Antwan Gilbert, Trotwood-Madison: The senior running back had 28 carries for 241 yards and five touchdowns in a 53-24 win over Kings.

* Anthone Taylor, Wayne: The senior running back had 13 carries for 89 yards and three receptions for 41 yards in the Warriors' 28-24 win over St. Xavier.

RECRUITING NEWS
Taft junior defensive end Adolphus Washington has at least 16 verbal scholarship offers, according to the Enquirer. Washington, one of the nation's top players in the 2012 class, has offers that include Alabama, Ohio State, West Virginia, Louisville, Florida State, Texas, Illinois, Pittsburgh, Boston College and Texas A&M. … Sycamore senior offensive lineman Ben Rader has been offered by Youngstown State.

News was gathered from the Cincinnati Enquirer, Dayton Daily News and Pulse Journal.