Saturday wrap-up: St. Xavier (Ohio) stuns No. 13 Colerain

The Ohio Division I football bracket is brutal. Brutally tough that is.

Unfortunately for Colerain (Cincinnati, Ohio), No. 13 in the Xcellent 25 national rankings, the Cardinals found that out again the hard way.

Colerain lost a bitter Division I regional semifinal game 24-23 to ever-improving St. Xavier (Cincinnati, Ohio) Saturday at Nippert Stadium.

According to the Cincinnati Enquirer, Colerain raced to a 10-0 lead and had 121 yards rushing at the end of the first quarter.

But St. Xavier, which has improved all season thanks to a challenging schedule, scored 24 unanswered points to take control.

The sophomore combination of wide receiver Kevin Milligan to Trey Kilgore on a 39-yard touchdown culminated the run and the trick play made it 24-10 with 10:10 left in the third quarter.

Colerain (11-1) wouldn't go away as senior quarterback Tyler Williams accounted for two touchdowns, one on a 5-yard run and the other 31-yard scoring strike to Chris Davis, but after the second TD the extra point was missed with 5:54 left in the game.

St. Xavier, which started the season 4-4, held on from there and now moves on to next week's regional final against the Wayne-Centerville winner. The Bombers (7-4) have won five of the last seven meetings with Colerain.

They got key touchdown runs from Conor Hundley (15 yards) and Griffin Dolle (16 yards) in the second half to pull out the gritty victory.

Waunakee (Wis.) humbles Franklin again

In a battle of unbeatens, it turned out to be a repeat performance.

According to franklinnow.com, Leo Musso rushed 28 times for 124 yards and one touchdown and passed for another as Waunakee (Wis.) ended Franklin's season for a second straight year with a 23-7 WIAA Division 2 semifinal victory at Kettle Moraine.

Last year, Waunakee humbled Franklin 42-14 in the semifinals en route to a state crown.

On Saturday, Waunakee's defense was stellar, allowing just 190 yards and a single touchdown against a high-powered offense that came in averaging more than 41 points per game.

Musso fired a 30-yard touchdown pass to Jared Staege midway through the second quarter to give the Warriors a 14-0 lead. That came after a 1-yard TD by quarterback Hunter Darger.

Franklin's only score came on a 3-yard TD run by Lance Baretz to close to 17-7 just before halftime. When Musso capped a long drive with a 3-yard TD run midway through the third, this one was essential over.

The only bad news for the winners was that Musso left shortly after the touchdown with a leg injury.

Baretz, facing a tough defense and a tricky wind, was 12-for-26 for 137 yards.

No. 14 St. Edward picks off No. 15 Glenville

In a battle of two nationally-ranked teams in the second round of the Division I Regional, St. Edward (Lakewood, Ohio) intercepted highly-touted Glenville (Cleveland, Ohio) quarterback Cardale Jones three times in the second half - returning one for a touchdown - in a 42-22 victory.

According to Cleveland.com, Cory Blackstock made the key pick, taking it back 85 yards for a touchdown and turning around a small deficit to give St. Edward the lead for good.

After Blackstock's big play, defensive end Robert Coury made an interception on Glenville's next possession and it led to a 13-yard touchdown pass from Kevin Burke to Chris Conners, making it 28-16.

Touchdown runs of 26 yards by Terrell Bates (19 carries, 135 yards) and 42 yards from Burke (14-73) put St. Edward in complete command.

St. Edward, seeking its first state title, improved to 12-0 while Glenville finished 11-1.

Glenville controlled the ball - 74 plays to 49 - and Jones completed 23 passes fro 320 yards. But he also threw 22 incompletions and three interceptions. Nicolas Harris had nine catches for 145 yards for Glenville.

Defense and Burks lifts Cass Tech past Dakota

According to the Detroit Free Press, Cass Tech (Detroit, Mich.) running back Christian Burks rushed 18 times for 249 yards which seemed spectacular enough.

But Burks was actually out-shined by by his team's defense, which intercepted four passes in a 31-19 Division I Region 4 championship over Dakota (Macomb, Mich.).

Cass Tech (12-0) moves into the state semifinals next week with a chance to play for the state title at Ford Field.

Cass started fast, appropriate considering team quickness is considering a strength, getting an 82-yard touchdown pass from Keith Moore to Kishon Wilcher followed by a 77-yard fumble return by Mario Luke to take a 12-0 lead late in the first quarter.

Dakota stayed close behind quarterback Mark Morris (19 of 35, 272 yards), who completed a touchdown pass to Deandre Smith to close to 12-7 left just before halftime.

Royce Jenkins-Stone made his second interception to set up a Moore 4-yard TD run, giving the winners an 18-7 lead. When Cass Tech put together a first long, sustained drive, capped by a Burks 21-yard TD run, this one was over with 3:32 left in the third.

Dakota finished 9-2.

No revenge for Glenbard West

After being eliminated last year by Wheaton-Warrenville South (Wheaton, Ill.), Glenbard West (Glen Ellyn, Ill.) was planning on a little redemption.

Instead, it was just more of the same for the nation's No. 18 team which posted a 40-20 victory over Glenbard West in the Class 7A quarterfinal. Wheaton Warrenville South advances to the semifinals next week.

According to the Chicago Tribune, the host Tiger (12-0) were in a strange spot - a competitive game - leading just 27-20 after three quarters. But Matthew Rogers responded with a pair of 1-yard touchdown runs to help Wheaton Warrenville South win going away.

Quarterback Reilly O'Toole did it all for the winners, going 15-for-20 with 239 yards and a touchdown, while rushing 10 times for 62 yards and two more scores.

Teammates Titus Davis (seven catches, 132 yards), Matthew Rogers (97 yards rushing, two TDs) and Caleb Bednarz (two interceptions) all had big games as did Glenbard West's Daver Glawe (12-for-21, 219 yards, two TDs) and Mark Hiben (five catches, 130 yards, TD).

Wheaton Warrenville South came in No. 18 in the MaxPreps Xcellent 25.