Skyline Chili Crosstown Showdown roundup: Colerain wins a wild one

CINCINNATI, Ohio - If you like shenanigans, riverboat gambling and general tomfoolery, this was the game for you.

Yes, two Ohio heavyweights squared off at Nippert Stadium during the 15th Annual Skyline Chili Crosstown Showdown on Saturday, and all of us – players, fans and prep football scribes alike – are still a little dazed, still a little woozy, still a little in need of smelling salts after all the trickeration we've witnessed.

Two fourth-down conversions, three fourth-down stops, a fake PAT, a fake punt and a blocked punt.

And that was just the first half.

In the end, Colerain (Cincinnati, Ohio) got touchdown runs from four different players and held on to beat Pickerington Central (Pickerington, Ohio) 28-15 in a clash of two of Ohio's top public-school programs.

"One heck of a game; just unbelievable," Colerain coach Tom Bolden said. "We didn't play real well at times amidst all the chaos. We've got to get a lot better at a lot of things. There were some first-game jitters, especially for (senior running back) Chris Davis and (senior quarterback) Alfred Ramsby. They were just so hyped up."

Davis and Ramsby both had their junior seasons cut short with season-ending knee injuries, but both looked sharp against Pickerington – and both found the end zone.

Days before the game, Pickerington coach Jay Sharrett said his team couldn't match Colerain's size and strength in the trenches. Anyone who watched the first series of the game would have agreed, as Colerain rammed the ball 64 yards on six plays – all runs – before Ramsby punctuated the drive with a 12-yard touchdown burst.

The rest of the game wasn't quite as straightforward.

Pickerington marched right down the field on its first drive, which culminated in a 20-yard touchdown run by senior tailback Brent Walton. Pickerington lined up for the PAT, but Sharrett called a fake for senior Greg Basalyga, who waltzed into the end zone untouched.

Colerain converted one fourth-down attempt on its ensuring drive but not two. The Cardinals were stuffed on 4th-and-3 at the Pickerington 5. After the turnover on downs, Pickerington put a nice drive together but had to punt on 4th-and-17.

Or so you would think.

For Pickerington, precariously perched at its own 44, it was fake all the way. Sterling White took a pass at the line of scrimmage and gained 16.5 yards. Turnover on downs. Colerain returned the favor on its next drive, failing to convert a 4th-and-4.

A blocked punt, however, had Colerain back in business. Junior Detuan Smith, the game MVP, did the honors with just over five minutes remaining in the first half, and Colerain scored four plays later on a 7-yard touchdown run by senior fullback Jackson Sorn to take a 14-8 lead into halftime.

Colerain and Pickerington traded third-quarter touchdowns – Colerain's came on, you guessed it, fourth down (Davis scored from 11 yards out on 4th-and-6) – to set up a riveting finish.

Colerain forced a punt with just over seven minutes remaining and milked the clock before getting an 18-yard touchdown run from junior Jalen Christian, who finished with 92 yards.

Colerain junior Ryan Williamson picked off Pickerington junior quarterback Colby Simkins to seal the win. The pick was the only big mistake for Simkins, who had moments of brilliance but was under duress for much of the evening.

"We can get after the quarterback," Bolden said of a unit that returned just three starters.

Colerain improves to 10-3 in the Showdown, and Bolden, who is now 53-8 since taking over head-coaching duties in 2007, remains unblemished against non-Cincinnati teams.

The Cardinals won't have much time to celebrate, as four of their next five games come on the road, including a Sept. 7 showdown with Cincinnati St. Xavier, which ended Colerain's 61-game home winning streak last September. Revenge will be on Colerain's mind, but not yet. The Cardinals will enjoy their win over Pickerington Cental, as well they should.

They earned it. We all did.

"We got the W," Ramsby said. "That's all that matters."

Other noteworthy results from the Skyline Chili Crosstown Showdown:

• St. Xavier (Cincinnati) held off Middletown (Ohio) 43-39 in what was deemed an instant classic Friday night at Nippert Stadium. St. X led the Middies 28-19 midway through the third quarter, trailed 39-28 midway through the fourth, scored a go-ahead touchdown with 52 seconds remaining and saw Middletown drive from its own 15 to the St. Xavier 3 before a pass from Middies quarterback Jalin Marshall sailed over the outstretched arms of Chase Sorrell as time expired.

Marshall, who has verbally committed to Ohio State, had touchdown runs of 74, 64 and 65 yards, finishing with 312 rushing yards on 23 carries. He was also 6-of-13 for 87 yards and a touchdown.

Middletown's 39 points were the most allowed by St. X during the Specht era (Specht became head coach in 2004); the previous high was 33.

• First-year coach Dan Scholz guided Oak Hills to a 28-0 victory over Walnut Hills on Saturday. It was a promising start for Scholz; Oak Hills is searching for its first winning season since 2006. Walnut Hills, meanwhile, finished 8-3 and advanced to the playoffs for the first time in school history last season.

• Elder (Cincinnati) defeated Centerville 34-21 at home on Friday. Elder senior quarterback Josh Moore hooked up with senior wideout Joe Ramstetter for touchdowns of 30 and 38 yards. The win snapped an eight-game losing streak for the Panthers that dated back to last season. Elder is 6-14 since advancing to the state final in 2008 and the state semis in 2009.

Tony Meale, author of the book 'The Chosen Ones: The Team That Beat LeBron,' is a freelance writer and MaxPreps.com contributor. He may be reached at tony.meale@gmail.com