Eagles Soar into Regional Finals, Cardinals Shot Down by Bombers
By: Terry Marshall
As the temperature cools across the state, the 2010 OHSAA regional football action is heating up. In division 1 region 4, a classic matchup between the (11-0) Colerain Cardinals and the (6-4) St. Xavier Bombers provided 48 minutes of exciting action right down to the last second.
The Cardinals entered the game as the favorite with the number 2 seed having beat all their opponents during the regular season by 29 points or more, except for their week 7 win by 3 points over Hamilton.
The Bombers came into the game as the number 6 seed with a deceiving 6-4 record. The Bombers opponents finished with a combined record of 66 wins and 23 losses. St Xavier racked up wins against (8-3) Indianapolis Cathedral, (8-2) St. Xavier (KY), 9-1 Trinity (KY), (5-4) Elder and (4-6) Cleveland Ignatius, all perennial playoff teams in their respective states.
A large crowd filled the sides of the lower bowl of Cincinnati’s Nippert Stadium to cheer their teams on. The Cardinals got on the scoreboard first with a 1-yard TD run by senior running back Trayion Durham at 7:42 of the first quarter. Tommy Budke added the extra point. The Cardinal defense stuffed the Bombers on their first drive forcing a punt on 4th & 18. Colerain would take a 10-0 lead scoring on a 44-yard field goal by Budke despite having two holding penalties on the drive.
Colerain seemed in control after limiting St Xavier to one series of offense in the opening quarter and shutting down the Bomber offense.
Colerain stymied the Bombers offense to start the 2nd quarter but fumbled a punt giving the ball away at their 49-yard line. The Cardinal defense seemed to be holding up until an offside penalty on 3rd & 3 on the 32-yard line gave the Bombers a first down at the 28. St Xavier would score moments later on a 15-yard run by Connor Hundley. The extra point attempt failed and Colerain lead 10-6 at 8:45 in the 2nd quarter.
The Bombers held the Cardinals on their next possession helped by a personal foul that forced the Cardinals to punt out of their own end zone. The Bombers returned the punt to the Cardinal 24. With 6:24 left to play in the half, the momentum clearly changed to the Bombers.
St. Xavier would take the lead 13-10 after a 15-yard run by QB Griffin Dolle. They would extend the lead to 16-10 with a 22-yard field goal by Sean Duggan as time expired in the first half.
The Bombers would put up their 24th consecutive unanswered point with a 39-yard halfback pass from Kevin Milligan to Trey Kilgore. A two-point conversion was successful giving the Bombers a 24-10 lead.
Colerain showed they were not going down without a fight as Tyler Williams scored from 5-yards out at 7:55 of the 3rd quarter. Colerain was back in the game but trailed 24-17. Both defenses tightened up the reminder of the 3rd quarter. St Xavier would miss its next opportunity to score when a Duggan field goal attempt hooked left and left 11:11 on the clock. The Cardinals would overcome two 4th & 1-yard situations on their next drive and eventually score on a 31-yard pass from Williams to Chris Davis with just under six minutes to play. The extra point was all but a formality until the swift footed Budke’s kick sailed wide right leaving the Cardinal fans stunned and the score at 24-23 in the Bombers favor.
Colerain would get two more possessions to try to win the game but after coming up a yard short on 4th & 3 they were left to try desperate pass attempts at the end of the quarter and the Bombers would hold on to win.
Rounding out the local action in round two:
Division 1 Region 4
(8-3) Huber Heights Wayne, the team that upset #1 Middletown, defeated (9-2) Centerville 36-33.
Huber Heights will meet St Xavier at Welcome Stadium in Dayton this Saturday at 7:00 PM.
Division 2 Region 8
(10-1) Winton Woods, the defending state champion and the #1 seed lost to (9-2) Trotwood Madison the #4 seed by the score of 42-23.
(10-1) Kings Mills defeated (9-2) Mt. Healthy 35-28.
Kings Mills will take on Trotwood Madison Friday night at Princeton High School. Game time is 7:30 PM.
Division 3 Region 12
The (11-0) Eaton Eagles soar into the regional finals after beating (10-1) Springfield Shawnee 41-21. The Eagles will play (9-2) Archbishop McNicholas who took down Roger Bacon 31-14. Game time is 7:00 PM Saturday at Mason’s Atrium Stadium
The Eagles are the only team left from the Southwestern Buckeye League.
Division 4 Region 16
(11-0) Clinton Massie was defeated by (10-1) Kenton 36-20.
(9-2) Kettering Alter beat Jonathan Alder 28-14.
Alter will play Kenton Friday night at 7:30 PM at Wapakoneta HS Harmon Field.
For all tournament brackets follow this link to the OSHAA site.
http://www.ohsaa.org/sports/ft/boys/2010/TrmtInfo.htm
