H.S. football playoff picture almost in focus
- col-aaron-dorksen
- October 20, 2023
- 679
The high school football playoff picture was nearly in focus entering the final Friday of the regular season.
Area teams that had clinched hosting a home playoff game in week 11 — and probably week 12 if they can win first-round games — were West Holmes (7-2, Division IV, Region 17), Norwayne (8-1, Div. V, Region 17) and Dalton (7-1, Div. VII, Region 25).
Rittman (6-3, Div. VI, Region 21) visited Hillsdale (7-2, Div. VII, Region 25) in a matchup of teams that have clinched playoff spots and could earn home games with a win.
Triway visited Orrville in a matchup of 4-5 teams that had major postseason implications. The Titans were expected to make the playoffs win or lose, but a win would move them out of a really rough 14-16 seed range. The Red Riders needed a win to simply get in because they’d need a lot of help if they lose.
Here’s a four-down look at area teams I compiled entering their regular-season finales:
First down
Dalton’s 34-29 win at Norwayne in week nine in front of an estimated 2,200 fans had one of the craziest fourth quarters I’ve witnessed in nearly three decades reporting on high school football.
Dalton seemed to be in complete control with a 28-16 lead after three periods, but Norwayne’s Dillon Morlock scored on runs of 1 and 41 yards to put the Bobcats up 29-28 with 4:47 left.
The emotional roller coaster would get much, much crazier for players, coaches and fans on both sides.
Dalton senior Greyson Siders sprinted free up the right sideline and then bobbed and weaved his way to a spectacular 51-yard TD run with 2:23 left. The Bulldogs’ two-point PAT try was unsuccessful, but they had regained the lead with what turned out to be the game’s final points.
Norwayne fumbled the ball away on its next play, and it was recovered by Siders.
Game over, right? Wrong!
With the Bobcats out of timeouts, the Bulldogs ran the clock down to 9 seconds with a fourth-down play left to run from the 50-yard line. Dalton’s coaches instructed Pearson to sprint backward diagonally to burn off the final seconds, but with Norwayne’s defense closing in, he went down on his own 6-yard line with three critical seconds left.
Norwayne got another play, which turned into two plays after defensive pass interference was called. The Bobcats’ final play came from the 3-yard line, but Siders was part of a blitz that stopped Morlock to save the game and clinch a third straight win against an outstanding Norwayne program.
In hindsight Pearson probably should have been told to run all the way into the end zone and take a safety. The Bulldogs will always be thankful it didn’t cost them the game.
“It’s an honor,” Siders said when asked how it felt to win a third straight WCAL title. “Norwayne is a great team. We knew that they were going to be out for blood. This is just what we work for.”
Siders practically wrote his name on the Wayne County Athletic League Player of the Year Award with his performance in the win.
The 5-foot-11, 185-pound player rushed 14 times for 107 yards and three TDs, caught a 48-yard scoring pass from Pearson, and made several huge defensive plays down the stretch.
Pearson also performed well, going 10 for 17 for 170 yards, two TDs and one interception.
“They’re a good team,” Pearson said of the Bobcats. “I hope they make some noise in the playoffs. Our O-line played outstanding. Siders and Sammy (Tomlinson) played outstanding, and so did our receivers. You can’t ask for much more.”
I asked Dalton coach Broc Dial how his team kept its composure down the stretch, especially after having to go back out on defense after the game should have been over.
“We just talked about playing every play, and you’ve gotta play hard,” Dial said. “You’ve gotta find a way. Norwayne played one hell of a football game. It was actually one of those games where you hate to see anybody lose.”
It was commendable to hear Dial speak with such respect for an archrival. Kudos to the players on both teams for playing a clean game despite going all-out for the entire four quarters.
Morlock led Norwayne with 22 carries for 123 yards and two TDs, and Mason Moyer added eight rushes for 84 yards. Jaxon Siegenthaler was 14 for 25 passing for 128 yards, with a TD and two interceptions.
“It was a fantastic football game, and Dalton played physical, tough and kept battling,” Norwayne coach Adam Indorf said. “I’m proud of our guys for continuing to battle together as a family and fight together as a brotherhood. Those are positives we’ve gotta lean on.”
Second down
Div. V, Region 17 had Norwayne ranked third entering week 10 with Triway 14th, Orrville 16th and Smithville 17th.
The possibility is definitely there for an intriguing all-area game in round one or two of the playoffs.
Top-ranked (Lake County) Perry is a team nobody in this region wants to see. The Pirates, who beat the Titans 60-8 last year, had a 24-6 win over state power Kirtland in week three.
Third down
West Holmes, which took on Mount Vernon (2-7) in week 10, has set itself up for another strong playoff run.
There’s a chance Dalton and Hillsdale could have a rematch in the Div. VII playoffs. The Bulldogs have all the pieces to make the area’s longest playoff run this season.
Fourth down
A big congrats goes out to Tyler Dennis and the Rittman Indians for entering their week 10 game at Hillsdale with a 6-3 mark. The Indians had their first winning record since 2006 and earned the third “true” playoff berth in program history. (I’m not counting the 2020 season when all teams qualified due to the COVID pandemic).
Parting shots
No one, and I mean no one, thought the Browns would beat the 49ers on Oct. 15. Despite playing with an XFL QB who they practically signed off the street to replace injured DeShaun Watson and going without Nick Chubb and several other injured players, the defense was outstanding and the Browns shocked the 49ers 19-17.
It seemed like I was in a Bizarro World late in the game, watching the Browns get “iffy” penalties called in their favor and the other team miss the potential game-winner instead of Cleveland. It makes me nervous that the Browns are actually favored by two points against the Colts this week. Is it too much to ask for two great games in a row?
—Basketball season is right around the corner. The Cavaliers will open their season at the Brooklyn Nets on Oct. 25. I’m hoping the Cavs can build on a humbling playoff loss to the Knicks and take the next step.
Aaron Dorksen can be emailed at aarondorksen24@gmail.com.