CLARKSVILLE, Ohio — Friday night marked the end of an era within the Clinton-Massie football program.
Longtime head coach Dan McSurley confirmed his retirement after the Falcons’ 44-7 loss to Taft in a Division IV regional quarterfinal at Stargel Stadium.
McSurley led Clinton-Massie to a 10-2 record this season including eight consecutive wins from mid-September to the end of October.
McSurley has a 308-92 overall record. He has 288 wins and three state championships (2012, 2013, 2021) at Clinton-Massie. He is in the Ohio High School Athletic Association record book for most coaching wins. McSurley also coached at St. Paris Graham prior to joining Clinton-Massie in 1996.
McSurley led the Falcons to a "surreal" rally in the 2021 Division IV state final in Canton. The Falcons trailed Youngstown Ursuline by 21 points with 5:23 left in the third quarter but rallied to win.
McSurley said he is proud of the state championships and making an impact in the community.
"Being a 30-year resident of the district and seeing so many former players back and involved in the youth programs" is rewarding, McSurley said.
McSurley was named the 2015 season winner of the Paul Brown Excellence in Coaching Award by the Cincinnati Bengals.
McSurley grew up in West Jefferson, Ohio, just east of Columbus. He is a graduate of West Jefferson High School and of Capital University in Columbus, and he played football at both schools, according to Bengals.com. He started his teaching and coaching career in 1986 at Graham High School in St. Paris, Ohio.
Marquee matchup
Indian Hill (11-0) plays host to Taft (11-0) Nov. 14 in a regional semifinal featuring undefeated football teams in Division IV, Region 16.
Indian Hill is the No. 1 seed while Taft is the No. 4 seed. It is a rematch of the 2024 regional semifinal in which Taft won 30-14.
Taft has an 11-0 record for the first time in program history this season. Indian Hill has an 11-0 record for the first time since 2015.
Indian Hill coach John Rodenberg, a four-time state champion, is in his fourth season with the Braves and has earned a 32-14 record with the program. Rodenberg, a former longtime Moeller coach who won two state titles with the GCL South program, is in his 32nd year as a high school football head coach including his 28th season in Greater Cincinnati.
Taft coach Tyler Williams has a 51-11 record in his fifth season with the Senators. Williams, a 2011 Colerain graduate, was on a Colerain team that faced Moeller in 2008 during Rodenberg’s first season with the Crusaders. Williams was a sophomore when host Colerain defeated Moeller 17-10 on Nov. 1, 2008 during the first round of the Division I playoffs.
Finding the end zone
Elder senior running back Tommy Becker scored four touchdowns in the Panthers’ 27-7 win over visiting Fairfield in a Division I regional quarterfinal. Becker had 32 carries for 148 yards.
Becker has rushed for 963 yards and 18 touchdowns this season. He’s had a memorable senior season after missing the 2024 season due to a back injury.
“Tommy has gotten better and better as the year has gone on,” Elder coach Doug Ramsey said. “He’s a patient runner who trusts his linemen.”
Junior quarterback Kaden Estep was 11 of 15 passing for 108 yards.
Elder (11-0) improved to 18-0 all-time in the playoffs at The Pit. Elder has an 11-0 record for the first time in program history, which dates back to 1923. The Panthers play host to Princeton (9-2) in a Division I regional semifinal Nov. 14. This will be the first meeting between the programs since 2020.
Middie Magic
Middletown defeated visiting Lebanon 31-0 in a Division I, Region 2 quarterfinal at Barnitz Stadium Friday night. It was the first meeting between the two programs since 1912.
The Middies (9-2), the No. 1 seed in Region 2, play host to Springfield (8-4) Nov. 14. It is the first meeting between the programs since 2013.
Middletown is seeking its first regional appearance in program history, according to the Middletown athletic department.
Indiana sectional champions
Lawrenceburg and East Central earned sectional championships, respectively, on Friday night.
Lawrenceburg (10-1) plays host to Cascade (12-0) in a Class 3A regional championship Nov. 14. Kickoff is set for 8 p.m. Cascade is ranked third in the state while Lawrenceburg is fourth.
“They are an offense that likes to work really fast,” Lawrenceburg coach Ryan Knigga said. “We must get stops on defense and we must score when we have the opportunity. We will need to take care of the ball and tackle well in space.”
Lawrenceburg earned its 23rd sectional championship on Friday night. The Tigers defeated Greensburg 41-3.
“I thought our team played well in all three phases,” Knigga said. “We executed at a high level and was able to put a lot of points on the board. Our defense after the first series really played well holding Greensburg to just three points.”
East Central (9-2) plays host to New Palestine (11-0) in a Class 5A regional championship.
East Central defeated Whiteland 35-0 Friday night as the Trojans captured their 24th sectional championship in program history.
Junior Colton Bellman has 1,480 yards rushing this season, which is 16th most in a single season in program history. Senior Nyden Euson’s 100-yard interception return in the second-longest in school history.
New Palestine has won 25 consecutive games, including the 2024 4A state championship. New Palestine’s most recent loss came in the Semi-State round in 2023, which it lost at East Central (49-0).
This will be just the second meeting between the programs, according to East Central football statistician Andrew Shaver.
