HILLIARD, Ohio – Clinton-Massie will return to the Division IV state football championship next weekend in search of its third title after knocking off New Concord John Glenn, 28-21, Friday at Hilliard Darby High School.
The Falcons (13-1), who won back-to-back titles in 2012 and 2013, will face top-ranked Steubenville (14-0) at 3 p.m. on Dec. 2 at Canton’s Fawcett Stadium.
Steubenville, a three-time state champion, last won a state title in 2006. The Big Red finished Division IV runner-up the last two seasons to Columbus Bishop Hartley, losing both games by three points.
Steubenville and Clinton-Massie met in the second week of the 2015 regular season, with the Big Red coming away with a 37-18 home victory.
Luke Richardson scored three touchdowns for Massie - two on passes from Corey Stulz and the last on a pick six that was the winning score.
Massie didn't secure the the trip to Canton until John Glenn’s Hail Mary fell short in the end zone as time expired.
While John Glenn’s prayers weren’t answered in the end zone, they were with 1:02 left when Massie, only needing to hold on the ball and run out the clock, fumbled on the John Glenn 17. And prayers were answered again on John Glenn’s trek down the field when a pass interference on fourth down kept the drive alive with :20.3 seconds left. Two plays later, it looked like John Glenn was about to pull off the improbable, but quarterback Justin Heacock’s pass overshot a wide open receiver in the end zone.
Massie tied the game at 21 with 8:41 left in the game when Stulz found Richardson on 4th-and-goal at the John Glenn 25 for a score. Richardson had to dive at the pylon to change the numbers on the scoreboard.
Five plays later, Richardson picked off Heacock at the Little Muskies’ 46 and raced to paydirt and a 28-21 lead.
Massie got on the board first with a Richardson touchdown grab late in the first quarter, but that’s all the Falcons could manage before the break.
The Little Muskies answered on the ensuing drive with on the first of three Shane Bonner TD runs - an 8-yarder. John Glenn salvaged the drive by recovering a CM muffed punt on the Falcon 21.
John Glenn went ahead 14-7 after a flurry of misfortune. Massie recovered a John Glenn fumble but threw an interception the very next play. A 55-yard pass from Heacock to Jake Radcliffe got the Little Muskies to the 10, from where Bonner would score again.
“We went in at halftime. There was no yelling. We weren’t chewing paint off the walls. It was just a very poised bunch of guys who knew if we could hang in there, we could find a way to pull it out,” CM head coach Dan McSurley said. “It wasn’t the prettiest of games. It wasn’t our best game. But when you get a W and you’re going on to Canton to play for a state title, you’ve got to be happy.”
Shawn Robinson covers high school sports for the News Journal. Follow him on Twitter @twinzdad01
SUMMARY
Clinton-Massie 07.00.07.14…..28
John Glenn 00.14.07.00…..21
First quarter
CM-Luke Richardson 31 yard pass from Corey Stulz (Derick Carlisle PAT) 2:36
Second quarter
JG-Shane Bonner 8 yard run (Morgan Williamson PAT) 11:21
JG-Shane Bonner 10 yard run (Morgan Williamson PAT) 3:48
Third quarter
CM-Weston Trampler 3 yard run (Derick Carlisle PAT) 7:48
JG-Shane Bonner 6 yard pass from Justin Heacock (Morgan Williamson PAT) 0:57
Fourth quarter
CM-Luke Richardson 25 yard pass from Corey Stulz (Derick Carlisle PAT) 8:41
JG-Luke Richardson 46 yard interception return (Derick Carlisle PAT) 5:59
Team Statistics
MASSIE: 48 plays, 189 yards, 11 first downs; 2-7-1 passing for 56 yards; 41-133 rushing; 8-60 penalties, 2-2 fumbles lost
JOHN GLENN: 71 plays, 415 yards, 18 yards; 20-44-1 passing for 312 yards; 27-103 rushing; 6-55 penalties; 3-1 fumbles lost
Individual Statistics
RUSHING: CM-Beam 10-50, Collingham 7-29, Poynter 10-25, W. Trampler 6-13, Wolfe 3-10, Rudy 1-5 Stulz 4-1; JG-Bonner 21-110; Emerson 2-15, Heacock 4-(-22)
PASSING: CM-Stulz 2-7-1, 56 yards, 2 TD; JG-Heacock 20-44-1, 312 yards, 1 TD
RECEIVING: CM-Richardson 2-56; JG-Clifford 4-134, Radcliffe 2-64, Larson 3-41, Smith 4-40, Thompson 2-15, Bonner 4-13, Perkins 1-5
TACKLES: CM-Uetrecht 11, Beam 8, Laaake 6, Sheeley 5, Myers 5, W. Trampler 5, Richardson 4, Wolfe 4, Olberding 3, Passarge 3, G. Trampler 3, Brothers 3; JG-Meinert 9, Larson 8, Stillion 7, Bonner 6
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