DIV. VI FOOTBALL PLAYOFFS Finally: Mogadore is state champion

After losing the last two finals, the Wildcats won the state Division VI football title with a 27-7 victory.
CANTON (AP) -- Mike Wagner caught an 87-yard touchdown pass and set up the go-ahead score with another long reception as Mogadore won the Division VI state title Friday, 27-7 over Dola Hardin Northern.
Tommy Lee rushed for three touchdowns -- all in the fourth quarter -- for the Wildcats (14-1), who had lost the last two Div. VI championship games to Maria Stein Marion Local by scores of 54-0 and 63-7.
Lee, the Div. VI player of the year, ran for 67 yards on 28 attempts after having just 16 yards on 15 carries in the first half.
Scoreless in the third quarter behind its stagnant running game, Mogadore turned to the pass after Wagner -- who plays wide-out and defensive back -- got an interception at his team's 13-yard line.
Three plays later, Wagner got behind the defense on a post pattern, pulled down Charley Molnar's deep pass and sprinted to the end zone for the longest touchdown reception in state finals history, tying the score at 7.
Wagner also made a juggling catch for a 39-yard gain on a third-and-10 early in the fourth, keeping alive a 13-play, 90-yard drive that led to the go-ahead score on Lee's 5-yard run with 6:25 remaining.
Lee added TD runs of 1 and 17 yards following interceptions by Chris Bowen and Robert Pickering.
With the score tied 7-7, Dola Hardin Northern (14-1) had promising drives in the third and fourth quarters halted by sacks and its only penalty of the game, a false start on a third-and-4 at the Mogadore 34-yard line.
The Polar Bears committed six turnovers, losing two fumbles and throwing four interceptions.
Craig McMillen carried 19 times for 142 yards for the Polar Bears. He had a 59-yard run in the first quarter to set up his team's only score on a 2-yard run by Drew Snow.