Turnovers doom Beavers in upset loss to Alliance

Charles Babb threw for three touchdowns as the Aviators won 19-14.
By BOB ROTH
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
LISBON -- Alliance High won its first-ever postseason game, knocking off top-seeded Beaver Local 19-14 before a packed house of more than 6,000 fans Saturday night at Beaver Local in a Division III, Region 16 game.
The Aviators (9-2) will play Canal Fulton Northwest next Saturday.
Instead of the running of senior tailback Kendell Davis, the passing of sophomore quarterback Charles Babb was the difference in the game for Alliance. Davis did have a workhorse effort, with 88 yards on 25 carries, but Babb threw for all three of his team's touchdowns, completing 8-of-15 passes for 171 yards.
"Coach told me all week that if they stopped the run, the game would be on me," said Babb.
Another difference was Beaver Local's turnovers. The home team, with their vaunted rushing game, ran for 236 yards and had 18 first downs. But every Aviator score was set up by a Beaver Local turnover.
The first was a 50-yard pass from Babb to Chris Banks, his first of two scores, at the 8:45 mark of the second quarter. It was set up by Austin Edwards' recovery of a fumble at the Alliance 41.
The next Aviator score came with 3:06 remaining in the first half after another fumble, recovered by DaRon Taylor at the Beaver Local 26.
Two plays later, Babb found Cory Balos from 21 yards, making the score 12-0.
Keeping it close
After a scoreless third quarter, Jimmy Bowersock of Beaver Local completed a 12-play drive with a 1-yard scoring run with 11:14 remaining and Jarrod Satmare's kick made the score 12-7.
Moments later, after the Beavers got the ball back, they drove to the Alliance 21, but Chris Banks intercepted a pass in the end zone.
The Aviators drove to the Beaver Local 14, but missed a field goal. One play later, Edwards recovered another fumble.
Then came the third scoring strike from Babb, who said, "It was supposed to be an out route, but Chris [Banks] made a great adjustment to the ball to get the score."
That score came with 3:25 remaining, but Beaver Local's Stephen Mercer drove his team to a first-and-goal at the 6.
With 1:44 to go, Bowersock scored on a 3-yard run, but the ensuing onside kick was recovered by Alliance and the Aviators ran out the clock.
"There were too many mistakes and you can't make them in a game like this," said Beaver Local coach Rich Wright.