Mogadore beat Columbiana for the second straight year in the regional, 25-14.

By JOE SCALZO

VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF

MOGADORE — With his team huddled around him for the last time, Columbiana High football coach Bob Spaite did his best to soothe his players’ feelings following the Clippers’ 25-14 loss to Mogadore in Saturday’s Division VI regional quarterfinal.

“If it doesn’t hurt a little bit, you didn’t invest a [darn] thing,” he said. “You guys went after it as hard as you could.

“You have nothing, and I mean nothing, to be ashamed of.”

For the second straight year, the Wildcats ended the Clippers’ postseason, although this game wasn’t quite as close as last year’s regional final, which ended 21-14.

The undersized Clippers hung in for the better part of three quarters before Mogadore’s size, and running game, wore them out.

Mogadore’s massive senior fullback, Cody Destro (6-3, 225), played the biggest part, finishing with 162 yards on 23 carries and two touchdowns.

“When he wants to run, he’s hard to stop,” said Spaite. “I thought we did decent enough on him — not great, but decent enough to be in the game. He’s like someone in basketball who you know is going to score 15 to 20 points. You know he’s going to get his 100 yards.

“You just want to make someone else beat you.”

Mogadore senior quarterback Shawn Pierce did that, completing 10 of 17 passes for 162 yards and a touchdown. He also ran 12 times for 33 yards and a score.

Columbiana took Mogadore’s best shots in the first half, although it was hurt by two lost fumbles. But after holding the Wildcats without a score late in the second quarter, the Clippers went into the locker room down just 12-6.

“I felt really good about our chances,” Spaite said. “We just had some key mistakes and didn’t do enough good things.”

After the Clippers turned the ball over on downs to start the second half, Mogadore drove 71 yards in 11 plays, capping the drive with a 1-yard touchdown by Pierce, to take a 18-6 lead. Columbiana’s offense went three-and-out on its next two possessions and the Clippers’ defense finally wore down, giving up a seven-play, 57-yard drive early in the fourth quarter that ended in a 5-yard touchdown run by Destro.

“We played as hard as we could play,” said Spaite. “Mogadore is a great football team and we just didn’t make enough plays. When you have a chance to make plays, you’ve got to make plays.”

Senior quarterback Ryan Williams had a terrific game, completing 7 of 15 passes for 98 yards and running 15 times for 47 yards and a touchdown. His main target was Jon Ritchey, who caught four passes for 89 yards.

Josh Hertel added 70 yards on 14 carries and a touchdown. Williams and Hertel also played well defensively as Hertel had a sack and two tackles for a loss.

“I’m going to have to coach a long time before I have two warriors like that,” Spaite said.

scalzo@vindy.com