Down 21-0 at halftime, Columbiana eventually won in overtime.

BY ERIC HAMILTON

VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT

LEETONIA — Trailing 21-0 at halftime against rival Leetonia on the road, the Columbiana High football team was down, but not out.

Coach Bob Spaite’s message at intermission was simple: Win the second half.

“There was no rah-rah stuff at halftime,” said Spaite. “I just told them we had to go out and win the first play. Then, maybe the second play. Then, maybe the third quarter. Then, maybe the game.”

The Clippers took the strategy to heart — especially in the third quarter. Columbiana scored 21 points in the first 8 minutes, 21 seconds of the period to tie the contest at 21-all. After a scoreless fourth quarter, the Clippers completed the improbable comeback with a 20-yard field from Josh Harold in overtime to clinch a 24-21 victory Friday night.

“I tell the kids that the only play that matters is the next one,” said Spaite. “We had to fight back last week and we fell short. But tonight we grew up a little bit. Our offensive line did a great job controlling the line of scrimmage in the second half and our defense played great.

“Leetonia did a great job in the first half of really coming at us and they had us on the ropes. But we got some things going our way and found a way to get the win.”

No momentum

After the Bears looked dominant in the first half, scoring on two of their first three possessions, the wheels fell off after the intermission.

Leetonia turned the ball over three times in the third quarter and was flagged for a critical roughing the kicker penalty that shifted the momentum. The Bears never recovered.

On the Clippers’ first series of the third quarter, Leetonia forced a punting situation on fourth-and-5. But Leetonia was called for the roughing penalty and the Clippers had new life first-and-10 at the Leetonia 41.

Columbiana quarterback Ryan Williams took advantage, racing 59 yards on the next play for the touchdown to start the Clippers’ comeback.

The Bears fumbled on the second play of the next series to give Columbiana prime field position at the Leetonia 20. Three plays later, Josh Hertel scored from 11 yards out to get the Clippers within 21-14 at the 7:37 mark of the third quarter.

Leetonia continued its free fall on the next offensive possession, this time fumbling the ball away on the first play.

The Clippers took over at the Bears’ 6 and Hertel tallied his second touchdown of the game from 2 yards out. The point-after kick by Harold tied the game at 21-all with 6:39 remaining in the third period.

Overtime

In overtime, Columbiana began from the Leetonia 20 and drove to the 3 yard line. Harold had plenty of distance from 20 yards out to give the Clippers a 24-21 advantage.

On Leetonia’s possession, the Bears got as close as the 6 before recovering its own fumble back at the 11 on second-and-6. Two plays later, on fourth-and-11, a 28-yard field goal attempt to tie sailed left by just inches.

“All year we’ve talked about overcoming adversity and never giving up,” said Williams, who rushed for over 100 yards for the second straight game. “We just had to focus on what we had to do in the second half and claw our way back into the game.”