McDonald vs Mogadore

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McDonald fell to Mogadore, 28-14, in a Division VI regional football playoff final on Friday.

Mogadore Vs. McDonald

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Record	Div.	Conf.
8/2	Div. VI	Mahoning Valley Athletic Conference

Mogadore Wildcats continue their mastery of McDonald in regional final

By Jon Moffett

jmoffett@vindy.com

Twinsburg

The McDonald defense could only watch in agony as the clock, their playoff hopes and season expired.

Mogadore has been a thorn in the side of the McDonald for years. And on Friday night, in a 28-14 loss in the Division VI regional championship game at Twinsburg, that thorn must have felt like Blue Devils’ appendix had burst.

With the win, the Wildcats have defeated McDonald for the past four times they’ve met in the postseason.

“They were quick, but we knew they were quick coming in,” said McDonald coach Dan Williams of the familiar opponent. “Their defensive line got after us. But we ran the ball really effectively, even with that.

“We were a block here or there away from breaking it for a touchdown,” he said. “When we look at this game on film we’re going to kick ourselves.”

The final score tells only half of the tale.

The Blue Devils (10-3) had all the momentum going in to halftime. Senior quarterback Matthias Tayala saw nothing open as time expired before the half. But on a last ditch effort, Tayala threw off his back foot across his body to find Justin Rota open in the end zone.

A missed extra point earlier forced Williams to go for two. Tayala again connected with Rota, and McDonald took a 14-7 advantage into the intermission.

Williams said it was crucial to stop the Wildcats (13-0) to open the third quarter. But Mogadore was able to go 66 yards on 11 plays to even the game.

“To start the second half, we wanted to force a three-and-out, or at least stop them and force a punt. But we didn’t do that and they answered with a touchdown drive,” Williams said. “We had opportunities along the way.”

The Wildcats scored 21 points in the second half, 14 in the fourth quarter. The win gave them their 15th regional title in school history. McDonald has two. Mogadore will play Shadyside in the state semifinal on Nov. 26.

Williams, who witnessed his Blue Devils defeated by Mogadore in 1983, 1987, 2000, said the Wildcats are a tough team and his players have no reason to hang their heads.

“Our kids never quit, and they played hard until the end,” he said. “They’re a good football team, without question. We knew that coming in. They’re a good football team, but so are we. And our kids have a lot to be proud of.”

Mogadore senior running back Jake McAvinew gave the Blue Devil defense headaches. He rushed 22 times for 182 yards.

The senior tailback’s longest rush, a 44-yarder with less than three minutes in the game, gave the Wildcats a first down at McDonald’s 13-yard line. The Wildcats scored two players later to put it out of reach.

“We played great at times, and we gave up some yards at times,” Williams said. “It just came down to tackling on a couple of occasions, and we didn’t do that. Against a good football team in the playoffs, you have to convert on all of your opportunities. But that’s football. My hat is off to their kids.”

One such opportunity came on the Blue Devils first scoring drive. A punt after a three-and-out was mishandled by the Wildcats and recovered at McDonald’s 15.

Tayala ran the ball in on the next play for the game’s first points. Mogadore scored its first touchdown on a run by McAvinew from 3 yards out.

The Blue Devils will graduate 24 seniors — nine starters on each side of the ball. Williams said when they look back at what they’ve been able to accomplish in their four years, they’ll be impressed with themselves.

“It’s a tribute to them for us to even be here,” he said.