Snell’s 4 touchdowns too much for Falcons

By Ryan Buck

sports@vindy.com

CANTON

The Westerville Central High School football team waited almost a calendar year to avenge last season’s 40-24 Division I second-round playoff loss to Austintown Fitch.

The second go-around proved a much better result for the Warhawks and standout running back Benny Snell.

Behind an offensive line which enjoyed a significant size advantage over the Falcons, Snell rushed for 307 yards and four touchdowns to lead Westerville to a 44-21 victory Saturday at Fawcett Stadium.

The Falcons, who led 21-17 entering the fourth quarter, were outmanned in a fourth quarter dominated by Snell and quarterback-linebacker Nate Jackowski, and damaged by miscues.

“They out-played us,” said Fitch coach Phil Annarella, whose team concluded the season with an 8-3 record. “We certainly didn’t play our best game, that’s for darn sure. They played well and they deserved to win the game.”

The Falcons committed five turnovers — four interceptions — and mishandled two pooch kicks, leading to 34 points by the Warhawks.

“We needed to [overpower] them,” Westerville coach John Magistro said. “With all of [Fitch’s] blitzing — and they’re a real good blitzing team — we felt we had to control it.

“As far as the turnovers, that was a real momentum change and we were able to capitalize on that.”

After falling behind 10-0 in the first quarter, Falcons quarterback Antwan Harris, who rushed for 155 yards for the game, brought the Falcons back to life. On third-down from the Fitch 44 yard-line, Harris raced around the left end and beat the Westerville secondary down the left sideline to put the Falcons on the board.

Snell capped a two-play drive — after Andrew Wallace returned Harris’ second interception to the Fitch 31 — with a 4-yard run with 1:17 remaining in the first half.

Fitch return man Joe Harrington returned the resulting kickoff 85 yards for a touchdown to slice the Warhawks’ lead to 17-14 at halftime.

Lawrence Harrington sacked Jackowski on fourth down in Fitch territory to begin the second half, setting up a nine-play scoring drive that saw Harris pick up a 41-yard gain and cap the drive with a 2-yard run with 7:01 remaining in the third quarter for a 21-17 lead.

After trading punts, Snell — listed at 6-foot and 208 pounds — and the Warhawks offense — with an offensive line averaging 260 pounds — roared.

They proceeded to score on their next four possessions, their final three coming off a fumbled pooch kickoff and two interceptions.

“We kind of self-destructed and you can’t give a good team that many opportunities,” Annarella said. “You can’t turn the ball over like that and that’s key to any game.”

Snell carried the ball 31 times, complemented by Jackowski’s power game off the snap, as the Warhawks methodically wore the Falcons down in the fourth quarter.

“Last year, this game was almost identical going into the third quarter,” Magistro said. “I think we proved a point with our team that we can hang with a physical team.”

He felt his team was less concerned with revenge after the Falcons ended their 2013 playoff run and more inclined to impose their will.

Westerville Central (11-1) will meet Lakewood St. Edward in a regional semifinal.