By Kevin Connelly

kconnelly@vindy.com

North Lima

Western Reserve vs South Range

Video

The Western Reserve Blue Devils play against the The South Range Raiders.

Western Reserve vs South Range

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Move over Johnny Manziel, there’s a new Johnny Football in Ohio — and he starts both ways.

“That’s Johnny Football right there man,” said an out-of-breath Andy Hake about his quarterback John Clegg following the Blue Devils’ 20-14 win over South Range Friday night.

“Did you see him tonight? I mean, holy crap!

“That guy right there is a real leader. I’m telling you something, that guy’s a dude.”

The Raiders’ defense saw too much of Clegg, who ran for 87 yards and a score to go along with two first-half touchdown passes.

With the Blue Devils shut out in the second half, it was the defense that had to hold off a dangerous South Range offense in a Inter Tri-County League matchup that more-than lived up to its billing.

“It’s about our kids tonight,” said Hake, who was without 6-foot-6 receiver Joe Falasca. “Our kids always rise to the occasion. It’s unreal.”

The stage couldn’t get any bigger as regular-season games go. Both teams went unbeaten until the playoffs last year, South Range (2-1) in the ITCL Tier One, Western Reserve (3-0) in the ITCL Tier Two.

“It was a championship-calliber game and we knew it was going to be that,” Hake said. “Man, that was like one of the all time greats. I’m just happy to be a part of it.”

The Blue Devils dominated the line of scrimmage early and took advantage of a short field on their second possession for the game’s first score.

On a fourth-and-eight from the 21, Clegg looked to the back of the end zone where Wyatt Larimer used just one hand to grab the ball out of mid-air.

“I saw one hand come up and I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, he just caught that ball,’ ” Clegg said. “I thought I threw the ball late and I thought it was over him, but I just watched him snag that ball. It was unreal.”

Larimer’s breakout performance wasn’t over yet.

To start the second quarter, the Blue Devils went on a 15-play, 6:15 drive that resulted in a 1-yard Clegg touchdown run. South Range was getting pushed around on its home field and need a spark badly.

On the ensuing drive, Raiders All-Ohio rusher Joe Alessi need just one handoff to go 75 yards to the end zone.

“We knew we had to weather the storm, because of their size and their speed,” said South Range coach Dan Yeagley. “We knew that they were going to get chunks and we hoped in time we could wear them out a little bit.”

To end the first half, it was the Blue Devils who hit South Range with a devastating 58-yard touchdown with 47 seconds to go. Clegg dropped a beautiful pass into the arms of Larimer — in stride — who broke away from Raiders defenders to go up 20-7.

“That was huge,” said Larimer, who finished the night with four catches for 94 yards and two touchdowns.

“We knew if we went in there at halftime a one-score game, anything could have happened. So getting that extra score really gave us some comfort.”

Maybe a little too much comfort as the Raiders marched down the field on their opening drive of the second half. Alessi capped it off with a 11-yard touchdown run. He finished with 120 yards.

After both teams traded blows for the rest of the third quarter and most of the fourth, the Blue Devils were in position to ice the game with a 31-yard field goal attempt. That missed wide left — the only thing Larimer missed all evening — leaving the door open for South Range.

But the Blue Devils made a stop on fouth-and-10 in the last two minutes to preserve the victory.

“This is one of the biggest wins in the regular season in school history, if not the biggest,” Hake said. “That guy right there [Clegg] deserves all the credit.”