By Greg Gulas

sports@vindy.com

TWINSBURG

Owen Lewis ran for a score and threw for another as Kirtland racked up 314 total yards in a 27-17 win over Brookfield in a Division VI, Region 19 semifinal Saturday at Twinsburg High School’s Tiger Stadium.

The Hornets racked up 222 yards on the ground, offsetting Brookfield quarterback Augustus Necastro’s 281 passing yards and two touchdowns.

They will now take on Cuyahoga Heights next Saturday in the regional finals after the Redskins posted a 21-20 victory over Smithville in overtime.

The Warriors (10-2) saw their 10-game win streak come to an end while the Hornets (11-1), who have won two state titles and finished runners-up the last four seasons, won for the 10th consecutive time and 81st time overall in their last 85 outings.

For Necastro, the Warriors’ drive this season began with the final snap of the 2014 campaign.

“We started thinking about this year when we didn’t make the playoffs last year,” Necastro said. “There were about 20 of us who didn’t play a winter sport and just got in the weight room. Our first goal was to come together as a team and win the [All-American Conference]. We accomplished those two goals, but didn’t accomplish our last one, which was a state championship. Kirtland is a great team and they’re well-coached. There are a lot of gutsy guys on this team, especially the seniors.”

Necastro also felt the Warriors had an edge on the Hornets.

“We have some athletes who made some really good plays for us tonight. We just shot ourselves in the foot too many times,” he added.

The Warriors fumbled on their second play of the game, giving the ball to the Hornets for their opening series on their own 35.

Lewis gave the Hornets the early 7-0 advantage when he scored from a yard away at 8:05, capping a seven-play drive.

When Brookfield’s Kasey Tingler made a 31-yard field goal at 3:59 of the period, the Warriors cut the deficit to 7-3.

Kirtland kicker Brad Hauptman was the only offense either team could generate in the second quarter. He hit from 32 and 25 yards as the Hornets extended their lead to 13-3 at intermission.

Necastro’s 51-yard strike to Xavier Bailey four minutes into the second half cut the Hornets lead to 13-10, but when Lewis found David Allchin from 30 yards out at 6:15 of the period, they regained their 10-point cushion at 20-10.

“I’m very proud of my guys,” Brookfield coach Randy Clark said. “We gave them some short fields early and I think that was the difference in the game. They’re a very good team and they took advantage of some big third-down plays.”

Clark praised hisn quarterback.

“He [Necastro] is something special,” Clark said. “I’ve always said that and he’ll be missed. He’s competitive beyond anyone I’ve ever coached. He’s a hell of a young man.”

Joey Bates’ 7-yard run midway through the final period increased the Kirtland margin to 27-10 and when Necastro found Kasey Tingler from 64 yards away 13 seconds later, they cut the lead to 27-17.

The Warriors got no closer.

At the half, the Hornets ran 42 plays to Brookfield’s 18. The was 72-36 by the end of the game.