By DAN HINER

dhiner@vindy.com

ASHLAND

The Valley Christian football team’s promising season has come to an end.

The Eagles fell 47-28 to Mapleton in the first round of the Division VII, Region 25 playoffs Saturday night.

Nothing went right for Valley Christian in the first quarter.

The Mounties (8-3) recovered an onside kick to open the game. They scored on a 12-yard pass from Logan Pharmer to Garrett Hartley.

The Eagles botched a handoff between quarterback Milan Square and Altwjuan Beck-Lindsey on the first play of the game for Valley Christian. The Mounties recovered and scored on a 51-yard pass from Pharmer to Hartley.

“To start off the game ... 14 points we pretty much gave them,” Valley Christian co-head coach Jeff Hether said. “They were brave. They kicked the onside kick, and our guys were there, they just didn’t grab the ball, unfortunately.

“Their first two touchdowns ... I think our guys were shell shocked over what just happened.”

Pharmer led Mapleton with 266 yard passing and five touchdown passes. He also led the team in rushing with 20 carries for 128 yards and a score. Hartley finished with touchdown catches of 12, 51 and 23. He also ran for an 8-yard touchdown.

After two three-and-outs, the Eagle cut the lead to 21-6 in the second on Square’s 72-yard touchdown pass to Jordan Trowers.

Square threw another slant route to Tyrone Lindsey for a 52-yard touchdown and converted a the two-point try to cut the lead to 21-14.

The Eagles fought back in it in the second half, but didn’t have enough on either side of the ball to make a comeback.

Square finishded 17 of 31 for 261 passing yards and two touchdowns. Trowers caught four passes for 93 yards and ran for a 5-yard touchdown.

The Eagles’ offense took a hit in when Lindsey left game in the third quarter. Hether said the sophomore receiver had a concussion and left the field on a stretcher.

Valley Christian (5-6) started the regular season 5-1 before losing four straight to close out the year.

“Valley Christian is a work in progress. Our team was a work in progress this year,” Trowers said. “Got five wins, we got low numbers but we’re still fighting.”

The loss is a disappointing end for Square, running back Altwjuan Beck-Linsdey and Trowers — the impact players for the Eagles.

Saturday’s loss was the Eagles’ second playoff loss in as many seasons. They lost 37-7 to East Canton last season, but Trowers will think back on the positives from the last four years.

“I’m gonna look back on my teammates and how — through four years — we fought through it all,” Trowers said. “The ups and the downs.

From freshman year, winning one game, to sophore years, winning to games and both junior year and senior year we finished with five wins apiece.”

Mapleton will play the Warren JFK on Saturday at 7 p.m.