Wayne advances to finals following win over Colerain

Meeting up in semifinals of the OHSAA Division I semifinals, Wayne and Colerain faced off in an epic matchup between two of Ohio’s best teams.

Wayne entered the game at 13-0, ranking 24^th in the DigitalSports National Football Rankings and 2^nd in the state. Right behind them, Colerain boasted a 12-1 record placing it 28^th in the country and 4^th in Ohio.

The game got off to a slow start, with neither team scoring in the first quarter. Then, Wayne struck first in the second when Fred Pitts punched in a 1-yard rush. Colerain followed up with a touchdown of their own, sending the game into the half tied at 7-7.

In the third quarter, Wayne recovered a fumble on Colerain’s 10-yard line after a missed snap. On the very next play, Daryl McCleskey carried in the ball, the only touchdown of the quarter. In the fourth, Wayne quickly jumped out to a 28-7 advantage when Messiah DeWeaver found Matt Wilcox for a 26 yard touchdown followed by another Fred Pitts rushing touchdown.

In the final four minutes of the game, Colerain dominated, scoring two touchdowns to bring the score to 28-21. Unfortunately for the Cardinals, there was not enough time to catch Wayne, and the Warriors walked away with the seven-point victory.

To accompany its strong offense, Wayne made its presence known defensively and on special teams. The Warriors forced three turnovers and a couple of bad snaps on punts, giving their offense excellent field position.

After this defensive battle, Wayne moves on to face St. Edward in the state finals. St. Edward is currently Ohio’s top team and 20^th in the country by DigitalSports. The two heavyweights meet on December 5.