Fueled by a furious fourth-quarter comeback, third-seeded Danville (11-2) posted a 27-20 win over Lucas last week, to advance to the Division VII, Region 25 final against No. 1 seed Warren John F. Kennedy (11-1).
Danville last played in the regional final in 2017 under then-coach Ed Honabarger, losing to Cuyahoga Heights, 38-8. Warren JFK was eliminated by Newark Catholic, 14-7, in the Division VII state semifinal last season.
In last Saturday's semifinal, the Blue Devils were down 20-0 with 8 minutes left to play before scoring the final 27 points of the game, winning after recovering an onside kick followed by a Max Payne to Walker Weckesser 43-yard rainbow with 13 seconds left in the game.
The comeback was a testament to Danville’s leadership, resilience, and tenacity, Blue Devil’s coach Matt Blum said.
“Our players have responded well to the prolonged season,” Blum said. “They take it week by week, focusing on the game at hand.”
The dramatic way the last moments of the game unfolded highlighted the frenzied scoring.
7:46 - Walker Weckesser 10-yard TD pass to Spencer Payne. (Lucas 20 - Danville 6)
Onside kick was recovered by Danville.
7:27 - Walker Weckesser 40-yard TD pass to Kaiden Colopy. (Lucas 20 - Danville 12)
1:23 - Max Payne 8-yard TD pass to Kaiden Colopy (Lucas 20 - Danville 18)
Max Payne's pass to Ryan Lucas was good for a two-point conversion. (Lucas 20 - Danville 20)
00:13 - Max Payne 43-yard TD pass to Walker Weckesser. (Lucas 20 - Danville 27)
Despite falling behind 20-0, Blum found a number of positives, in addition to the win.
“Defensively, we were able to contain their potent running game to under 170 rushing yards on a little under 50 carries,” Blum said. “Offensively, we were finally able to get some things going in the fourth quarter, rattling off 27 unanswered points.”
Max Payne’s performance at quarterback is another example of Danville’s ability to adjust to the situation and produce the desired outcome.
"I was very proud of our team's ability to battle adversity Saturday night against Lucas,” Blum said. “They are a great team and program. For us to find a way to win means a lot to us and shows how far we have come along this year.”
Weckesser, a junior, and seniors Payne and Colopy led the Blue Devils in passing, rushing and receiving against the Cubs, and the defense, led by linebackers Levi Lyons (21 tackles) and Ryan Lucas (15 tackles), kept the game manageable until the offense got rolling.
“We have a great senior and junior class leading us in the right direction,” Blum said. “I’m very proud of our kids and program.”
JFK defeated the Southern Indians 35-0 in its regional semifinal. The Eagles, whose only loss is to undefeated, and perennial Division VI power, Mogadore, have outscored their three playoff opponents 85-15.
The Eagles average 31 ppg and have allowed a total of 117 points in 12 games. In its win over Southern, JFK rushed for 210 yards and threw for 59 yards.
Although he has no personal experience against the Eagles, Blum is aware of their reputation and tradition.
“JFK is a perennial powerhouse program in Northeast Ohio,” Blum said. “They have great athletes, good size up front, and are well-coached.”
The Division VII, Region 25 final will be played tonight, Nov. 19, at New Philadelphia Quaker Stadium at 7 pm.
