McDaniel’s late TDs help secure victory

CANTON — Will McDaniel scored three touchdowns and Trotwood-Madison overcame a scare from Dresden Tri-Valley on Saturday night before pulling away for a 27-19 victory in the Division III championship game at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium.

McDaniel caught a 56-yard TD pass, then ran for scores of 10 and 1 yard in the final 13 minutes as the Rams (15-0) wiped out a 19-14 deficit for its second state title. Trotwood was runner-up in 2016.

The clinching TD by McDaniel came with 4:39 remaining. The extrapoint kick was blocked, giving Tri-Valley a glimmer of hope.

The Scotties drove to the Rams 6-yard line late in the game, but quarterback Andrew Newsom was intercepted at the goal line by Jayvanare Nelloms with seven seconds left to seal the victory for Trotwood.

McDaniel, who finished with 92 yards rushing and 63 receiving, took over in relief for TrotwoodMadison standout back Ra’Veion Hargrove, who left in the third quarter because of a knee injury. Hargrove, who finished with 138 yards on 20 carries, was runner-up for Ohio’s Mr. Football Award.

Newsom passed for 221 yards and two scores and ran for 120 yards and a TD.

Tri-Valley hung tough in trailing 14-13 at halftime.

Late in the first quarter, Hargrove broke a 0-0 stalemate with a spectacular 41-yard touchdown run in which he made two dramatic cutbacks across the field on the way to the end zone.

The game took a dramatic turn early in the second quarter. Backed up on its goal line, Tri-Valley running back Caleb Craig came perilously close to being tackled for a safety. The Trotwood-Madison bench argued vociferously that he was.

On the next play, Newsom found a gap right of center on a sneak and raced 99 yards for a touchdown. An errant snap left Tri-Valley trailing 7-6.