Orrville’s stars run over Johnstown in final
Orrville 49, Johnstown 34
CANTON — In the first 14 games of its run to the Division V championship game, Johnstown’s defense allowed opponents just 77.2 yards per game rushing.
But Orrville — with sophomore tailback Marquael Parks — was not just another opponent Saturday, gaining 425 yards rushing and breaking big play after big play in a 49-34 victory over the Johnnies before 6,002 fans at rain-soaked Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium.
With the Johnnies’ defense keying on Parks, who came in with 2,601 yards and 53 touchdowns, quarterback Logan Domer became an unlikely hero, turning misdirection sweeps into big plays.
Domer gained 207 yards on just 10 carries with touchdown runs of 13, 36, 60 and 61 yards Johnstown’s Nate Curran and Wes Myers embrace after the loss to Orrville in the Division V championship game.
to keep Orrville (13-2) a step ahead of Johnstown (13-2), which features a ball-hogging tripleoption offense not built for comebacks.
Anything but a decoy, Parks added 198 yards on 22 rushes with TD runs of 1, 31 and 47 yards.
“Parks is a very special young man with unique skills for sure,” Johnstown coach Mike
Carter said. “But as far as the quarterback having such a great game, we were trying to fill our gaps and I think we were just overpursuing. I didn’t know he was such a threat to run.”
Known primarily for his passing prowess (2,031 yards, 20 TDs), Domer came in with just 317 yards and no touchdowns on the ground.
“We definitely didn’t expect the quarterback to come out like that,” Johnstown linebacker Kaden Davis said. “Quarterbacks hate to be uncomfortable and we didn’t succeed in that. Sure, Parks is a special kid, but to us it’s like (playing) any other football player. You have to break down our keys, keep our feet and make fundamental tackles. We didn’t do that.”
Orrville coach Doug Davault said all of Domer’s big runs came on read plays.
“The reality is we knew Logan was a morethan-capable runner,” he said. “He had reinjured his collarbone and we didn’t let him run at all until weeks 5, 6, 7. He told us he was ready to roll and today he stomped his foot in the ground and went. Marquael understands that he’s a target and sometimes it opens up big things for his teammates. Where he went, they went. Every time, they gave Logan an opportunity, he came through.”
Domer’s 60-yard dash on a nifty misdirection play gave Orrville a 14-7 lead midway through the second quarter. Johnstown botched a golden opportunity to score in the final minute of the half, but penalties and puzzling clock management resulted in Alex Jenney missing a 35-yard field goal try as time expired.
After Johnstown went three-and-out to open the third quarter, Domer broke a 61-yard TD run to make it 21-7.
Quarterback Caden Calhoun rushed for 128 yards on 25 carries with a touchdown and completed 5 of 8 passes for a season-best 155 yards and a TD to lead the Johnnies, who were playing in their first title game. Fullback Luke Myers added a pair of 1-yard TD runs.
The Johnnies did roll up 440 total yards (285 on the ground) and 25 first downs, but ultimately couldn’t find a way to stymie Orrville’s two stars.
“I’m very proud of our young men,” Carter said. “They fought to the very end. These kids have been incredible leaders and citizens. It’s been an experience we’ll cherish forever. But it just didn’t come out the way we wanted today.”