Desales suffers title-game heartbreak
Stallions’ miscues allow Chardon to rally for victory
MASSILLON, Ohio — When Desales opened up a two-touchdown lead over Chardon midway through the fourth quarter of the Division III football state championship game Saturday, all signs pointed to the Stallions galloping away from historic Paul Brown Tiger Stadium with a fourth gold trophy.
But three missed field goal tries, an interception and a handful of defensive breakdowns ultimately did in Desales as Chardon came away with a 31-28 double-overtime victory.
“It's heartbreaking because we had them beat,” Stallions senior two-way lineman Billy Cain IV said while consoling teammates in the end zone afterward.
“Our defense played great all year. Their offense just got the better of us tonight. They executed really well and they gave us fits. I mean, we gave up 400 yards. All you can do is give Chardon
credit. They just outplayed us, plain and simple.”
While the first 48 minutes featured a bevy of big plays, yardage was hard to come by in the overtimes.
On Desales’ opening series in OT, Trey Liebhardt tore around the left end and blocked a 25-yard field goal attempt by JJ Baughman.
The Stallions then returned the favor, with Joshua Martin-hayden blocking Nathan Tager’s 35-yard try.
In the second overtime, the Hilltoppers settled for a 33-yard field goal by Tager, giving Desales a golden opportunity. But the offense bogged down, and Baughman – a first-team all-central District kicker – hooked his 37-yard try as Chardon (12-0) celebrated its second title in history.
“There were just so many storylines tonight, but I can’t begin to process anything until I go back and watch the film,” Chardon coach Mitch Hewitt said. “We had to reach down really far to pull this one out over a really, really good team.”
On a clever fourth-and-goal play at the Desales 14, quarterback Drew Fetchik completed a pass over the middle to Brady Toth, who flipped it to Evan Ash on a hook-and-lateral for an apparent touchdown. But on a replay review initiated by Desales coach Ryan Wiggins, it was deemed that Toth’s knee hit the ground at the 4 before he made his pitch.
“It was 28-14 and we thought we had them right where we wanted them,” Wiggins said. “When you’re on the verge, you have to something there. We were pinned deep after the review, went three-and-out and gave it right back to them in great field position.”
On the ensuing play, Fetchik connected with a wide-open Blake Barker on a 36-yard TD pass to make it 28-21 with 6:09 remaining.
Following another three-and-out by Desales, Chardon needed just five plays to cover 91 yards for the tying score. Deep throws of 47 yards and 35 yards set up a 9-yard TD run by Ash.
Fetchik completed 9 of 14 passes for a career-high 249 yards and two TDS. He also rushed for a team-high 87 yards and a score.
“Looking at the films, they didn’t pass it very much all year because they didn’t have to,” Wiggins said. “We knew we had to sell out to stop the run, and by being so aggressive, it made us vulnerable to some of those big pass plays.”
Desales junior linebacker Jonathan Thompson, who had 10 tackles, five for loss, lauded Chardon for its creative play-calling out of a wing-t formation.
“You just can’t take your foot off the gas against that team,” he said. “Their play-action scheme really messed us up. They caught us off guard with some trick plays.”
Ohio University-bound Quintell Quinn capped his Desales career by rushing for 216 yards on 28 carries with touchdowns of 15, 60 and 74 yards. Will Hobgood passed for 183 yards, and Jordan Johnson made six receptions for 145 yards and a TD.
Chardon outgained Desales 407-397 and the remainder of the major stats were virtually a standoff.
In the end, a sixth state runner-up finish will have to suffice for Desales.
‘When we look back at a season that many people didn’t even think was happen, history will show that we won CCL and regional titles and had a chance to play for the state championship,” Wiggins said. “And what a great group of guys to do it with.”
sblackledge@dispatch.com