Ohio High School Football Playoffs

Saturday, October 31, 2009 at 10:53 pm

Ohio High School Football Playoffs, Ashland kicker Greg Gallaway generously listed at 5-feet-8 and 140 pounds, but powerful right leg of the second year of delivery of a declared Arrows Ohio Cardinal Conference championship Friday in Lexington.

Gallaway, who missed an extra point in the second quarter, started a field goal from 31 yards with 3.4 seconds left and arrows escaped with a thrilling victory 31-28.

“I missed a PAT earlier and had to forget him,” Gallaway said. “The foot was very bad there, but on the last play everything was fine – good snap, good hold and good line.

Ashland coach Scott Valentine had the utmost confidence in Gallaway.

“After I missed the PAT, approached me and said, ‘Coach, I missed” and I said,’ We shall need later, “said Valentine.” It’s hard on a kicker, but we will always need to those guys on the road. At some point I knew it would be him. ”

It seemed that the match was headed to overtime after Lex quarterback Courtney Avery scored on a 15 yards with 1:33 remaining to knot the score at 28-28. Arrows took over at their own 30 with 1:26 remaining, but the second and 12, running back Chris Thomas escaped in one of Ashland had 17 yards and a first down at their own 45.

“Chris made great race and we feel that we have in the position where it could take a few shots and work the ball down the field,” said Valentine. “Chris was spinning and moving. They were trying to steal the ball. Sometimes, when facing the ball is not fighting the ball carrier. He turned around and thought I would go the distance, but .. . that allowed us to get yards. ”

A couple of additions Marcus Dowiatt Chris Fuller moved the ball to the Lexington 38. After an incomplete pass, running back Matt Fuller is Dilgard from 10 yards to the lex 28. Fuller fired the ball to kill the clock and then on second-and-10, found junior wide receiver Matt Smith, who made a fingertip grab along the sideline, about 14 yards to the lex 14.

“It’s one of those guys who catches the ball in the fingertips then sometimes drops easy,” said Valentine. “We took all the time, but made a spectacular catch of there.”

That set the stage for Gallaway, who was sent with 7.6 seconds left.

“It came down to a field goal and we won the championship of the OCC,” Gallaway said.

The arrows had to be launched as a last effort of Lexington was whistled dead after several sides.

“That was a pretty wild way to end the game,” said Dilgard, who had a team-high 54 yards rushing and 85 receiving. “They were lateraling the ball around the field.”

The loss of a warm night race for Avery, who has struggled with injuries all season. The high level of bound Michigan completed 32 of 42 passes for 313 yards and two touchdowns and ran for a touchdown.

“Courtney is a player,” said Valentine. “There’s a reason everyone was behind him and he goes to Michigan. I look forward to seeing him play on Saturdays.”

Cody Hamilton had 10 receptions for 72 yards, while tight end Kevin Smith had seven catches for 56 yards and two touchdowns. Brian Byrne, rushed for a game high 63 yards and a touchdown on 11 carries.

Fuller completed 23 of 39 passes for 249 yards and two touchdowns and ran for two touchdowns. Ashland (9-1, 7-0) secured its spot in the playoffs, while Lex finished 6-4, 4-3.

“Our guys had to overcome much adversity this season,” Lex coach BJ Payne, whose team was decimated by injuries early and were 2-3 before reeling off four straight victories. “All four teams are the teams we lost the playoffs.

“The last three years, this game has come down to the last minute. It was another great game high school football.