Fliers' hopes dashed by Big Walnut

18-17, ouch

By SCOTT BLACK

Enterprise sports writer

clydenews@bizwoh.rr.com

For the second year in a row the Fliers football team found the nut too tough to crack as they lost again to Big Walnut in the Division III state playoffs, this time by an 18-17 score.

Both years saw the Fliers driving late in the fourth quarter for a win only to come up short.

It's not the way that he wanted to end his brilliant high school football career, but Alex Gillett was intercepted at the Big Walnut 12-yard line to end the Fliers' last chance at pulling out a win Saturday night at Bishop Stadium.

On the previous series, the Golden Eagles had started on their own 28-yard line and drove 72 yards in 13 plays in a long, time-consuming drive that ended with a 1-yard, touchdown run by Jacob Little with 3:47 left in the game to give Big Walnut the 18-17 lead.

The Fliers were frustrated a number of times on the drive as it would look like they were going to hold Big Walnut, and then the Golden Eagles would find a way to get a first down. The biggest play on the drive was when the Fliers had them facing a third-and-10 at their own 39-yard line, and quarterback Johnny Cannell found Cody Leitner for a 35-yard pick-up to the Flier 26.

"We had them in a third and long situation, and they ran a wheel route out of the backfield, which they hadn't done the whole game," Flier Coach Marc Gibson said.

"It was good play calling on their part, and then we had a potential interception that we dropped that could have stopped the game at that point.

"On the fourth down play they ran a pivot route and got enough for the first down, and we just never reacted well enough to it. That's a credit to them."

The Fliers had taken a 17-12 lead on Big Walnut on an 87-yard touchdown run by Gillett with 8:09 remaining in the game and Jordan Colson's kick.

The long run gave Gillett 234 yards rushing for the game to lead all carriers. Kade Kramer added 66 yards of his own as the Fliers gained 313 yards rushing to 151 for Big Walnut. Patrick Daugherty led Big Walnut with 65 yards with 64 of it coming on one run.

"I've had the privilege of coaching many great football players over the years and Alex ranks right up there with the very special ones," Gibson said.

"I could coach a long time and never get one as special as he is again. It's been a great four years. Along with our defense, he kept us in the game."

Gillett was 4-of-10 passing for 56 yards with two interceptions. Cannell of Big Walnut was 9-of-15 for 107 yards. Kyle Smetzler led the Fliers with two receptions while Jeremy Hohenstein and Tyler Rex each had one. Brett Myers led Big Walnut with five receptions.

The Fliers' defense held Big Walnut on the first drive of the game but took over the ball at their own 14-yard line after a long punt. Three plays later the Fliers faced a fourth and five at the 19-yard line. Cody Andrews dropped back to punt but the ball sailed over his head and out the back of the end zone for a two-point safety with 7:33 remaining in the first quarter.

"Any time that you give the other team points it usually comes back to haunt you," Gibson said.

"It's the baseball analogy of walking the first batter, because you gave him a free pass and the statistics show that he usually scores. That's what we did tonight.

"We gave a couple of scores away, and it came down to a one-point victory, and that's the story of the ballgame," the coach said.

"Still we had a great effort by our kids. They stepped up and gave their best to try and win this game, but they came up just short and sometimes that happens just like in life."

Big Walnut could not take advantage of their free kick as the Flier defense stiffened once again. After Big Walnut was forced to punt, the Fliers got the ball back at their own 30-yard line and drove to the Golden Eagle three where Colson kicked a 20-yard field goal to give the Fliers a 3-2 lead with 2:15 remaining in the first quarter.

Big Walnut then shocked the Fliers' defense on the play after the kickoff when Daugherty ran for a 64-yard touchdown to give Big Walnut a 9-3 lead with 1:56 remaining in the first quarter.

Gillett gave the Fliers the lead back at 10-9 with a dazzling 78-yard, touchdown run that has to go down as one of the best in Clyde history as he probably covered 150-yards while reversing his field numerous times as he picked his way down the field leaving Big Walnut players strewn everywhere in his wake. Colson added the point after.

Gillett commented, "I was just trying to make a play, and you run faster when your scared.

"I didn't want to get tackled," the senior said. "I think I was dizzy from running around in so many circles."

On the Fliers' next possession, Gillett was intercepted on a ball that bounced off of a player and went high into the air where it fell right into the hands of a defender 10 yards away.

With five seconds remaining in the half A.J. Fleak of Big Walnut nailed a 45-yard field goal to give the Golden Eagles a 12-10 lead at halftime.

"We really didn't think that it would end this early, and we really didn't want it to happen," Gillett said.

"On the other hand, I can't complain about the run we've had for the past four years. We played some good football and had a lot of fun doing it," he added.

"It's just hard to believe that it's all over. We played a team tonight that was strong, fast and disciplined and they played with a lot of confidence. I think what hurts the most is knowing we were right in it till the end both years and didn't get it against them."

Both teams were scoreless through the third quarter and into the fourth when Gillett's run gave the Fliers the 17-12 lead.

"This has just been a great group of seniors to be around, and it's been a lot of fun and they're a mature group that will do well in life outside of high school," Gibson said.