PLAIN CITY – Clinton-Massie is back in the Division IV football state title game for the first time since 2017 and will be looking for a third state title to add to the trophy case along with the back-to-back crowns in 2012 and 2013.
The Falcons (13-1) earned the trip back to Canton’s Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium with a 24-21 victory over previously unbeaten Carroll Bloom-Carroll (14-1) Friday at Jonathan Alder High School.
Massie will play either Youngstown Ursuline (11-3) or Port Clinton (14-1) for the state championship at 10:30 a.m. Friday, Dec. 3. Ursuline owns quite a state championship pedigree, taking home the top prize in 2000 and 2008 through 2010. Port Clinton is looking for its first trip to the state title game. Entering this season, Port Clinton only had four playoff appearances (2014-16, 2020) with no regional titles.
Clinton-Massie overcame Bloom-Carroll’s 85-yard kickoff return for a touchdown to start the game, two fumbles and a missed field goal to lead 14-7 at the break.
Carter Frank had both Massie scores, a 50-yard scamper on the first play of the second quarter during which he stiff-armed a defender away at the 20 and a 20-yard dash to the pylon with 4:44 left in the half.
The Bulldogs ran just four plays in Massie territory in the first half.
Massie chewed nearly half the third quarter clock to open the second half, marching 73 yards in 11 plays to the Bloom-Carroll 4 where it settled for a 21-yard field goal and 17-7 lead. The big play on the drive was Carson Van Hoose’s 42-yard run to the Bulldog 35, helped in part when CM quarterback Kody Zantene leveled a defender with a devastating block.
One play after Massie’s third fumble of the evening, Bloom-Carroll used a halfback pass to pull within 17-14.
However, Massie answered with a 10-play, 63-yard, 4:14 drive that ended when Colton Trampler rumbled into the end zone from four yards out.
The Bulldogs trimmed Massie’s lead back to three, 24-21, with 3:29 left in the game when KJ Benedict hit Totten in the back of the end zone for a six-yard TD pass. Bloom-Carroll’s drive started at Massie’s 49 thanks to a 15-yard punt.
Bloom-Carroll had a chance for victory after stopping a Massie fake punt attempt, which included recovering another Massie fumble at the Falcon 33. However, the Bulldogs fumbled the ball back to Massie at the 3 with 2:14 left in the game.
Massie was able to run out the clock to secure its trip to Canton.
Final stats can be found at https://stats.digitalscout.com/football/boys/game/14564081.
Check back here later for comments from Clinton-Massie head coach Dan McSurley.
SUMMARY
BC – 7 0 7 7
CM – 0 14 3 7
First Quarter
BC – Armentrout 85 kickoff return (McKee kick), 11:45.
Second Quarter
CM – Frank 50 run (McGuinness kick), 11:52.
CM – Frank 20 run (McGuiness kick), 4:44.
Third Quarter
CM – McGuinness 21 FG, 6:22.
BC – Totten 30 pass from Wisecarver (McKee kick), 3:20.
Fourth Quarter
CM – Tramper 4 run (McGuinness kick), 10:46.
BC – Totten 6 pass from Benedict (McKee kick), 3:29.
