ADAMS TOWNSHIP – Clinton-Massie’s fortunes usually rest on the legs of guys named Carson Vanhoose, Colton Trampler and Kody Zantene.
But in Saturday’s Region 16 semifinal versus Waverly, it came down to the leg of Trevor McGuinness who drilled a 24-yard field goal as time expired to give Massie a 31-28 win.
“It was probably the greatest moment of my life,” McGuinness said about when the ball went through the uprights. “We’re maybe three yards out from an extra point, so as easy as an extra point. Just swing through, hit through your target, straight through the field goal.”
Massie drove 73 yards in the final 5:08 of the game to set up McGuinness’ game-winning kick. On the sidelines, McGuinness said he was getting stretched out “just in case.” He said the multiple timeouts to ice him didn’t work.
CM head coach Dan McSurley had field goal on the brain when Waverly turned the ball over on downs at the Falcon 27.
“We weren’t going to take any chances,” McSurley said. “We didn’t want to throw it or do anything to turn the ball over. We’re setting up for the field goal the whole way.
“We didn’t panic. We moved the chains. Then we had to play hurry-up. Had one timeout left. Carson (Vanhoose) put on a burst (to go from the 42 to the 16) that really set it up. We were able to be poised, take our time, put ourselves in position (after two Cayden Clutter runs to the 7) to kick the field goal.”
On the legs of Jaxon Poe and arm of Haydn Shanks, Waverly (8-1) had a pair of double-digit-play drives to rally from two touchdowns to tie Massie at 28-28 with 8:04 left in the game.
The Tigers then forced a CM three-and-out, getting the ball back on its 36 with 7:04 to play. Massie forced the turnover on downs with an incomplete pass on 4th-and-6.
McSurley was passing bouquets around to several units after the game, but especially his defensive secondary.
“They had their hands full,” McSurley said. “You see the size of our guys, they’re 5-7, going against some very senior-laden skill kids with a very, very strong quarterback. That run-pass-option, they’re good at it.”
Shanks finished with 278 yards and four touchdowns on 22-of-35 passing. Two of the scoring strikes went to Will Futhey, one to tie the game at 7 and the other to tie the game at 14.
Massie (9-0) answered the second Shanks-to-Futhey score with a touchdown drive that gave it a 21-14 advantage heading into the break.
After forcing a Waverly punt on its first drive of the second half, Massie scored on its first second-half drive to build that 28-14 cushion.
With the victory, Massie, the state’s top-rated team in the Ohio Division IV Associated Press poll, returns to the regional final 7 p.m. Saturday at Frank Irelan Field for the first time since 2017 where it will face third-ranked Wyoming, which Massie beat in the 2017 regional final.
SUMMARY
Oct 31 2020
@Frank Irelan Field
Clinton-Massie 31 Waverly 28
W^7^7^7^7^^28
CM^7^14^7^3^^31
First Quarter
CM-Kody Zantene 1 yard run (Trevor McGuinness PAT) 8:39
W-Will Futhey 61 yard pass from Haydn Shanks (PAT good) 7:39
Second Quarter
CM-Carson Vanhoose 4 yard run (Trevor McGuinness PAT) 8:19
W-Will Futhey 38 yard pass from Haydn Shanks (PAT good) 6:06
CM-Carson Vanhoose 1 yard run (Trevor McGuinness PAT) 1:08
Third Quarter
CM-Kody Zantene 10 yard run (Trevor McGuinness PAT) 5:28
W-Zeke Brown 2 yard pass from Haydn Shanks (PAT good) 0:58
Fourth Quarter
W-Phoenix Wolf 38 yard pass from Haydn Shanks (PAT good) 8:04
CM-Trevor McGuinness 24 yard field goal, 0:23
TEAM STATS
Waverly-22 first downs; 407 total yards (22-35-0 for 278 pass, 27-129 rushing); Penalties 3-15; Fumbles 0-0; Time of Poss: 18:34
Massie-23 first downs, 340 total yards (0-4-0 for 0 passing, 57-340 rushing); Penalties 1-10; Fumbles 1-1; Time of Poss 29:26
INDIVIDUALS
Waverly-Passing, Shanks 22-35-0 passing, 278 yards, 4 TD
Massie-Rushing, Vanhoose 21-162, Zantene 10-66, Trampler 15-63, Clutter 9-39, Ireland 2-10
Tackles, Trampler 6, Zantene 6, Ireland 5, Clutter 5, Rolfe 3.5, Lamb 2.5, Doyle 2.5, McDowell 2, Conley 2, Muterspaw 2, Euton, 1, Bell 1, Baughman 1, Scalf 1, Green 1
