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Sunday, November 22, 2009

Division IV Playoffs: O-G Titans win first regional title, 21-20
Diamond Mine Direct
By DAVE HANNEMAN

STAFF WRITER

TIFFIN -- Hoops will have to wait a while at Ottawa-Glandorf.

But the (w)hooping, that just might go on for a long, long time.

“This has never been done before. Right now this is the best team in O-G history,” receiver Ryan Kuhlman said Saturday as students and fans rushed the football field following the Titans' 21-20 win over Orrville in the Division IV, Region 14 championship at Tiffin's Frost-Kalnow Stadium.

Brian Laubenthal blocked an extra-point kick that would have given Orrville a 7-point lead with 5:59 left in the game, and Kuhlman caught a game-tying touchdown with 4:05 on the clock. Mike Bendele's point after gave O-G its only lead of the night and a game-sealing interception by Logan Kaufman with just over a minute left earned Ottawa-Glandorf its first-ever regional football title.

Ottawa-Glandorf, (11-2) will face Chagrin Falls (13-0) at 7 p.m. Saturday in the Division IV state semifinals. The site will be announced Sunday by the Ohio High School Athletic Association. Frost-Kalnow Stadium or Fremont's Harmon Field are possibilities.

“What a great win for our kids and our program,” said O-G coach Ken Schriner, who inherited an 0-10 team in 1996 but has now taken the Titans to the playoffs eight times in the past 13 seasons.

“Our defense played so stoked up, like they have all year long. They did things to keep us in the game and offensively we did enough to get 'er done,” he said.

Nathan Kahle, who beat Eastwood in the Region 14 semifinals with his feet, beat Orrville in the regional final with his arm.

The junior quarterback, who rushed for 166 yards and four touchdowns a week earlier, managed zero net yards rushing on 14 attempts Saturday, mostly because Orrville defensive end Max Pirman had him in his sights the entire game. Pirman sacked Kahle four times for 31 yards in losses.

Kahle completed 13-of-21 passes for 230 yards, though. His 39-yard strike to Kuhlman late in the third quarter, a drive set up by Laubenthal's school-record 11th interception of the season, tied the game 14-14.

Orrville quarterback Joe Bescancon, a dual threat with 92 yards rushing and 112 passing, then capped a 62-yard drive with a 16-yard scoring pass to tight end Chae Hoobler. Laubenthal came clean on the PAT kick, though, and blocked it.

“The coaching staff saw on film that they were coming inside, so I thought I had a chance to go in there and block it,” Laubenthal said.

“I timed it perfect. I watched the snap, and once I blocked I looked up and said, 'Yes sir! Yes, sir!'”

O-G answered with its game-winning drive.

Kahle hit fullback Craig Rieman for a 15-yard gain, scrambled for a 7-yard gain to the Orrville 45, then rifled an 18-yard pass to Kuhlman.

On the very next play, Kuhlman got a step on Bescancon, who was defending him, and reached back to grab Kahle's pass for the score.

“We knew their corner on the back side was a little tired. It was also their quarterback, and they had been working him hard all night,” Schriner said.

“We thought we'd go right at him one time. We took a shot, and it worked.”

“Our goal was to contain (Kahle),” said Orrville coach Doug Duvault. “That was the focus of our defense, but they did a nice job throwing the ball.

“Both teams struggled to get things going consistently. We just made too many mistakes to beat a good team like that.”

O-G moved the ball early, but struggled in the red zone. A fourth-down pass to Laubenthal came up 3 yards short of a first down and 4 yards short of the end zone on O-G's first possession. The second possession ended at the Orrville 25 after a fourth-down incompletion.

Orrville took advantage, with Bescancon hitting Hoobler with 18- and 16-yard scoring passes, and Tre Simpson busting into the end zone from a yard out with 28 seconds left in the first half.

“They took the momentum from us right before the half,” Schriner said. “But the kids came out of the locker room and found a way to get it done. I can't be prouder of the way they played, and the effort they showed.”

From O-G's standpoint, that's something to whoop it up about.



Orrville 0 14 0 6 -- 20

Ottawa-Glandorf 0 7 7 7 -- 21

Second Quarter

ORR -- Hoobler 18 pass from Bescancon (Bescancon kick)

O-G -- L. Kaufman 1 run (Bendle kick)

ORR -- Simpson 1 run (Bescancon kick)

Third Quarter

O-G -- R. Kuhlman 39 pass from Kahle (Bendle kick)

Fourth Quarter

ORR -- Hoobler 16 pass from Bescancon (kick blocked)

O-G -- R. Kuhlman 27 pass from Kahle (Bendle kick)

Orrville O-G

First Downs 13 16

Rushes-yards 27-158 36-86

Passing Yards 112 230

Comp-Att-Int 8-16-2 13-21-0

Punts-Avg. 4-32 5-40

Fumbles-Lost 0-0 1-1

Penalties-Yards 4-25 5-55

individual statistics

rushing -- Orrville, Bescancon 16-92, Simpson 9-51, Corbett 1-13, Miller 1-2. Ottawa-Glandorf, Kahle 14-0, Rieman 4-13, B. Kuhlman 15-67, L. Kaufman 3-6.

passing -- Orrville, Bescancon 8-16-2, 112 yards. Ottawa-Glandorf, Kahle 13-21-0, 230 yards.

receiving -- Orrville, Miller 1-(-2), Hoobler 5-60, Simpson 2-54. Ottawa-Glandorf, R. Kuhlman 7-134, Laubenthal 3-34, Paek 1-39, Rieman 1-15, Gerdeman 1-8.



Hanneman: 419-427-8408,

Send an e-mail to Dave Hanneman


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3 Comments

Latest comments listed first.
Jo Deskins wrote:
Bands at Half-time
“ I guess I should have been more specific about the "one sentence of acknowledgment" since Scott felt his single tag humorous. You obviously never had a student in band, since you think all they do is appear at half-time. Did you know you could also add, "both bands prepared daily for their half-time presentations and arrived to each game prepared to lead the fans in spirited music throughout the evening, while also leading the crowd in the schools' fight-song after each and every touchdown." These students spend their time doing what they love, and will continue to enjoy and participate in music long after the athlete has had his last "Hurrah" on the field. Let's not put sports as the end-all to everything that is great and wonderful about the high school experience. ”
Monday, December 14, 2009 11:55:52 AM
Scott wrote:
what?
“ haha "Both school's bands played at halftime." This should be added to the end of every article. ”
Monday, November 23, 2009 12:00:34 PM
Jo Deskins wrote:
football playoff games
“ It would be quite nice if reporters were able to make the effort to comment on or at least acknowledge the bands that support their teams each and every regular season game and now, well into the play-off season with 3 (and after next weekend in Fremont 4) extra commitments. These students work extremely hard and football fans fail to acknowledge their efforts; what would happen, though if they failed to show up. There would be all kinds of complaints a that point. One sentence of acknowledgement would go a LONG way. Thank you! ”
Monday, November 23, 2009 11:07:30 AM

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