It has been a magical season that has seen the Tallmadge Blue Devils find ways to win week after week. But this was uncharted territory. With Wadsworth quarterback Jon Kuss and freshman tailback Martice Jackson eating up huge chunks of yardage, the visitors roared to a 14-0 lead and threatened to end Tallmadge's undefeated season.
It has been a magical season that has seen the Tallmadge Blue Devils find ways to win week after week. But this was uncharted territory.
With Wadsworth quarterback Jon Kuss and freshman tailback Martice Jackson eating up huge chunks of yardage, the visitors roared to a 14-0 lead and threatened to end Tallmadge's undefeated season.
But junior tailback Tyrin Williams gained 175 yards on just 13 carries and scored three touchdowns as the Blue Devils (8-0, 5-0) came storming back for a 28-14 victory Friday.
"When we were down by two touchdowns I heard a lot of guys on the sidelines yelling, 'Believe, believe,' " said Tallmadge coach Joe Vassalotti. "Our seniors chose that as our motto this year. I was really proud to see that and to see how the kids responded to being behind."
In the second quarter the Blue Devils ran only four plays from scrimmage yet scored twice to forge a 14-14 halftime tie.
On Tallmadge's first possession of the period, quarterback Anthony Gotto's tipped pass was intercepted by Nick Seme. That turnover led to Wadsworth's second score, a 13-yard pass from Kuss to Tyler Perry. Kuss had scored earlier on a 1-yard keeper.
On the very next play from scrimmage, Williams took an option pitch up the left side, cutting to the inside of one defender and then outrunning everyone to the end zone, scoring on a 68-yard jaunt to make it 14-7.
It appeared Kuss had the answer when he raced 66 yards to the end zone two plays later, but the play was called back on a holding penalty.
"That was big," said Wadsworth coach Greg Dennison, whose team fell to 2-6 and 2-3. "We thought we got the momentum right back. But that's part of the game."
Eventually the Grizzlies had to punt. On the second play from scrimmage Williams was at it again, bursting up the middle and beating everyone to the end zone on a 56-yard run.
"I was just running hard and trying to do my best to get us back in the game," Williams said of his two long runs. "We needed it desperately."
'Williams scored his third TD midway through the third quarter and the final score was reached when senior Steve McAninch, who was all over the field on defense from his linebacker position, scored from 3 yards out with 10:16 to play.
The Blue Devils now enter what Vassalotti calls "championship time." They travel to Copley next weekend and then end the season by hosting Green.'