Perhaps you've heard Maple Heights' football team has a little speed. Gather 'round now to hear how the Mustangs powered their way back to the state finals. With quarterback Shaq Washington running solo behind Maple's underrated offensive line, the Mustangs marched over and through Lake Catholic in the second half to defeat the Cougars, 27-17, in a Division II...
Perhaps you've heard Maple Heights' football team has a little speed. Gather 'round now to hear how the Mustangs powered their way back to the state finals.
With quarterback Shaq Washington running solo behind Maple's underrated offensive line, the Mustangs marched over and through Lake Catholic in the second half to defeat the Cougars, 27-17, in a Division II state semifinal game Friday night at Solon's Stewart Field.
Maple Heights (14-0) plays for the state title next Friday against talent-laden Trotwood Madison (12-2) at Paul Brown Tiger Stadium in Massillon, where the Mustangs lost by 30 points in last year's championship game.
"We're playing football for the city," Washington said. "On our last drive, that's all I was thinking about. Really. The mayor's here. Everybody is here.
"Going into the season, the only goal was win the state championship. Now we have another chance, and I promise you, we will bring it home."
Lake Catholic finished 12-2, losing to Maple Heights in the state semis for the second year in a row.
"We played our butts off every game, every week, every day at practice," Lake Catholic defensive tackle Bobby Zappitelli said through tears amongst his teammates, who mourned the season's end on the field long after the game. "We played for each other and I'm so proud of every one."
Trailing, 10-6, at the half, Washington had just 24 yards rushing. He finished with 151 yards and two touchdowns rushing. He also completed 15 of 25 passes for 154 yards and two touchdowns, with no turnovers.
"That Shaq is a talented kid," Zappitelli said. "He's going to have a good future. He's a great, great player."
Center Donovan Garner, guards Devin Williams-Revels and Kendrick Wilbert and tackles Alex Jones and Almonte Patrick kept Zappitelli, Florida recruit Chase Hounshell and the Cougars at bay in the second half.
Maple Heights had the ball three times after halftime and scored three touchdowns. It opened with a 12-play, 64-yard drive, and Washington threw a fourth-down, 8-yard TD pass to wideout Levon Perkins for a 13-10 lead.
The next drive covered 81 yards in 11 plays, including a 48-yard fake-punt run by Andre Stubbs. On a Washington 1-yard touchdown run, he leveled a linebacker at the goal line for a 20-10 lead.
Tailback Richie Sanders got Lake Catholic back in the game on a 76-yard drive. He gained 74 yards on five carries, and his 39-yard TD sprint cut the margin to 20-17 with 11:08 to play. Sanders finished with 114 yards rushing on 22 carries, and 2,163 yards this season.
The Mustangs then unleashed a 20-play, 87-yard drive while lined up in a quad-set -- four wideouts to one side and a fifth on the opposite side. That left Washington alone in the backfield behind his linemen.
"They're called the hogs for a reason," Washington said. "I told them during the last drive, it was up to them, and they stepped up big."
Washington carried the ball 14 times, including the final 10 plays covering 38 yards. He converted three third downs and fourth down. On third-and-10 from the Maple 13, he followed a Garner block and ran 25 yards. He picked up a fourth-and-2 at the Lake Catholic 30, and a third-and-1 at the 5. He scored from the 2.
"Lake Catholic had the best defensive line we've seen this year," Garner said. "We're very powerful, too. It's a good balance between speed and power."