Massillon, Ohio -- Point fingers. Make excuses. Analyze all you want. The bottom line to Buchtel's agonizing 13-12 loss to Columbus Bishop Watterson in Saturday's Division III state championship football game came down to something that could pass for a line in a country song.
Massillon, Ohio -- Point fingers. Make excuses. Analyze all you want.
The bottom line to Buchtel's agonizing 13-12 loss to Columbus Bishop Watterson in Saturday's Division III state championship football game came down to something that could pass for a line in a country song.
If it wasn't for defense, the Griffins wouldn't have had any offense at all.
Despite causing six turnovers -- three fumbles and three interceptions -- the Griffins were able to turn just two of those take-aways into points and lost in the state title game for the third time in five tries in front of 5,920 fans.
Even when Watterson fumbled on its 21-yard line with 3:33 to play and protecting its final one-point lead, the Griffins were unable to unwrap what appeared to be an early Christmas present that was recovered by D'Antonio Parmer.
Thus, what had been a marvelous, go-for-broke tournament run came to a frustrating, heart-breaking end in a setting that was colder and certainly more harsh than the 31-degree temperature at Paul Brown Tiger Stadium.
"This is hard to take," said senior running back/safety Marlon Oden, one of the team's leaders.
Oden came within inches of being a hero when his bid to gain a first down at the Watterson six came up short on fourth down and 4:30 left.
"I don't know what to say," said wide receiver Corey Smith. "I am so hurt by this. We beat ourselves."
Not necessarily so. Watterson's defense had a lot to do with it as the Eagles were able to nullify Buchtel's strike-from-anywhere offense at every turn.
Buchtel was inside Watterson's 30-yard line six times and scored once.
"They did exactly what I would have done if I was coaching against Buchtel High School," said Buchtel coach Ricky Powers. "I would keep our kids back, don't blitz and let them run to me a little bit. They did a good job. We had a lot of opportunities, we just didn't get it done."
The Eagles, winning the school's second state title this decade, held Buchtel to 204 yards of offense. They hounded Buchtel quarterback Steve Parker like no one has during the playoffs and they seldom let the Griffins break off a big play.
"We didn't give our quarterback any time," said Smith, who was held to two receptions for 20 yards.
When he wasn't running for his life, Parker completed 6 of 13 passes for 113 yards and one touchdown, a 20-yard strike to Tyler Jones that gave Buchtel a 12-6 lead with 3:04 to go in the third quarter.
"They were able to stop me the whole game and they had guys who could contain me," said Parker, as he peeled the tape that covered the cast on his broken left (non-throwing) hand. "They were tough."
The Griffins (11-4) looked as if they would be held scoreless in the first half, which would have been the first time that's happened since the third week of the season. Junior Jarrod Wilson took care of that when he picked off a Patrick Rhomberg pass and raced 80 yards down the sideline for a touchdown, forging a 6-6 tie on the last play of the first half.
Watterson, ranked third in the final state poll, scored first on a nine-play, 77-yard drive in the first quarter.
The Griffins were leading, 12-6, when Watterson began the winning drive at its 45-yard line with 2:58 left in the third quarter. The drive took eight plays and was aided when senior Jevonte Blackwell was penalized 15 yards for slugging a Watterson player after a one-yard loss on second down.
Buchtel had three possessions in the fourth quarter but the first one ended in a three-and-out and Oden was stopped short on the second. Its chances ended three plays after Parmer's fumble recovery when Parker was sacked and then threw an interception on a desperation play with 2:02 to go.