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Crusaders took long bus ride home after heartbreaking defeat

SLIPPING BY — Steubenville Catholic Central’s Levi Thompson rushes past Southeastern’s Lane Ruby during a Division VI, Region 23 playoff matchup on Friday. (Photo by Andrew Grimm)

CHILLICOTHE — No. 7 Steubenville Catholic Central was 1:24 away from upsetting the No. 2 seed Southeastern Panthers Friday in a Division VI, Region 23 quarterfinal after the Crusaders defense came up with a stop on 4th-and-1 to get the ball back.

On the next play, the Central (7-4) offense lined up in shotgun as it had most of the game. In need of something spectacular, Southeastern (10-1) coach Evan Gallaugher, surprised Central was not going to take a knee, dialed up an all-out blitz that got to Crusaders junior quarterback Justin Hartzell instantly.

Senior Carson Stauffer, who had also ran for 145 yards and touchdown on offense for the Panthers, forced a fumble. After the ball was kicked around a few time, Southeastern ended up with it at the 1-yard-line.

The Panthers had one timeout and lost yards on 1st-and-goal. It eventually came down to a 4th-and-goal from the 5. Rolling to his right, sophomore quarterback Lane Ruby connected with senior Dakota Houser, who dove forward away from Central defenders to make the catch and give Southeastern the lead back with just three seconds left. A two-point coversion gave Southeastern a 44-40 advantage, which wound up being the final score.

The Crusaders had one last chance with one second left in the game, but Hartzell’s hail mary pass was tipped around and batted away by Panthers defenders. Central’s season came to a heartbreaking end just moments after it looked like it was going to be extended another week.

“If you were to tell me we would score 40 points and lose a playoff game I would’ve thought you were nuts,” Central coach Steve Daley said. “Hats off to Southeastern. They stuck with their game plan and we didn’t get enough stops. Unfortunately, at the end there when we had a chance to put it away, we had a turnover and it cost us. It stinks for these kids because I thought they played their hearts out.

“It was right there; it just slipped away from us. It was a great play by one of their better players. He shot the gap. He just attacked the mesh point and forced the turover.”

Daley added that the amount of time left and the Panthers having a timeout made him feel like his team needed a first down to run out the clock.

“If (kneeling would’ve ran out the clock), then it’s on me,” he said.

The ground game for both schools led the way all night. Central rushed for 295 in the game and scored all of its points on the ground. Hartzell, who was 4-of-12 for 34 yards and an interception, rushed for 172 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Junior Craig Smith ran for 123 and four scores.

“The ground game worked all night,” Daley said. “We didn’t really have to throw the ball. You go with what’s working.”

Southeastern runs a unique offense, lining up in a double tight end, flex-bone set on most plays and used it to rack up 319 rushing yards. Houser had 93 on 18 carries, and Ruby had 81 and two scores on 11 carries.

“It’s difficult to prepare for,” Daley said of Southeastern’s offense. “It’s not something you see every day; you really don’t see it at all. I thought our kids did a good job prepping for it with our scout team, but once you get in a game situation it’s a little bit different.”

The game featured nine lead changes and 724 yards combined.

The Crusaders took the first lead when Smith capped a seven-play opening drive with a 2-yard run, with a Jarred Roberts kick making it 7-0 Crusaders 1:38 into the game.

Southeastern turned the ball over on downs deep in Central territory after a nine-play drive stalled out. On the ensuing possession, Hartzell was intercepted to give the Panthers good field position. Two plays later, Ruby broke free for a 34-yard touchdown run to make it 7-6 after a failed kick.

The Crusaders answered with a five-play, 54-yard drive finished off by a 7-yard scamper rom Hartzell with 1:55 to go in the opening quarter. The kick failed and Central led 13-6.

After a Southeastern punt, Central turned the ball over on downs at the Panther 15. Southeastern then covered 85 yards on nine plays, capped by a 36-yard run from Stauffer. A Stauffer two-point conversion run gave the Panthers a 14-13 lead midway through the second quarter.

The Crusaders answered with Smith’s second TD, this time to cap a 14-play drive. After a Hartzell pass to senior Levi Thompson, Central led 21-14 late in the half.

Hauser returned the ensuing kickoff 90 yards after struggling to field it to answer right back, with a Ruby run making it 22-21 Panthers.

Central went 61 yards on seven plays to retake the lead, capped by an 11-yard Smith run. Hartzell’s pass fell incomplete on the conversion, and Central took a 27-22 lead to the locker room at halftime after a Stauffer pass on a trick play was picked off in the end zone with no time left.

Southeastern went 68 yards on eight plays top open the third, finished off by a 34-yard catch and run by Houser off a screen pass on 4th-and-8, with a Ruby run to make it 30-27.

Central would answer with 24-yard run by Hartzell to cap a six-play, 65-yard drive. A Roberts kick made it 34-30.

Southeastern then marched 61 yards on 14 plays, converting on a 4th-and-6 to extend it, finished by Ruby from 6 yards out. His conversion run failed, and the Panthers led 36-34 early in the fourth.

Central went 52 yards on nine plays, converting a fourth down of its own along the way, before Craig’s fourth rush touchdown gave them a 40-36 lead with 7:32 to play in the game.

A time consuming 10-play Southeastern drive was stopped on 4th-and-1, and it looked like Central had pulled the upset until the fumble.

“It was everything it was built up to be,” Southeastern head coach Evan Gallaugher said. “Steubenville Central has a heck of a football team. We kind of thought coming in that it would be a last possession type of game, but I don’t think anyone bargained for that type of ballgame.

“It was anybody’s ballgame. They have great kids that are well coached and a great, storied past, so we know they’ll be back.”

The loss is a difficult conclusion to what Daley considers a successful season.

“To get here to Week 11 with 25 guys at most is an accomplishment,” he said. “I wish we had one more week with them. I don’t think too many people gave us a chance. There was talk early in the year if we were even going to finish the season or not with the number we had. Our kids busted their butts and earned this trip to Week 11. Our kids have a ton of heart and character.”

Southeastern advances to face No. 3 seed Dawson-Bryant on Friday.

Southeastern 44, Catholic Central 40

Catholic Central 3-14-7-6 — 40

Southeastern 6-16-8-14 — 44

C: Smith 2 run (Roberts kick)

S: Ruby 34 run (kick failed)

C: Hartzell 7 run (kick failed)

S: Stauffer 36 run (Stauffer run)

C: Smith 1 run (Hartzell pass)

S: Houser 90 kick return (Ruby run)

C: Smith 11 run (pass failed)

S: Houser 34 pass from Ruby (Ruby run)

C: Hartzell 24 run (Roberts kick)

S: Ruby 6 run (run failed)

C: Smith 4 run (pass failed)

S: Houser 5 pass from Ruby (Ruby run)

RUSHING: Central 54-295-6 (Smith 24-123-4; Hartzell 22-172-2; Thompson 7-51; Fallon 1-0); Southeastern 48-319-3 (Stauffer 29-145-1; Houser 18-93; Ruby 11-81-2).

PASSING: Central 4-12-34-0-1 (all by Hartzell); Southeastern 6-10-76-2-1 (Ruby 6-9-76-2-0; Stauffer 0-1-0-0-1).

RECEIVING: Central 4-34 (Fayak 3-23; Fallon 1-11); Southeastern 6-76-2 (Houser 2-39-2; Chaffin 2-20; Stauffer 1-12; Nusser 1-5).

PENALTIES-YARDS: Central 4-30; Southeastern 5-55.

FUMBLES-LOST: Central 1-1; Southeastern 0-0.

PUNTS: Central 0-0; Southeastern 1-27.

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