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TORONTO – The Toronto and Edison football teams slugged out for 48 minutes as the two teams traded big play after big play.
It was a one-point game after three quarters, however, the Red Knights tallied two touchdowns in the fourth to pull away for a 40-25 victory against the Wildcats Friday night inside Clarke Hinkle Field.
“It is a big rivalry,” Toronto (6-0) head coach Jaret Aubiel said. “Momentum is a big thing. The kids battled for four quarters. We were able to win it in the late rounds.”
The Wildcats put up a fight from the opening whistle to the last one.
“Our kids played extremely hard,” Edison (2-4) head coach Mike Collopy said. “We got down, but our kids did not quit. Our kids fought until the very end. I told the kids it is my fault. I am the one in charge of the Edison program. It’s on me.”
A scary moment occurred with 8:39 left in the game when an Edison player sustained injury on the Wildcats’ sideline following an incomplete pass. The player stayed down on the field for several minutes before being carted off the field on a stretcher and taken to a local hospital.
“That’s awful,” Aubiel said. “Our thoughts and prayers are with the Edison program. We hope everything is OK.”
The injury came with 8:39 left to play with Toronto leading 34-25. The Wildcats had the ball at the Red Knights’ 29 when the injury occurred. Edison ended up turning the ball over on downs.
Toronto’s Max Rebich intercepted the first of two passes on Edison’s first drive of the game. The hosts took over at the visitors’ 45, and Rebich capped off the drive by hooking up with Kenny Jett for a 30-yard touchdown on a fourth-down play to give the Red Knights the early lead. Toronto’s extra point was blocked by keeping the score at 6-0 with 9:09 left in the first.
Edison answered right back as quarterback Bryson Cunningham completed a 36-yard touchdown pass to Brett Hyler to tie the score at 6. The Wildcats’ PAT was no good keeping the score tied with 6:05 left in the quarter.
Tristen Davis intercepted a Rebich pass on Toronto’s next possession, and the Wildcats turned the turnover into points. This time, Cunningham found Will Norris open for a 12-yard touchdown, and Noah Lucas kicked the extra point to give the Silver-and-Black a 13-6 lead.
The boys in red answered right back as the boys from the Gem City dipped into their bag of tricks for their second touchdown of the night. This time, Rebich threw a lateral in the flat to Jett, who threw a 58-yard touchdown to Coly Joynson pulling the home team to within 13-12. The 2-point conversion run failed keeping the boys in white out in front with 1:35 remaining to be played in the quarter.
The Red-and-White struck first in the second as Rebich threw a 75-yard touchdown to Joynson to put Toronto back out in front at 18-13. The Red Knights once again went for 2, and once again it was unsuccessful keeping the score the same with 10:37 left to play in the first half.
Toronto tallied its fourth touchdown of the first half when Rebich and Drake Bouscher combined for an 11-yard score. This time, Rebich found Brody Close in the endzone for the 2-point conversion giving the victors a 26-13 lead with 3:40 remaining in the half.
Edison forced a fumble on Toronto’s next drive as the Wildcats took over at the Red Knights’ 28. Cunningham capped off the drive when he plowed in from the 1 on the final play of the half to cut his team’s deficit down to 26-19. Lucas came on and booted the PAT making the score 26-20 at halftime.
Edison’ Kenny Farnsworth intercepted a Toronto pass on the Red Knights first possession of the third quarter. The Wildcats took advantage of the opportunity as Lucas split the uprights with a 32-yard field goal to make it a 26-23 ballgame with 8:01 left in the third.
Toronto’s next drive ended in disaster as Edison recorded a safety after the ball was thrown into the endzone. The two points pulled the Wildcats to within 26-25 with 8:01 remaining in the quarter.
In the fourth, Bouscher scored on a 1-yard run, and Rebich found Jett for the 2-point conversion giving Toronto a 34-25 lead with 11:33 left to play in the ballgame.
Then, Colton Wiseman scored on a 7-yard run extending Toronto’s advantage out to 40-25. The Red Knights went for 2, but the pass was incomplete keeping the score the same with 2:34 still showing on the scoreboard clock.
Toronto is scheduled to play Tuslaw next week at 7 p.m. Friday night on the road. The game against the Mustangs will be the first of three-straight road games for the Red Knights.
Edison is slated to play East Liverpool next week at 7 p.m. Friday night at home out the Edison Unified Sports Complex. The game against the Potters will be the first of three-straight home games for the Wildcats.