Collaboration
Statistical information from the game in this article was provided by Kris Mowry, Brandon Wells and Tony Van Duyne with the Ashland Arrows Broadcasting Network hosted by YouTube.
WOOSTER – The Arrows might not have done it in the prettiest fashion, but they came away from Wooster looking good.
Newly minted the No. 11 team in Division II in this week’s Associated Press state poll, Ashland locked up a share of its first Ohio Cardinal Conference title since 2020 with a 24-14 victory over the Generals.
The win kept alive the chance for Ashland to collect its second-ever 10-0 regular season and its first outright OCC crown since 2011 in Week 10 when Lexington comes to Community Stadium.
The Arrows (9-0, 5-0) forced five Wooster turnovers – including two interceptions from Josh Ingani and a first-quarter pick-6 from Tyler Sauder – but early penalties, a pick and a lost fumble inside the WHS 5-yard line kept Ashland from pulling away.
“Defensively, we got turnovers, but we missed some tackles and we had penalties early, too,” AHS head coach Scott Valentine said. “It was just one of those games that was kind of sloppy at times, but when you get in those you’ve just got to make enough plays to win and that’s what we did.”
The Generals (2-7, 1-5) entered the night allowing 33.1 points per game, but they were within 14-7 at halftime of the most-played rivalry in Ashland’s history (Friday was the 107th meeting).
As he has done for much of the season, Arrows quarterback Nathan Bernhard carried the offensive load. The junior finished with 149 yards and a touchdown on 22 carries while also connecting with Grayson Baith for a passing score to end his night 6-of-15 through the air for 148 yards.
Bernhard surpassed milestones of both 400 completions and more than 5,000 passing yards for his career in the win, as sophomore Killian O’Brien helped him get there with three receptions for 105 yards.
Valentine said Wooster – which was playing its final OCC game of the season – was deadset on not letting the Arrows beat them with the passing game a week after Bernhard threw for 350 yards and four touchdowns in a 56-28 rout at West Holmes.
Kicker Carson O’Brien connected on three PATs and a second-half field goal in the game to boost the AHS scoring.
Wooster’s key offensive performer was Julian Franklin, who ran for 182 yards and a score on 40 carries.
Generals quarterback Calin Baxtrom was 7-of-16 passing for 169 yards, but threw three interceptions. He also lost a pair of fumbles but did have a rushing touchdown.
OCC title race
As mentioned, the Arrows will play for the OCC title at home next Friday when Lexington (5-4, 4-1) comes to Community Stadium. A win that night gives Ashland the outright title while an Arrows loss splits the crown between them and the Minutemen.
“If you can’t get excited about (the Lexington game), you probably shouldn’t be playing the game,” Valentine said. “We’ve got to watch out how emotional we are. … We’re going to be excited and we’ve got to be ready to go.”
The only other head-to-head OCC game in Week 10 is Mansfield Senior (1-8, 1-4) at Madison (1-8, 1-4).
The three nonconference games for OCC teams include Holy Name at West Holmes (4-5, 3-3), Dover at New Philadelphia (6-3, 4-2) and Louisville at Wooster (2-7, 1-5).
Ashland will finish the regular season as the only OCC team that has not lost at least three games.