JEROMESVILLE — Norwayne running back Mason Moyer stole the show in Friday night’s Wayne County Athletic League championship game.
The Bobcats’ standout rolled for 203 yards and three touchdowns to lead his squad to a convincing, 45-21 victory at Hillsdale High School in a battle of conference unbeatens.
Both teams finished the regular season at 9-1 overall and will advance to next week’s postseason opening round. The Bobcats finished 7-0 in conference play, compared to 6-1 for the Falcons.
Moyer’s heroics were the difference-maker in a game highlighted by offense. The Bobcats scored first on Parker Mesker’s 27-yard field goal.
Hillsdale’s Owen Sloan ripped off a 67-yard touchdown burst to give the Falcons their only lead of the night, 7-3 with 6:39 showing in the first period.
But Norwayne’s Ryder Ingold returned a punt 45 yards for a TD to push the Bobcats back on top 10-7 at the end of the first quarter. They would never relinquish the advantage.
Moyer expanded the lead on a 6-yard TD blast, and Jacob Bruner fired a scoring strike to Logan Hackworth to make it 24-7.
The Falcons closed to within 24-14 at halftime on a 14-yard TD pass from Kael Lewis to Holland Young.
Sloan’s second touchdown, an 18-yard bolt to open the third period, made it 24-21. But Norwayne dominated after that.
Moyer scored from the 4 and Dylan Smith’s TD pass to Dylan Tanner led to a 38-21 bulge through three quarters.
Moyer finished it with a 1-yard plunge halfway through the final period.
Norwayne got the best of the statistical battle, too, leading in first downs (22-12), rushing yards (259-134), passing yards (180 to 109) and total yards (439 to 234).
The Bobcats now have a nine-game winning streak after dropping their opener, 28-21, at St. Clairsville.
The Falcons had their nine-game winning streak snapped by this decision.
Both teams will learn their playoff assignments when postseason pairings are announced on Sunday by the Ohio High School Athletic Association.