MANSFIELD — Approximately 8,500 fans at Arlin Field could’ve been charged the price of another ticket while exiting the gates on Friday night — and no one would’ve complained a bit.
Let’s cut to the chase for the most basic information of all in the wake of a brilliant high school football game. No. 3-seed Ontario beat second-seeded Shelby 49-48 in a Division IV, Region 14 semifinal that left all in awe who were fortunate enough to witness it.
The Warriors will face top-seeded Sandusky Perkins next week in the regional final, the first voyage to the Elite Eight in the history of Ontario High School football.
Getting to that date meant winning one of the most thrilling games in the long and storied 75-plus year annals of Arlin Field.
“I thought this game proved how awesome high school football is in this county,” said Shelby coach Rob Mahaney — and his team lost.
The Warriors (12-1) finally earned revenge on the Whippets (12-1) after two heartbreaking defeats, one in each of the past two seasons. As with the first two encounters, this one was a duel between the two best football players in north central Ohio.
Ontario senior Bodpegn Miller, who will suit up for Ohio State next fall, compiled a stunning 503 yards of total offense and five touchdowns, including the game-tying 1-yard TD plunge with 12 seconds left. The Warriors needed every bit of that production to overcome a 22-point fourth-quarter deficit.
“(On the final drive) … I just said a prayer to God, ‘Please give me the courage,’ ” Miller said. “It was unbelievable.”
It was.
Miller’s exploits finally eclipsed Shelby junior quarterback Brayden DeVito’s performance. DeVito compiled 441 yards of total offense and six touchdowns.
The duo flashed their elite explosiveness from the very start.
Miller was flushed from the pocket and roared around left end for an early 18-yard touchdown run, but the play was nullified for holding. So, the Warriors settled for a 29-yard field goal from freshman Kooper Kilgore with 1:00 remaining in the first quarter. Remember Kilgore’s name, his toe proved the difference in the end.
It took DeVito two plays to respond. The junior speedster streaked 63 yards along the far sideline and into the end zone for a 6-3 margin with 7 seconds showing in the opening period.
Ontario took its turn on the ensuing series.
Kilgore struck again with a 37-yard field goal to knot the affair at 6-6 with 7:54 to play in the half. After the Warriors’ defense walled up for a stop, Miller spun away from the rush and rifled a 38-yard touchdown pass to senior Noah Poole for a 13-6 edge at the 3:23 mark of the second quarter.
But again DeVito responded.
A 65-yard pass to Brady Bowman got the Whippets off their own 8-yard line, and DeVito followed by scoring on a 4th-and-1 sweep with 7 seconds left in the half. The two-point conversion pass to Michael Shepherd gave Shelby a 14-13 margin at intermission.
That was just an appetizer for what was to come. In fact, you could forget Mike Tyson vs. Jake Paul. This was much better, trumping a Madden gamer’s dream.
DeVito’s next bolt of lightning came via a 44-yard TD sprint that capped an 80-yard drive to start the second half.
Ontario fumbled the ensuing kickoff and the Whippets pounced again. On the next play, DeVito threaded a 20-yard dart to senior Nic Eyster, pushing the margin to 26-13 with 8:53 flashing in the third quarter.
Next came Miller’s turn. On a 4th-and-1 at the Shelby 30, the fleet thoroughbred took off untouched around a barren left end for a 30-yard touchdown to slice it to 26-19 with 6:27 to play in the third period.
Then DeVito waved his wand. This time the warlock spun away from three defenders closing in on 4th-and-5 and tossed a 9-yard TD pass to Avery Lambert. Eyster’s conversion run made it 34-19 at the 3:15 mark of the third quarter.
Two plays later, after the Warriors covered a Shelby onside kick, Ontario’s Mason VanTilburg shook loose on a 62-yard touchdown jaunt through the gut of the defense to cut it back to 34-27 at the 2:25 mark of the third period.
Bowman’s 63-yard kickoff return put the Whippets in business again, and DeVito took advantage yet again. The quick-silver youngster eluded the rush and unleashed a 21-yard scoring pass to Eyster for a 40-26 bulge at 1:32 of the third quarter.
A shanked Ontario punt gave the Whippets a short field. Shelby broke the huddle in an exotic formation with a single-file line behind the ball, then reversed a handoff to Bowman who sped around a naked left end for a 30-yard touchdown at the 34-second mark of the third period. DeVito’s 2-point conversion run made it 48-26.
That capped a 34-point Shelby eruption in the third quarter, and for all the world it looked like the kill shot.
It wasn’t.
Miller punched back on the first play of the fourth period, lofting a 17-yard TD pass to Jon Mahon to draw the Warriors’ within 48-32.
The Ontario defense recovered a Shelby fumble, then the offense turned the clock back 12 months.
Last year, Shelby beat Ontario on an impossible, fourth-down, hook-and-lateral play at the end of the game. Miller said he had nightmares about it all summer long.
This was payback time.
Miller faded back to pass and connected on a curl over the middle with Landon Foltz, who pitched the ball to sophomore Tre Fowler screaming around the edge at full speed. Fowler dashed all the way for an incredible, 84-yard touchdown. Miller’s conversion pass made it 48-40 with 9:02 showing.
With the huge audience perched on the edge of its seats, Ontario’s defense forced a stop, and Miller again led his team all the way to the Shelby 1. An off-sides penalty pushed the Warriors back to the 6. On the next play, Miller’s pass toward the end zone was intercepted by DeVito (who else?) at the 2 with just 1:58 showing.
That was it, right? Wrong.
The momentum shifted again on the very next snap. Ontario senior Grady Tayler exploded through the line and stuffed DeVito in the end zone for a safety to make it 48-42 with 1:52 remaining.
Shelby kicked off and the Warriors took over just short of midfield in now-or-never mode.
Miller ran for a first down, then converted a fourth-and-10 with a long pass to Foltz at the Whippets’ 12. Miller scrambled all the way to the 1 and dove for the pylon, coming up just short with less than 20 seconds showing.
He finished it on the next play with a power plunge into the end zone. Kilgore’s PAT made it 49-48 with 12 seconds left to complete a 23-0 blitz in the fourth quarter.
Finally, this masterpiece of a high school football game was done.
Euphoria swept the Ontario side of the field, and fans ignored the PA announcer warning everyone to stay off the turf. It’s tough to control pandemonium.
Miller ran for 209 yards and two touchdowns on 24 carries. He completed 13-of-28 passes for 294 yards and three TDs. VanTilburg ran for 130 yards on 17 attempts with a touchdown, while Foltz added 81 yards receiving on five catches.
DeVito collected 229 yards and three touchdowns on 24 attempts. He hit 14-of-21 passes for 212 yards and three more scores. Bowman contributed four catches for 101 yards.
Ontario had the edge in first downs (25-18), rushing yards (339-231), passing yards (294-212) and total yards (633-443).
And in the end it was every bit as entertaining as the advanced billing.
