Collaboration: Statistical information from the game in this article was provided by Kris Mowry, Tony Van Duyne and Aidan Chandler with the Ashland Arrows Broadcasting Network on YouTube.
WOOSTER – Ashland’s chances at a trip to the playoffs have a pulse.
On a night when legendary Arrows head coach Scott Valentine got his 200th career win, a variety of the team’s seniors helped stun Wooster in overtime at rainy Follis Field, 27-21.
Ashland never led the Generals until senior Grayson Baith plowed his way through defenders for a 9-yard, walk-off touchdown run.
The improbable victory – set up by a 9-yard receiving touchdown from senior Killian O’Brien with no time left in the fourth quarter – sent the Arrows into celebration mode.
Valentine, who downplayed his milestone victory as a 30th-year head coach, said he was simply excited to see Ashland claw its way to a win.
“They just kept responding, kept bouncing back, and we had a couple guys make some plays there to get us into the end zone,” said the coach, now 200-127 in his career overall (162-73 in 21 seasons at Ashland).
“I was just happy for the kids because they’ve been working so hard. We’ve had so many injuries, so it was good to experience another win.”
The stunning victory might just have opened the door for the Arrows (5-4, 2-4 Ohio Cardinal Conference) to slip into the playoffs.
According to the projection website fantastic50.net, Ashland had a 77 percent chance to make it back to the postseason if it won its final two games against Wooster (3-6, 3-3) and Lexington (1-8, 1-5).
Part 1 of that equation was completed in shocking fashion Friday night.
The Arrows never led before overtime, but they tied the Generals at 7-7 (15-yard TD catch by O’Brien); 14-14 (11-yard TD catch by senior Jeff Hickey); and 21-21 (O’Brien’s 9-yard catch).
Wooster had a 21-14 lead with 39 seconds to go in the fourth, but a high snap on a punt attempt gave the Arrows the ball at the WHS 45-yard line.
Sophomore quarterback Carson Graber (19-of-29, 156 yards, 3 TDs, 3 interceptions) found Hickey for a 19-yard reception on the first play of the ensuing drive. And after the Generals helped them cover 17 yards on two penalties, Graber eventually found O’Brien in the middle of the end zone with zeroes on the fourth-quarter clock.
Junior Layton Roop buried his third of three PAT kicks to tie it and set up Ashland’s first overtime win in two years.
“Layton Roop had to hit the extra point and that’s not easy sometimes when you’re in that situation,” Valentine said, “so for him to hit that and put us into overtime was great.”
Ashland forced Wooster into a turnover on downs on the opening drive of overtime, and when the Arrows took over, it was Baith breaking out on the first play.
The senior – whose season has been hindered by injury – slipped a tackle and stiff-armed his way through another one to gain 16 yards to the WHS 4-yard line.
The teams traded penalties, but Baith found paydirt from 9 yards out to win it.
It was the first touchdown since Week 2 for the senior, who had missed three full games this season due to injury. Baith, who has more than 1,200 rushing yards and nearly 600 receiving yards in his career, also missed out on two playoff games a year ago due to injury.
“Coming into this year after the injury last year, and all the struggles he’s had with everything else – working through it and getting back to play – it really makes me happy to have him be able to get that (game-winning touchdown) tonight,” Valentine said.
O’Brien finished with two touchdowns and 66 yards on seven catches, moving his AHS record for career TD receptions to 29.
Hickey, meanwhile, added 44 yards on six catches. He tied the game at 14-all early in the fourth quarter with his 11-yard receiving TD after Bodie Smith recovered a fumble by Wooster quarterback Griffin Siegenthaler (9-of-16 passing, 51 yards; 22 carries, 97 yards, 2 TDs rushing).
Junior Jayden Colvin added four catches for 52 yards in the win, as Valentine said the offense was more dependent on screen passes due to the weather.
“(Graber) was able to get the ball out well and distribute it to different people and I think that was the key,” Valentine said.
The victory was Ashland’s 50th in its rivalry with Wooster (now 50-55-4). It was the 109th meeting between the programs – the most-played rivalry game in AHS history.
In the postgame huddle, the Arrows celebrated and cheered Valentine’s 200-win milestone before posing with him behind a ‘200 Wins’ banner.
While not a guarantee, a win at home in Week 10 against Lexington now gives the Arrows a solid shot at a postseason berth. If they can get in, it would be their fifth consecutive trip to the playoffs – something the program has never done.
It’s a reality that seemed nearly impossible after Ashland’s 0-3 start in OCC play.
“You want to be playing meaningful games at the end of the season,” Valentine said. “The last one for your seniors – whether it’s home field or not – is something that’s exciting and you want them to go out the right way.”
OCC breakdown
While the Minutemen are scuffling through a 1-8 season, they did beat Wooster earlier this season (44-30) and took Madison to overtime Friday night (20-14 loss).
Elsewhere, Dover (7-2, 6-0) locked up at least a share of the OCC crown Friday with a 35-8 win at Mansfield Senior. A win in Week 10 at New Philadelphia (4-5, 4-2) will give the Tornadoes the crown over West Holmes (7-2, 5-1), which travels to Wooster.
