Delphos Mohawks claim 12th TCMFA title

By Jim Metcalfe, The Delphos Herald
Published:  Tuesday, November 3, 2009 (4 months, 1 week ago)
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DELPHOS — Evan Hays was a 1-man wrecking crew.
The result was the Delphos Mohawks’ 12th Tri-County Midget Football Association championship (in 48 seasons) with a 32-0 smattering of the Delphos Vikings in the title game on a clear and crisp Sunday afternoon at Stadium Park.
Hays scored five touchdowns in almost every way imaginable: rushing, receiving, interception return, fumble return and off a blocked punt.
A Hays 24-yard kickoff return set the Mohawks up at the Vikings’ 40. Still, the Vikings got the first break on the second play from scrimmage as Josh Teman picked of a deep pass at the 13.
Three plays later saw a punt from the 6; Teman was forced to scramble and was tackled by Wes Buettner at the 3.
On 4th-and-goal at the 1, Hays struggled off right guard to paydirt. The 2-point pass failed for a 6-0 lead with 2:40 left in the first eight minutes.
After Viking Grant Wallace was shaken up on the Mohawk kickoff, Hays struck on the second play from the 48, intercepting a pass at the Mohawk 45. He tore off for the end zone and found the sideline all the way to the house. The conversion pass was off as the Mohawks led 12-0 with 1:47 left in the first.
The Vikings, held to 29 yards of total offense (140 for the victors) and turning it over five times, seemed to be getting rolling on their next drive but a penalty sent them back and forced a punt. This time, on a bad snap, Buettner came from the defensive left side to block the Teman punt, with Hays grabbing it at the 35 and tearing down the left sideline for the end zone. Once more, the 2-pointer failed for an 18-0 spread with 7:07 showing in the second period.
The 3-time champion Vikings showed life on their next possession, driving from the 40 to the Mohawk 25, but on play eight, a fumble was recovered by Jordan Mohler at the 27.
Teman also was hurt on the series but later returned.
Jacob Youngpeter hit Hays for 28 yards, then Grothouse found Hays in stride across the middle (the 30) coming right to left and kept going, beating the defense to the pylon and the six. The 2-point pass misfired for a 24-0 bulge with 1:28 left in the half.
On the ensuing kickoff, Hays simply tackled the ball away from the returner at the 43 and again headed for the end zone. He juked a defender at the 10 and ended up with his hat trick-plus 2 with 1:13 left in the half. The 2-pointer was no good as the Mohawks carried a 30-0 margin into the 10-minute intermission.
The only real scoring threat in the second half — with a running clock and the second-teamers getting playing time — was a 12-play Mohawk drive from the Viking 42 (off a turnover) that ended up on the 1.
On the next play, Viking Tyler Bratton was tackled in the end zone for a safety at 4:15 for the final 32-point margin.
In the consolation contest, the Columbus Grove Bulldogs and Spencerville Bearcats Black needed overtime to decide matters, with the ’Dogs emerging with an 18-12 triumph.
Tied at 12 entering the untimed overtime, Spencerville got first crack at their foes’ 15. However, a fumble on the third play was grabbed by the Bulldogs, ending that series.
The Bulldogs replied quickly. Joey Warnecke ran for 12 yards and then easily popped over left tackle from the 3 and the game-ender.
The Bearcats rode workhorse Zach Goecke (24 totes, 87 yards) on their opening drive: an 8-play, 60-yard sequence. On 2nd-and-14 at the Bulldog 15, Goecke threw a halfback pass from the right side to Dakota Pritchard, who got behind the defense for the tally. The 2-point run failed for a 6-0 spread with 3:44 showing in the first period.
Grove rode its own workhorse, Warnecke (20 carries, 104 yards), on its response: a 10-play, 45-yarder. At the 1, Warnecke plunged off right guard to paydirt. The conversion pass failed for a 6-6 tie with 6:52 showing in the half.
Spencerville gave Grove great field position on the next series, turning it over on downs at is own 41. However, the Bearcats survived when their defense stiffened on a 4th-and-15 at the 20, stopping Jace Darbyshire six yards short on his scramble.
However, they could not dodge the next break; forced to punt, a dropped snap led to a 5-yard punt and the Bulldogs starting at the Grove 20. Three plays later at the 8, set up by a pass interference penalty on 4th-and-5, Darbyshire dropped straight back, saw open space to his left and beat the defense to the pylon. The 2-point run fell short for a 12-6 edge with 10 ticks left in the half.
Keaton Gillespie pounced on a fumble on the first play from scrimmage in the second half, giving the Black the ball at the Grove 47.
Twelve plays hence, a 4th-and-6 at the 8, Hunter Halker stopped Goecke for no gain.
Still, a 3-and-out punt put the Bearcats at the Bulldog 35. On the second play, Goecke tore through a huge hole up the gut and veered to the left, racing to the pylon. The conversion run failed as the game was now tied at 12 with 6:00 left in regulation.
The next Grove series ended in a fumble, with Austin Kieber gobbling it up at the Bearcat 39 with 4:10 to go.
The Bearcats reached the Grove 22 in eight plays but on 4th-and-8, Mason Nourse was sacked for a 3-yard loss by Ryan Scott with 53 ticks on the clock, effectively forcing overtime.