Massie through to State semifinals

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WEST CHESTER – The Clinton-Massie offensive line was overpowering Friday night in a 28-7 win over Wyoming in the Region 16 championship game at Lakota West High School.

“It’s no secret what we do; we’re going to rely on the guys up front,” CM head coach Dan McSurley said on the field following the game. “The offensive line just came through again.”

While the offensive line was a key to the Falcons rushing for 279 yards, big plays are made in the run game by blocks down field.

Corey May may have had the block of the night late in the second quarter.

With Massie up 14-0 and playing pretty well, a touchdown was almost required to make the first half a feel-good moment. They dominated the Cowboys in every way but were clinging to a two touchdown advantage.

Luke Richardson took a pitch from quarterback Corey Stulz on a jet sweep type play. As Richardson turned the corner, he shifted into second gear but several Cowboy defenders were still between him and the end zone.

May took care of one with a stellar “stock” block and Richardson sprinted to paydirt for a 37 yard touchdown.

“My responsibility is the cornerback,” May said. “I have to lock him down. Luke can either go inside of me or outside of me and take it to the house.

”That was probably one of my better stock blocks all year. I had no idea where Luke was. I was just focused on not letting that corner go anywhere. I was so happy when he (Luke) got by.”

• Trey Uetrecht played a solid game on the defensive side of the ball. He was a missile against the overmatched Cowboys in the first half. He had two key solo tackles that sent a message to the Wyoming offense.

“I have to give the credit to my guys up front,” Uetrecht said. “All week we talked about making penetration. They penetrated and that kept guys off me and let me fly around.”

Pierson Rogers, the Southwest District offensive player of the year in the district, had just 23 yards on 11 carries.

“The defense was prepared,” he said. “The quarterback really wasn’t a factor. Our back end played great. We had great pressure.”

• Christian Poynter and Grant Rudy were both deemed doubtful by McSurley during the week. Poynter played but did not start. Rudy dressed for the game but did not play. Poynter finished with 64 yards while Daulton Wolfe led the way with 79 yards. Ty Beam had 50 yards and Cody Collingham rushed for 42 yards.

“I was rehabbing as much as I possibly could,” said Poynter, Massie’s leading rusher with 30 touchdowns. “To sit on the sidelines (last week) and watch my teammates play without me is a feeling I don’t ever really want to feel again. For them to win that game last week and give me a chance to come back means the world to me. I needed to return the favor.”

• Whereas the last Clinton-Massie game against Wyoming was in 2007, the Region 15 championship game was a rematch between league rivals. Philo defeated John Glenn 28-17 in Week 4 this season in a Muskingum Valley League contest. John Glenn won Friday’s game 38-7.

• The Falcons were one of 14 No. 4 seeds to advance beyond the first round this season. The No. 2 seeds, which included Wyoming, were 22-6 in the first round.

Since expanding the playoffs to eight qualifiers per region in 1999, the No. 2 seed has won 25 state titles while the No. 4 seed has claimed five championships.

• In the final Associated Press football poll, Wyoming was ranked No. 6 and Clinton-Massie was ranked No. 7. John Glenn was not ranked in the state poll.

• Wyoming has been to the post-season playoffs 23 times while Clinton-Massie has made it 17 years. The Falcons, though, have a decidedly better record – 29-14 compared to the Cowboys 19-21 mark.

Wyoming won a state title in 1977 and has advanced to the state semifinals four times. Massie has made the state semis three times.

• Unlike last week’s game where the pressbox at Beavercreek High School was bone-rattling cold, this week’s confines were quite toasty. Kudos to Lakota West athletic adminstration.

Reach Mark Huber at 937-556-5765, via email [email protected] or on Twitter @wnjsports

By Mark Huber

Wilmington News Journal

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