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Clinton-Massie edges Indian Hill

SHARONVILLE, Oh – Behind a second straight record-breaking performance from Davey Tunon, the Clinton-Massie Falcons advanced to the Division IV, Region 14 finals by knocking off previously unbeaten Indian Hill 40-34 at Princeton High School’s Viking Stadium.

The Clinton-Massie Falcons after a playoff win / (photo from Twitter).

The Clinton-Massie Falcons after a playoff win / (photo from Twitter).

Tunon ran for 374 yards in last week’s 70-14 first round win over Taft, which set the school record for rushing yards, a record that lasted exactly seven days. On Saturday, Tunon went off again, gaining 393 yards on 42 carries and five touchdowns.

“I can’t do it without the five guys up front, and the other backs and receivers, the quarterback, everybody else that helps me out,” said Tunon. “We have that hard week leading up to it, we work our butt off, we improve and it shows out here on the field.”

Clinton Massie (11-1) started quickly, taking a 6-0 lead with 10:03 left in the first when Tunon capped a four play, 57-yard drive when he went 39 yards.

After exchanging two three-and-outs on each side, the Falcons got the first big break of the game when the Braves muffed a punt and Clinton-Massie’s David Poynter recovered at the Indian Hill 42. Four plays later, Tunon scored from 19-yards out to give the Falcons a 12-7 lead.

Indian Hill (11-1) answered behind all-everything junior quarterback Reed Aichholz. First, Reed hit twin brother Dawson for 36-yards on third down to the Falcons’ 15. Then, two plays later, Reed went in from 10-yards out to cut the Clinton-Massie lead to 10-7.

The Braves then recovered the ensuing short kickoff at the Falcons’ 46. But the drive stalled inside the Clinton-Massie 10, and Tunon quickly extended the lead to 19-7 on a six play, 94-yard drive, all yards gained by Tunon on the ground, when he went in from 32 yards out with 6:47 left in the half.

Following a fumble recovery by Indian Hill on a sack of Falcons’ quarterback Hunter Fentress, Reed Aichholz found senior receiver Eric Heidel on a nice throw and catch from 27 yards out to make it 19-13 with 3:28 left in the half.

Fentress found Thomas Williams from 21-yards out with: 44 left in the half to make it 26-13, and Luke Richardson intercepted Reed Aichholz right before the half to keep it at 26-13 lead going into the break.

The third quarter started promising for Indian Hill, stopping Fentress on a fourth-and-one on the Falcons’ 36. Reed Aichholz took advantage, hooking up with Colin Shaw on a 34 yard pass to set up the Braves at the Clinton-Massie 2, before finishing the drive from one yard out to make it 26-20 with 7:28 left in the third.

“They started stacking our load side, and started put more guys in the box than we had,” said Tunon. “But we definitely capitalized, we blocked down, and our line giving me open holes and i made the most of it.”

In danger of losing momentum, Clinton-Massie executed a fake punt when Poynter went 21-yards to the Indian Hill 41. Tunon converted a fourth-and-four with a 19-yard run to the Braves’ 16, and then finished off the four plays later from the 3 to make it 33-20 with 2:04 left in the third.

Reed Aicholz ran for his third rushing touchdown on the night on the first play of the fourth quarter, making it 33-27 with 11:55 left in the game.

Tunon then rambled 68 yards on the next play from scrimmage, which put him over 300 for the night, to get the Falcons to the Indian Hill 2 before being caught from behind. Two plays later, Tunon finished the drive with his fifth touchdown on the night making it 40-27 with 11:04 left in the game.

Reed Aichholz finished the scoring with 5:05 left in the game, scoring from one yard out to make it 40-34. But behind Tunon and Jacob Wolf, the Falcons ran out the clock and the game.

Reed Aichholz had a great night in the losing effort, going 17-of-33 through the air for 279 yards, with a touchdown and an interception, along with 42 yards on 15 carries and four touchdowns. Heidel caught six of those passes for 105 yards with a touchdown.

Wolf was huge on the defensive side for Clinton-Massie sacking Reed Aichholz three times. Clinton-Massie outgained Indian Hill 494-343.

The Falcons will be playing in their fifth consecutive regional title game next Saturday when they will take on top-seeded Bishop Fenwick (12-0), the site to be determined. Fenwick defeated GCL Co-Ed rival Kettering Alter 19-9 Saturday night.

Indian Hill ends their season at 11-1, but will return many key contributors in 2016.

SUMMARY
CM – 12 14 7 7 – 40
IH – 0 13 7 14 – 34

First Quarter
CM – Davey Tunon 39 run (Kick failed), 10:03.
CM – Tunon 19 run (Conversion failed), 1:42.

Second Quarter
IH – Reed Aichholz 12 run (Eric Heidel kick), 11:53.
CM – Tunon 27 run (Demler kick), 6:47.
IH – Heidel 27 pass from R. Aichholz (conversion failed), 3:26.
CM – Thomas Williams 21 pass from Hunter Fentress (Demler kick), :44.2.

Third Quarter
IH – R. Aichholz 1 run (Heidel kick), 7:28.
CM – Tunon 3 run (Demler kick), 2:05.

Fourth Quarter
IH – R. Aichholz 2 run (Heidel kick), 11:55.
CM – Tunon 1 run (Heidel kick), 11:04.
IH – R. Aichholz 1 run (Heidel kick), 5:05.

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