Fenwick suffers first loss

WILMINGTON, OH – The Bishop Fenwick Falcons perfect season came to an end on Saturday night in the Ohio DIV state semi-finals as they fell 26-14 to the Bishop Hartley Hawks.

Fenwick RB / LB Vince Durham (photo by Mike Noyes)

Fenwick (13-1) led after three quarters of action 14-13, but a couple of costly mistakes and turnovers and a pair of clutch fourth-down conversions doomed their hopes of playing for a state championship in Columbus next weekend.

It was about midway through the fourth quarterback when Hartley (11-3) started to take control of the contest. Starting at their own 44-yard line with 7:20 left in the contest, the Hawks would string together a hearth-throbbing scoring drive.

Running back Quri Hickman, who eclipsed 2000 yards rushing on the season during this match-up, broke off big run after big run as the Hawks’ offensive line began to wear down the Falcons’ defensive front.

Hickman’s 28-yard run got Hartley to the 22-yard line and a couple more carries set them up with a first-and-goal. The resilient Falcons’ D held up and forced a 4th-and-goal from the 1-yard line. Hartley sent their field goal kicker on to the field for an 18-yard attempt.

The Hawks were flagged for a delay of gain penalty. Rather than accepting the penalty and pushing them back five yards, Fenwick head coach Joe Snively and his staff decided to decline the penalty making it a tougher angle on a potential lead-changing field goal.

When given a second crack at things, Hartley opted to go for it and Hickman made the Falcons pay as he plunged into the end zone from a yard out. The two-point conversion failed, but the Hawks took a 19-14 lead with three minutes left in the game.

Fenwick would start the ensuing possession at their own 32, but within a play Hartley would get the ball back on a Falcons’ fumble.

Fenwick’s defense would force a 4th-and-1 play, but Hickman would break through on another run and take it to the house from 30 yards out to drive the nail in the coffin. Hartley converted an astounding 4-of-5 fourth down attempts in the contest.

Hickman finished the night with 195 yards and two touchdowns on 35 carries in the win.

Senior running back Vince Durham rushed for 100 yards and a score on 18 carries and classmate Nathan Jeffers added another TD on the ground in the loss for Fenwick.

Hartley held a 372-164 advantage in total yards and possessed the ball for over 30 minutes in the contest.

The Hawks advance to face Steubenville next week in the OHSAA DIV state title game in Columbus.

BISHOP FENWICK 7-3-0-16-26
vs. BISHOP HARTLEY 7-0-7-0-14

First Quarter
H: Nick Onega 26-yard RuTD (Hawk kick)
F: Nathan Jeffers 5-yard RuTD (Hirko kick)

Second Quarter
H: Ben Hawk 30-yard FG

Third Quarter
F: Vince Durham 2-yard RuTD (Hirko kick)

Fourth Quarter
H: Ben Hawk 23-yard FG
H: Quari Hickman 1-yard RuTD (conversion failed)
H: Quari Hickman 30-yard RuTD (Hawk kick)

Records: Fenwick (13-1); Hartley (11-3)

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