TriStateFootball.com
Home / Cincinnati / St. Xavier tops Colerain in another classic

St. Xavier tops Colerain in another classic

CINCINNATI, ohio – They never disappoint. For those who braved the elements they got their money’s worth as St. Xavier erased a 14-point fourth quarter deficit and persevered in overtime at Colerain. This was the third time in the last 16 games that the two schools have gone to overtime to settle their wars since the beginning of last season. Like the previous two affairs this classic was all about attrition.

In driving rain storm, the hero through the first three quarters was Colerain kicker Chris Mangold. The junior had the games only six points on the strength of his 33 and 42 yard field goals.

The Cardinals offense had begun to find a rhythm. Ivan Pace, Jr. scored Colerain’s first touchdown of the season on the first play of the fourth quarter. His two-point conversion run put the home team up 14-0. Pace, Jr. finished with a game high 80 yards rushing on 11 carries. He also led the team with nine total tackles.

With six minutes left in the contest St. Xavier managed to flip the field and took over on the Colerain 43-yard line after a punt. It took the Bombers all of 44 seconds to find the end zone as quarterback Chase Wolf hit Cameron Specht for a 10-yard score. The Donny Strock extra point made it, 14-7. Specht finished contest with nine receptions for 47 yards.

St. Xavier forced the Cardinals to punt on their next possession. It was quick strike offense again as the Bombers Matthew Fox capped off a 58 second scoring drive with a four-yard run. The Strock extra point tied the score with 1:52 left in the affair. The thrills were just beginning.

Colerain failed to run out the clock and with seven seconds left they punted from deep in their own end zone. Specht called for a fair catch and that set up a free kick for Strock at the Cardinals 25-yard line. Strock lost his footing and the kick never had a chance. Overtime was now on the horizon.

Mangold was in the spotlight again. He connected on a 30-yard field goal to put Colerain back on top on the first possession of overtime. St. Xavier got the opportunity to answer. The Bombers played up tempo and smash-mouth. Wolf took the ball in from two yards out. The improbable finish put a resounding exclamation point on Southwest Ohio’s best rivalry.

Colerain has started the year with a four-point loss to the reigning Ohio Division II champs La Salle and  a three point defeat at the hands of the reigning Division state champion Bombers.

St. Xavier 0-0-0-14-6-20
Colerain 0-3-3-8-3-17

C: Mangold 33 field goal
C: Mangold 42 field goal
C: Pace, Jr. 1 run (Leyendecker pass to Pace, Jr.)
S: Specht 10 pass from Wolf (Stock kick)
S: Fox 4 run (Stock kick)
C: Mangold 30 field goal
S: Wolf 1 run (Stock kick)

RECORDS: St. Xavier (2-0); Colerain (0-2)
UP NEXT: St. Xavier hosts Walnut Hills (1-1); Colerain at Middletown (0-2)

You must be logged in to post a comment Login