CINCINNATI, Ohio – A rivalry decades deep added another unforgettable chapter Friday night as Elder and St. Xavier met in a regional championship showdown at Paycor Stadium. The matchup carried layers of history: the first postseason meeting between the two GCL South powers since 2021, the fourth since 2010, and the first regional final between them since 2001—a game St. Xavier won 24–21. Coming in, the Bombers had won five straight and had not allowed more than 14 points in any of their nine victories. Elder, meanwhile, arrived undefeated for the first time in school history at 12–0, with seven wins against teams with at least nine victories.
It all set the stage for a high-stakes collision between familiarity, momentum, and championship aspirations—and the game delivered one of the great playoff thrillers in recent memory.
The two teams combined for 683 total yards and 76 points, starting with Elder striking first. Tommy Becker plunged in from a yard out, though a mishandled PAT kept the Panthers’ lead at 6–0. St. Xavier wasted no time answering. Jackson Frye fired a 54-yard strike to standout receiver Logan Von Holle, who made the first of several explosive plays to give the Bombers a 7–6 edge.
Elder responded just 56 seconds later when quarterback Kaden Estep hit Drew Wauligman in stride for a 74-yard touchdown, pushing the Panthers back in front 13–7 at the end of an electric first quarter.
PHOTOS: St. Xavier vs. Elder
Early in the second, Elder surged ahead. Becker powered in for another short score, and Estep added a rushing touchdown as the Panthers built what looked like a commanding 27–7 lead with just over seven minutes left before halftime. But St. Xavier flipped the script quickly. Frye and Von Holle connected again—this time from 29 yards out—to cut the deficit to 13. Then came the turning point: Chad Perkins took a punt return all the way back for a touchdown, stunning the Elder sideline and slicing the Panthers’ lead to 27–21 at the break.
Elder regrouped out of the locker room. Estep capped a crisp opening drive with a 21-yard touchdown pass to Jake Bier, stretching the margin to 34–21. But the fourth quarter belonged entirely to St. Xavier.
Behind a surging offensive line and the hard running of Daniel Vollmer—who had averaged 229 all-purpose yards in three previous games against Elder—the Bombers imposed their will. Vollmer punched in a pair of 2-yard touchdown runs, the second tying the game as Elder’s offense stalled under relentless defensive pressure. Vollmer finished with a game-high 91 rushing yards on 18 carries, powering an attack that refused to break.
Von Holle capped a career night with five catches for 115 yards and three touchdowns, repeatedly delivering momentum-shifting plays when the Bombers needed them most.
In a rivalry filled with memorable moments, this regional final added another instant classic to the list—one worthy of Paycor Stadium, the packed house, and the long history between two of Ohio’s proudest programs.
SCORING BY QUARTERS
St. Xavier: 7-14-7-14-42
Elder: 13-14-7-0–34
SCORING PLAYS
E: Tommy Becker 1-yard run (kick failed – bad snap)
S: Logan Von Holle 54-yard pass from Jackson Frye ( Owen Davidson kick)
E: Drew Wauligman 74-yard pass from Kaden Estep (Adam Re kick)
E: Tommy Becker 2-yard run (Adam Re kick)
E: Kaden Estep 24-yard run (Adam Re kick)
S: Logan Von Holle 12-yard pass from Jackson Frye (Owen Davidson kick)
S: Chad Perkins 11-yard punt return (Owen Davidson kick)
E: Jake Bier 21-yard pass from Kaden Estep (Adam Re kick)
S: Logan Von Holle 8-yard pass from Jackson Frye (Owen Davidson kick)
S: Daniel Vollmer 2-yard run (Owen Davidson kick)
S: Daniel Vollmer 2-yard run (Owen Davidson kick)
RECORDS: St. Xavier (10-2, 3-2 GCL South); Elder (12-1, 3-1)
UP NEXT: OHSAA Division I state semifinals vs. Middletown
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Get the complete scores from all of tonight’s action on the Underground Sports Shop Scoreboard at TriStateFootball.com/scores.
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