By MATT SEXTON
WNJ Sports Writer
WNJ Sports Writer
COLUMBUS – A switch at quarterback was just what Cleveland Benedictine needed Friday to edge Archbishop Alter 21-14 in the Division IV state title game at Ohio Stadium.
The morning after Ohio State commit Joe Burrow of Athens put on a show, fellow OSU commit Jerome Baker took over at quarterback and helped propel the Bengals to the state championship.
“I’m extremely proud of this group … this entire team,” said Benedictine head coach Joe Schaefer, who also won a state title as a player at Benedictine. “Twelve months ago, that’s when these guys set this team goal. It wasn’t just to play in this game, it was to win this game.”
Baker took over at quarterback after Alter tied the game at 14 with 55 seconds left in the third quarter. He accounted for all but three of the yards gained on the five-play, 67-yard drive. He ended the drive with a 10-yard touchdown run to give Benedictine a 21-14 lead.
“There’s two threats back there,” said Schaefer. “If those linebackers start playing fast … getting over the top of blocks, we have the potential to pull it at quarterback. That makes a big difference. We’ve done that all year long just to keep people honest.”
Alter, which defeated two-time defending Division IV state champion Clinton-Massie in the Region 14 championship game 35-7, got to near midfield with 4:20 left. However, a holding penalty stalled that drive and Alter would punt with three minutes left.
“The game went as we thought it would or at least as we hoped it would,” said Alter head coach Ed Domsitz. “You want to be in the ballgame in the fourth quarter and have that opportunity to win.”
It appeared Benedictine had put the game away with three straight first downs, gaining down to the Alter 45 with 1:59 left. Alter had just one timeout left.
However, instead of taking a knee, Benedictine handed the ball off and Dontez Rash fumbled. Dean Lemon ripped the ball out and Phillip Drayton recovered it at the Alter 31.
“We were discussing taking a knee,” said Schaefer. “We knew they had one timeout left. We felt like we needed to run one more play to be able to kneel it the rest of the game. That was the one play we felt we needed, and the ball went on the ground.”
Alter had a chance it didn’t anticipate having.
“That’s all you can ask for,” said Domsitz. “It looked like the game was going to be over. They were driving the ball down the field and we were down to our last timeout. It looked like there wasn’t any way we were going to get the opportunity.”
Alter had new life, and Dusty Hayes would find Nick Coleman for 49 yards to the Benedictine 20. However, a holding penalty wiped the play out and Alter would be backed up to its own 21 with 1:02 left.
Hayes would find Dillon Daxe for 28 yards to the Bengals’ 44 with 0:39 left. Alter managed just eight more yards. On fourth and two from the 36 with nine seconds left, Hayes would be tackled on a scramble short of the first down, giving the ball and the game to Benedictine.
Baker finished the game with 55 yards passing and 83 yards rushing and two touchdowns for the Bengals. Rash added 72 yards rushing on 11 carries.
For the Knights, Hayes had 73 yards passing and 79 yards rushing and a touchdown. Nick Coleman had 72 yards rushing on 15 carries.
Alter struggled on third down, failing to convert in 12 opportunities. The Knights did convert four of six on fourth down. In addition to the 0 for 12 on third down, Hayes had an interception returned for a touchdown by Justin Layne in the first half.
“It was just a couple mistakes – a few mistakes – and we just weren’t able to get over the hump,” said Domsitz. “We don’t lose a whole lot. It’s always difficult when we’re not successful.”
Benedictine becomes the first school in state history to win a state title in the five decades that title games have been contested. Counting poll championships prior to 1972, it was the eighth title for the Bengals.
SUMMARY
AHS 0 7 7 0 14
BHS 7 7 0 7 21
BHS 7 7 0 7 21
1st Quarter
B – Jerome Baker 12-yard carry (Alex DiFrancesco kick) 7:36
2nd Quarter
B – Justin Layne 48-yard interception return (DiFrancesco kick) 10:09
A – Alex Pack 2-yard run (Alex Craft kick) 8:16
3rd Quarter
A – Dusty Hayes 28-yard run (Craft kick) 0:55
4th Quarter
B – Jerome Baker 14-yard run (DiFrancesco kick) 10:45
TEAM STATS
PLAYS: A 53; B 52. FIRST DOWNS: A 10; B 17. RUSHES-YARDS: A 43-203; B 37-192. PASSING YARDS: A 73; B 133. COMPLETIONS-ATTEMPTS-INTERCEPTIONS: A 5-10-1; B 10-14-0. TOTAL YARDS: A 276; B 325. PENALTIES-YARDS: A 7-65; B 6-49. FUMBLES-LOST: A 0-0; B 2-1. TIME OF POSSESSION: A 25:57; B 22:03.
INDIVIDUAL STATS:
Rushing (carries-yards) A: Dusty Hayes 19-79 TD; Nick Coleman 15-72; Chris Finke 5-43; Alex Pack 4-9 TD. B: Jerome Baker 12-83 2 TDs; Dontez Rash 11-72; DeCavilon Reese 8-13; Audrey Ward 1-11; Warren Saba 2-11; Brian Schoeffler 2-4.
Passing (completions-attempts-interceptions): A: Hayes 5-10-1 73 yards. B: Schoeffler 8-11-0 78 yards; Baker 2-3-0 55 yards.
Receiving (catches-yards): A: Dillon Daxe 2-51; Coleman 2-15; Pack 1-7. B: Justin Layne 5-96; Rash 2-6; Da’Von Johnson 1-19; Reese 1-7; Saba 1-5.
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