MASSILLON: It is the time of the year when playoff dreams unfold and hearts are broken.
Massillon stuck a dagger into St. Vincent-St. Mary’s heart and its playoff hopes on Friday, when it used a strong second half en route to a 21-12 victory on a cold and rainy night in Paul Brown Tiger Stadium.
The Irish (5-4) did practically everything right in the first half and had a 6-0 lead behind a staunch defense and field goals of 23 and 35 yards by senior Jamie Martucci.
After being held scoreless in the first half for the first time this season, the Tigers came alive in the second half on the legs of senior fullback Ethen Jefferson.
The 5-10, 195-pound Jefferson had one carry for eight yards in the first half but sparked the Tigers’ rally with 119 yards on 25 carries over the final 24 minutes.
The victory snapped the Irish’s 3-year winning streak over the Tigers, the first time a visiting team had won three in a row in PBTS since Garfield in 1984-86.
It also clinched the Tigers’ spot in the playoffs for the 23rd time. They came into the game second in Division II, Region 7.
SV-SM — fifth in Division III, Region 9 — took a severe hit in attempting to reach the postseason for the eighth consecutive year and 21st overall. Only the top eight teams in each region qualify.
“The weather was definitely a factor,” Massillon second-year coach Nate Moore said. “We had some uncharacteristic turnovers but we fought through it as a team and got it done.”
Massillon (7-2) put together a decisive, game-clinching drive behind Jefferson and sophomore Jamir Thomas in the fourth quarter after the Irish had pulled to within 14-12 on a 53-yard touchdown pass from freshman Luke Lindsay to senior Malik Wooldridge.
Starting at its 27, Massillon consumed nearly six minutes in going 73 yards as Jefferson and Thomas accounted for 56 yards. After Jefferson left the game with a cramp after a 7-yard gain that put the ball at the 5-yard line, quarterback Seth Blankenship carried twice for the touchdown.
“We knew they had a great offensive line,” St. V-M coach Marcus Wattley said. “I thought we did a good job in the first half, but not so much in the second.”
Blankenship threw just three passes in the second half after completing 1-of-4 in the first. One of those throws was a picture-perfect 58-yard scoring play to Justin Jasinski, the Tigers’ biggest offensive threat.
That gave Massillon a 14-6 lead and came after it opened the second half with a 16-play, 66-yard drive — all on the ground — that produced its first lead over the Irish in four years.
The Irish used two Massillon turnovers, a successful fake punt and a big pass play to forge its halftime lead.
Senior linebacker Brandon Bischof intercepted a Blankenship pass on Massillon’s first possession and returned it 21 yards to the Tigers’ 19-yard line.
The Irish had a first down at the 8-yard line but two running plays gained just 3 yards and a third-down pass was broken up in the endzone, setting the stage for Martucci’s first field goal.
With Thomas carrying most of the load the Tigers put together a 39-yard drive and had a first down at the St. V-M 29. The drive came to a halt when senior Darnell Irons recovered a fumble for the Irish.
While unable to take advantage of Massillon’s third turnover of the half, the Irish protected their slim lead and eventually got the ball back at their 15-yard line with 7:07 to go. The drive stalled at the 36 but blocking back Justin Sampson took a direct snap on fourth-and-4 and was able to get around left end for just enough yards for a first down.
The Irish faced a third-and-24 five plays later and Lindsay found Sampson on a quick slant and the Akron recruit turned it into a 37-yard gain. Six plays later Martucci kicked his second field goal.