In Friday’s football match-up against Struthers, Poland once again found themselves in an annual, all-time classic. After a field goal went wide left in regulation, it came down to a final play in the overtime period; Poland being up 28-27.
Struthers won the coin flip, and elected to receive the opening kickoff. This decision proved to be a blunder. After driving their offense down to Poland’s 47 yard line, Jason Dukes was unable to secure a snap, and the Poland defense fell on it. Dom Pagano and the Bulldogs found themselves in the end-zone after a nine play, 53 yard drive, with a six yard touchdown run.
Early into the second quarter, the Wildcats fired back. After forcing the Bulldogs to punt after a three and out, Jason Dukes fired a pass up the seam to Devin Braham. Braham took the pass 56 yards to the house to tie the game up at 7-7.
Braham would continue his reign of terror, taking a hand-off up the middle to pay-dirt, extending Struther’s lead to 14-7.
Poland, now feeling the pressure of going into halftime with a deficit, constructed a 57 yard drive finishing off in the end-zone. Dom Pagano took a QB sneak up the middle for one yard to tie the score up 14-14 going into the half.
After a Cole Fulton fumble, the Wildcats got the ball on their own 47 yard line. Five plays later, Jason Dukes took a quarterback keeper up the middle for a 27 yard touchdown. The PAT extended the lead to 21-14, Struthers.
Poland wouldn’t back down, though. Early in the fourth quarter, the Bulldogs mercilessly drove down the field, and Cole Fulton converted on a two yard touchdown run. This score tied it all up at 21.
After a fumble deep in Bulldog territory, Poland had four minutes, two timeouts, and 84 yards to the end-zone. The Bulldogs drove down to the Wildcat’s 19 yard line before calling a timeout with three seconds left. The Bulldogs would attempt a field goal with time expiring, but Jas Stefancin’s kick went wide left.
After a thrilling regulation period, the game was now going to overtime. The Bulldogs started with the ball, and quickly converted in the end zone. Danny Nittoli took a screen pass to the right and fought his way into the end-zone. This gave the Bulldogs the lead, and a chance to make a stop and close out this rivalry game.
On the Wildcats’ second play, Braham took the ball down to the one yard line on a run to the left. However, a delay of game penalty pushed Struthers back to the six yard line. Three players later, Braham would dive into the end-zone to make the score 28-27.
The Wildcats decided to try and end the game right then and there by going for a two point conversion from the two yard line. A false start penalty, though, pushed them back to the seven yard line, and one more play. Dukes came into motion from the right and took a hand-off. He rolled out, looking for wide receiver Robert Carcelli, but the pass fell incomplete.
The Bulldogs go into the OHSAA Playoffs with a final record of 9-1, also guaranteeing two home playoff games. The Bulldogs will open up playing East Liverpool at home on Friday, October 27th. When asked about the upcoming game against East Liverpool, Poland standout offensive lineman, Tyler Canfield, said: “I feel very positive. I feel like the game last week left us on a high note. The whole team is feeling very confident. The most important thing we do is practice.”
