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Celina coach Brennen Bader hugs senior Braylon Gabes after a 27-14 loss to Columbus Bishop Watterson in the Division III state semifinals at Doug Adams Stadium in Xenia on Friday.
XENIA - For 13 ½ minutes, Celina was unstoppable.
Then Columbus Bishop Watterson took control.
The Eagles tied the game at the end of the first half, and then their defense shut the Bulldogs out the rest of the way, sending Celina to a 27-14 loss in the Division III football state semifinals at Doug Adams Stadium in Xenia on Friday.
"I wanted it so bad for them, to have a chance of going to Canton," Celina coach Brennen Bader said. "Wasn't meant to be, but it's not going to change what we think of them, what they did for this community, this school."
Watterson (14-1) goes on to play Toledo Central Catholic, which beat Chardon 28-7 Friday, in the Division III state championship game next Friday at 3:30 p.m. in Canton. Celina's best season in 25 years comes to an end at 12-3.
Celina's defense didn't allow a first down on Watterson's first two drives, but then the Eagles started to get into a rhythm. Quarterback AJ McAninch got them started with a 10-yard out route to Tommy Haley, then found Jake Uhlenhake in a hole in the zone to get to the 50.
Receiver Cal Mangini took a jet sweep pass around the right end and got all the way down to the Bulldog 16 before Caleb Gabes tripped him up, and Zack Weber covered the remaining ground in five carries to cut the deficit to seven with 6:24 left in the half.
Worse for Celina, top linebacker Tucker Ackley went down and had to be helped off the field, without putting weight on his right leg. He spent the rest of the game on crutches on the sideline, watching the action with his coat draped over his shoulders.
Caleb Gabes got 10 yards to start Celina's next drive, but the Bulldogs got three yards on two plays, committed a false start, and fell well short on third down before punting. Zander Jones pinned the Eagles back at the 20, but they went right back on the march with another 10-play drive.
Celina's Dalton Chilcoat pursues Bishop Watterson quarterback AJ McAninch in the first half on Friday.
McAninch found Christopher Bair to convert a third-and-12, freshman Ben Uhlenhake ran for 23 yards, and McAninch threw to Mangini over the middle for a nine-yard touchdown with 36 seconds left in the half.
"Started out the game hot, just the way we wanted it," Bader said. "They fought back, which, in a state semifinal game, it's going to be a battle to the end."
A dropped third down pass kept the Eagles out of the end zone to start the third quarter, but kicker Rudy Kessinger drilled a 22-yard field goal to put Watterson ahead 17-14 with 6:06 to go in the third.
Jones ran for 24 yards and a late hit penalty put the Bulldogs in Eagles territory, but they only went backward from there. Jones' punt was downed at the 1, but Zack Weber ran for 10 yards on the first play and McAninch found Jake Uhlenhake for a 62-yard catch-and-run. Kaiden Werntz broke up a pass in the end zone on the first play of the fourth quarter, but Kessinger came back for a 40-yard field goal to stretch the lead to six.
Celina's Kaiden Werntz breaks up a pass in the end zone intended for Bishop Watterson receiver Jake Uhlenhake in the fourth quarter on Friday.
But Celina's hopes took another blow with Braylon Gabes standing on the sideline with his helmet off as the offense went back out. He didn't play the rest of the game.
"Obviously that hurts," Bader said. "Zander too, a couple other injuries, Tucker Ackley also. Never like seeing injuries, especially when they kind of snowball like that. But kids kept fighting, and that's all you can do."
Jones hopped off the field on the next drive. He returned briefly but was limited before he went back to the bench for the rest of the game.
After the Bulldogs went three-and-out, Mangini nearly took a McAninch pass for another touchdown, but fumbled through the end zone to give the Bulldogs a brief reprieve.
Three plays later, Bobby Morris was hit as he threw and the ball fluttered to Dominic Purcell, who ran it back for a pick-six to stretch the lead to 13. Morris' fourth down pass was picked on the next drive, and Braxton Rundio sealed it with another interception with 1:01 left.
"From where we came from a couple years ago to now is just remarkable," Bader said. "It's a credit to our seniors, a credit to all our players for buying in and making sure that our culture's where we want it. When you mix culture with talent, you get years like this.
"Just one week short. We just wanted one more."
Braylon Gabes carried the Bulldogs down to the Watterson 1 on their first drive of the game, but threw behind Jones on fourth down, and Jones couldn't haul it in. But the defense forced a three-and-out, and starting in plus territory, Braylon Gabes took a fourth down carry off left tackle for 39 yards to the 1 before punching it in on the next play.
Celina's Caleb Gabes runs upfield after catching a pass from Zander Jones. The catch and run went for 60 yards.
After the defense forced another punt, Jones provided the big play. Morris threw a screen back to him and Jones lofted a pass to Caleb Gabes, who was running a deep post behind the defense and caught it for a 60-yard gain. Four plays later, 90 seconds into the second quarter, Braylon Gabes ran for his second touchdown from a yard out.
Braylon Gabes finished with 116 yards on 15 carries, and Caleb Gabes had 123 receiving yards on four catches.
Celina will lose 14 seniors: Braylon and Caleb Gabes, Jones, Ackley, Carver Harris, Carter Altstaetter, Zach Greber, Nick Newell, Kaden Murlin, Isaac Yaney, Jack Eichler, Quinten Thobe and Bradley Pennington.
"You hope when you win games and make a final four run, that sparks interest and we get numbers where we want them," Bader said. "That's part of it, and then you work hard in the offseason. You just pass the torch to the next class. We've got a very good junior class, and they're going to have to take that torch and do something with it."
