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Coldwater's Karsyn Homan (15) looks to run behind Derek Dues (23).
WAPAKONETA - It is often said that teams don't win games, they lose them. With two turnovers and a missed kick, Coldwater lost the Division VI State semifinal 20-18 against Hopewell-Loudon.
"It's frustrating that when you think you could win the game and you don't," Coldwater coach Chip Otten said.
The game started great for the Cavaliers, as quarterback Karsyn Homan broke free for a 49-yard run on the first play of the game. That put the Coldwater offense in the red zone, but a pair of incompletions set up Bryce Couchot for a field goal at the 10. He drilled it and put the Cavs up 3-0 just over three minutes into the game.
The defense responded and forced a punt from the Hopewell-Loudon offense. A punt gave Coldwater the ball again at their 27, but a first down holding call placed the ball at the 17.
A 12-yard pass to Caleb Schroer put the offense back on schedule, but a six yard loss set it right back. Facing a third-and-14 Homan hit receiver John Pohlman for a 49-yard gain, and a first down. Pohlman came through again later in the drive when Homan scrambled out and found the sophomore in the flats for a 14-yard gain to set up a first-and-goal at the four.
One play is all it took as Derek Dues powered into the end zone on a run up the middle. With the extra-point, Coldwater's lead jumped to 10-0 with 1:38 left in the first.
The score stayed the same to end the quarter, while the Chieftain offense was on the field. Facing a second-and-10 deep in Coldwater territory, quarterback Jacoby Ellis fired two straight incompletions to end the threat at the 24. The first miss was a bad one as Ellis just missed a touchdown in the corner of the end zone, but Coldwater took them all the same.
Homan opened the next drive and weaved east-to west to dash for 34 yards. He broke multiple tackles in the process, and it sparked the Cavalier crowd. The effort was for not. Homan got stuffed on fourth-and-one later in the drive and headed off the field with a lot of yards, but no points to show for it.
Both teams traded punts following that stop, and it gave Coldwater an opportunity to add some distance with under two minutes left in the half. Homan ran for 21 yards to put the offense near midfield.
With 29 seconds left, Coldwater tried the old hook-and-ladder play that has been executed throughout the season. Disaster struck this time, as the pitch went right into the turf and a Chieftain fell on it at the 50.
"I probably should have just ran the clock out and get a score on the last play," Otten said postgame.
The offense picked up 30 yards in three plays to set them up with a chance at the end zone with little time left. Ellis hit receiver Jack Colatruglio who made a leaping catch between two Coldwater defenders, and he got the foot down to put Hopewell-Loudon on the board. The two-point conversion failed and Coldwater took a much smaller 10-6 lead into the halftime break.
Homan was the leader at the half for Coldwater. The sophomore quarterback had three 20-plus yard runs in the first half, and was 4-for-9 through the air with 79 passing yards. The defense kept Hopewell-Loudon's offense at bay outside of the late score, but could not force a turnover against the stout offense.
The Chieftains started the second half with the ball, but a quick three and out gave some much needed life to Coldwater's bench.
Homan ran with that momentum, literally. An 18-yard run opened the drive and put Coldwater near midfield. On the ensuing third down, Homan looked to throw to Nolan Mescher but it was broken up. A flag came out, pass interference was the call, and Coldwater had a first down.
Derek Dues (23) runs through Hopewell-Loudon's Jack Colatruglio.
Dues added a 14-yard run to put the Cavs offense on the six. Homan punched it in on the ground for six, then added two more points on a conversion. All of a sudden, Coldwater led 18-6 halfway through the third. The defense forced a punt and it looked like another trip to Canton was coming for Coldwater.
A pair of short runs set up third-and-five on the drive. It is normally hard to pinpoint the moment a game changes, but this third down was it. Homan dropped back, fired a pass toward his receiver, and it found a pair of hands. Unfortunately for Homan, it was a Chieftain who hauled it in. Linebacker (and part-time quarterback) Kellen Frankart jumped the route and took the ball all the way to the eight yard line.
"One of the most basic plays that we put in," Otten said. "(Frankart) baited him in and jumped the window. He did a good job making a play."
It took one play for Frankart to find the end-zone and give Hopewell-Loudon all the momentum in the stadium. The two-point pass was good, and Coldwater's lead was cut to 18-14.
Looking for a response, Coldwater could only find two yards over three plays and Couchot punted it back to the Chieftains' 45 yard-line.
The quarter ended with Coldwater ahead 18-14, but the defense was reeling from the short field. They were able to make it a fourth-and-14, but a pass interference call on Max Ross gave Hopewell-Loudon's offense another crack at it in the red zone.
Coldwater's Max Ross (20) brings down Hopewell-Loudon's Jack Colatruglio (2).
Given another chance, Ellis found Brody Brickman across the middle for not only a first down but a touchdown. It gave his team their first lead of the night, 20-18, but it did give Coldwater 11 minutes to find an answer.
Starting at their own 30, the Cavs offense planned to use as much time as possible. After five plays and 21 yards, Homan used a miraculous 38-yard pass to Cadin Obringer to set up Coldwater in Chieftain territory. Homan was feeling the pressure from all directions, scrambled to his right, and threw the ball high enough in the air so his receiver could make a play on it. Obringer came down with it and Coldwater was suddenly alive again.
Three runs by Homan set up first and goal from the three, but a two yard loss by Dues pushed the ball back to the five. Third down came, and Homan's number was called. He tried to go up the middle, but could not get to the marker.
Couchot stepped up to kick from around the 10 yard-line. It was on the right hash mark, and Couchot's kick was hit wide of the target. With four minutes remaining, Coldwater still trailed 20-18.
The Cavs defense could not get a stop. Despite all timeouts being used by Otten, Hopewell-Loudon ran out the rest of the clock. A scene of euphoria ran across the Chieftains sideline, while Coldwater was left thinking about what could have been.
"You've got a kicker that's been great for three years, and unfortunately he just missed it by a little bit," Otten said.
Hopewell-Loudon will take on Kirtland in the Division VI final in Canton next Saturday, Dec. 6 at 3 p.m.
"My head's going a million miles an hour, I finally beat a MAC team, holy cow." Hopewell-Loudon Coach Brian Colatruglio said postgame.
