SANDUSKY – The Ashland Arrows put up big numbers offensively this season, averaging 34.1 points and nearly 400 yards a game.
However, on Saturday night, the Arrows’ offense met its match in a Sandusky Blue Streak defense that has only allowed 12 points a game for the season. The result was a 42-7 loss in the Division III, Region 10 playoff opener for both teams.
“Our kids gave all their effort tonight. I just didn’t get us ready to play. I’ll take responsibility for that. But I’m proud of our kids and the effort,” Ashland coach Scott Valentine said.
Dual threat quarterback Ja’Vez Alexander led his team to the victory at Strobel Field at Cedar Point Stadium in Sandusky. It was the third straight season that the Arrows have ended their campaign in Week 11.
Sandusky scored on all five of its first-half possessions and forced four first-half turnovers to jump out to a 35-0 halftime lead.
Alexander carried 11 times for 141 yard and touchdown runs of 17, 35 and 2 yards in the first half.
“Sometimes when that guy makes you miss, then he gets in the open and makes big plays. That’s one of the things we knew coming in, that we were going to have to contain him as best we could. But he had a good night,” Valentine said.
Senior Calvin Croom added 8 carries for 70 yards and two touchdowns in the first half. Alexander finished with 14 carries for 158 yards and four touchdowns and Croom added 104 yards on 15 carries.
The Arrows were bit by the turnover bug in the first half, with four of their five drives ending in turnovers, including two red-zone interceptions. Their first drive ended with Nathan Delk picking off a Keagan Armitage pass at the Arrows’ 48-yard line.
The Arrows’ second drive ended on the first play when Sandusky’s Sam Hunter recovered a bad snap. On their next possession, the Arrows marched 70 yards on 13 plays before Talen Johnson intercepted a pass in the end zone. With less than five seconds left in the half, Koree Hodgkinson grabbed Armitage’s pass at the 1-yard line.
“The couple of times we got it down there, we didn’t get any points out of it. That puts our defense in a tough situation,” Valentine said.
Ashland finally got on the board in the fourth quarter when Armitage snuck in from 1 yard out with 5:26 left in the game.
“They’re a good football team. I don’t take anything away from them. Hopefully they’ll keep moving on,” Valentine said of the Blue Streaks.
Sandusky will take on Lexington next Saturday. Lexington beat Clyde 29-28 in overtime Saturday.
Armitage, who took over as quarterback in Week 3 after senior Grant Denbow was injured, had completed 66 percent of his passes for 2,013 yards, but he was under intense pressure all night against Sandusky.
He completed 20-of-34 passes for 189 yards but also threw three interceptions. John Wolfe caught five passes for 50 yards and Bryke Williams caught two passes for 51 yards. Owen Reef carried seven times for 50 yards.
The Arrows ended the season 7-4, including big wins over conference rivals Lexington and Wooster and won a share of the OCC title, in spite of suffering several key injuries.
“We went through a lot of adversity this year. And for a group of kids to come through that adversity, losing guys and things like that, I told them I can’t be prouder of them,” Valentine said. “I’m proud of our senior group and what they accomplished.”
