LEXINGTON — Andrew Saris paused for a moment Friday night and smiled when asked to compare the feeling of coaching a football team into the playoffs versus participating as a player.
The former All-Ohio defensive back at perennial-power Smithville High School answered after likely leading his Lexington Minutemen into the postseason with a 24-14 Ohio Cardinal Conference win against Ashland.
“As a coach, it’s always extremely rewarding. As a player, you’re just there along with it. Not that you don’t care, you’re just doing your job on the field.
“As a coach, you’re trying to be the leader of those men so they see the opportunity they have,” the second-year coach said.
“It’s exciting in both ways, just a little bit different. I’m more excited for the kids tonight for what they’ll be able to experience,” Saris said.
Lexington, Ashland may both play in Week 11
It was a game Lexington (5-5, 4-3) had to win to have a shot at the Division III, Region 10 playoffs.
The victory didn’t come easy in a game played in the rain, wind and chill — and was twice delayed when a circuit-breaker turned off the lights on the home side of the field.
According to the www.JoeEitel.com website, the Minutemen will finish in the top 16 of the 27-team region, though official playoff announcements will not be made by the Ohio High School Athletic Association until Sunday afternoon.
It appears Ashland (5-5, 3-4), which welcomed back veteran coach Scott Valentine this season, will also make the playoffs. The Joe Eitel website late Friday night said the Arrows have clinched a spot in the same region.
“I really haven’t looked at it that much,” Valentine said immediately after the game. “My assistants looked at it. We controlled our own destiny if we won tonight, but the opportunity is still there so we will see where we are at.”
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Special teams made special plays
When Saris and his staff look at the film, they will want to thank their special teams, which provided the bulk of the Minutemen scoring.
After a scoreless first quarter, sophomore defensive back Dantrell Hughes blocked an Ashland punt, giving the Minutemen the ball at the Arrow’ 27-yard line. A few plays later, senior running back Mason Green scored on a 5-yard run to give Lexington a 7-0 with 7:55 left in the second period.
On the ensuing kickoff, Ashland fumbled and junior Bryston Hess recovered in the end zone, putting Lexington on top, 14-0, with 7:50 left in the second quarter.
With four seconds left before halftime, junior kicker Will Perkins nailed a 24-yard field goal to put Lexington on top 17-0 at the intermission.
“We said going into the game that ball control and special teams were going to be very important,” Saris said. “It was huge for us.”
Valentine, the all-time leader in wins at AHS (135-65), agreed, but said his team needed to find a way to overcome the mistakes.
“Like anything, there’s plays that are made on offense. There’s plays made on defense. There’s plays in special teams.
“Unfortunately we had a couple that hurt us tonight, but we have got to find a way to get over those, too,” said Valentine, who previously led the Arrows from 2002 to 2018, winning seven OCC titles and earning 10 playoff appearances.
Arrows stage furious finish
Despite the mistakes, Ashland made it interesting in the final six minutes.
Trailing 24-0 after Lexington sophomore QB Joe Caudill scored on a 7-yard run, Ashland put two TDs on the board behind two scoring passes from its own sophomore quarterback Nathan Bernhard.
The Arrows connected on a two-point conversion after the first score with 4:06 left in the fourth quarter.
It wasn’t until Lexington junior DB Gage Powell knocked away the second PAT pass with 1:02 left that the Minutemen could breathe easy with the final 10-point margin.
“I’m proud of our kids. We kept battling. We executed our two-minute stuff down there at the end,” Valentine said.
“Again, you can’t get yourself behind the 8-ball. The weather might have played a little bit of that, but both teams are playing in the same weather. So we’re just going to have to look at those situations and get ready to move on,” Valentine said.
The game, and the final frantic minutes, were a microcosm of the season for Lexington.
The Minutemen, with just seven seniors and 30 sophomores, started the season 0-2 before winning three straight. But Lexington then dropped three straight before winning the final two to clinch a postseason berth.
“This is a team of fighters. I will continue to say it,” Saris said.
“They’re a great group of kids and that’s what you need to ask for as a coach. Not everything’s gonna come away perfect, but I need you to go out and I need you to be tough and I need you to be men and I need you to fight through any scenario.
“And that’s what this team does.”
Scoring plays
1st quarter
No scoring plays
2nd quarter
Lexington — Mason Green 5-yard run (PAT Will Perkins kick), 7-0
Lexington — Bryston Hess recovers fumble in endzone (PAT Perkins kick), 14-0
Lexington — Perkins 24-yard field goal, 17-0
3rd quarter
No scoring plays
4th quarter
Lexington — Joe Caudill 7-yard run (PAT Perkins kick), 24-0
Ashland — Cayden Spotts 5-yard pass from Nathan Bernhard (PAT Landon Brigg pass from Bernhard), 24-8
Ashland — Michael Franz 15-yard pass from Bernhard (PAT pass failed), 24-14