CANAL WINCHESTER – The Arrows simply refused to fit the role of playoff underdog Friday night.
Behind a massive team effort and another historic outing from senior Killian O’Brien, Ashland nearly stole the show from Canal Winchester and its star running back, Jamari Snow.
The Arrows snuck into the playoffs as the 12th and final seed in Division II, Region 7, yet were mere yards from upsetting the fifth-seeded Indians.
Unfortunately, facing a fourth-and-2 from the Canal Winchester 13-yard line with 8 seconds left, quarterback Liam Hubacher’s pass into the end zone to Nevin LaRue fell incomplete.
The Indians (8-3) rode an all-time performance from Snow to survive, 43-37.
The senior ran for an unofficial school-record 314 yards and four touchdowns on 35 carries, as Canal Winchester advanced to face fourth-seeded New Albany (8-2) next week.
Ashland (6-5), meanwhile, was left to absorb a hard-to-swallow playoff finale for the second consecutive season. A year ago, it was a heartbreaking, 33-29 second-round loss at Columbus DeSales.
Ashland coach Scott Valentine said he couldn’t have asked for more out of his team Friday.
“When you’re in the playoffs, you know everybody in there is gonna be good,” he said. “I tell our guys, ‘You go out and play four quarters, and if they end up better than you, they’re better. But don’t have any regrets about (how you played).
“I don’t think our guys will from what they did tonight.”
Indians’ head coach Corey Coe tipped his cap to the Arrows.
“(Ashland) came in, they were ready to play and they played their hearts out,” Coe said. “You’ve gotta give those guys respect because they had nothing to lose coming in here.”
After landing more than a few comeback punches on Canal Winchester through three quarters, the Arrows looked to be headed to certain defeat early in the fourth.
Snow, who entered the night with 2,025 rushing yards, punched in his fourth and final touchdown from a yard out to make it 37-22 with 8:55 remaining.
But O’Brien returned the ensuing kickoff 60 yards to the Indians’ 25 and Hubacher scored from a yard out with 8:07 showing.
Layton Roop’s PAT made it 37-29, and when AHS senior lineman Greyson Blough stuffed Snow for a 1-yard loss on third down on the next drive, Canal Winchester was forced to punt for the first time all game.
A few Indian penalties and four Hubacher completions pushed the Arrows quickly downfield, setting up a Hubacher-to-LaRue 20-yard touchdown pass with 3:41 to play. Ashland’s junior quarterback then ran in the 2-point conversion to tie it, 37-37.
“We made plays and we had an opportunity to put ourselves in position (to win) and that’s all you can ask,” Valentine said.
Canal Winchester returned the kickoff to midfield, then junior quarterback Kian McGhee (12-of-18, 160 yards passing) connected with Sir Anthony Washington for a 30-yard touchdown to make it 43-37.
Blough blocked the extra point and the Arrows still had nearly 2 minutes left to pull off the upset.
O’Brien, who was as unstoppable as Snow throughout the game, had another big kickoff return, putting the ball near midfield.
“There are three phases to the game – special teams, defense and offense – and I can’t just be an offensive player,” said O’Brien, who also had an interception in the first half. “I’ve got to do it all whenever I’m on the field.”
When Hubacher hit him for his 12th and final catch of the game for 20 yards on the next play, O’Brien had 190 yards receiving and the Arrows were in business.
But the Indians’ secondary stiffened, forcing Hubacher (23-of-41 for 275 yards and 4 passing TDs) to pull the ball down and run inside the final minute.
The junior, who finished with 90 yards on 16 carries, converted a fourth-and-15 on a 16-yard run, then got Ashland to the CWHS 13-yard line with an 18-yard scramble with 8 seconds to play.
But Hubacher’s fourth-and-2 pass into the end zone glanced off the arms of the closely covered LaRue and the Canal Winchester sideline erupted in celebration.
It is the seventh consecutive season the Indians have won at least one playoff game.
“I’m just grateful and proud that we’re in (Region 7) and we’re still playing,” Coe said. “I think it’s one of the top regions in the country, so to be in this region, there’s a great deal of honor in that.”
For Ashland, LaRue and senior Jeff Hickey combined for nine catches and nearly 70 yards. Senior Grayson Baith had a key 19-yard reception to set up Hubacher’s rushing touchdown, and Roop also connected on a 19-yard field goal in the first half.
The Indians countered with big plays from both Washington (3 catches, 87 yards) and shifty sophomore Tez Hughley (6-54). Kicker Cody Noble contributed a 28-yard field goal in the third period.
But the clear heavyweights of the night were Snow and O’Brien, who were more than worth the price of admission.
The 5-foot-11, 190-pound Snow ran for three touchdowns and 123 yards in the first half before adding another 191 yards in the second half.
The senior entered the night after a 249-yard performance in Week 10 against Groveport Madison that gave him 2,025 rushing yards for the season – a Canal Winchester record even before Friday’s explosion.
Snow has a school-record 34 rushing touchdowns as well, and Coe is frustrated he hasn’t garnered interest from colleges above the NCAA Division III level to this point.
“He’s just an incredible player and he’s an incredible teammate,” Coe said. “I’m just proud of what he stands for, and he’s all in.”
O’Brien, meanwhile, captured a third AHS record on Friday night.
The West Liberty commit entered the game with Ashland’s career marks for receiving yards (2,553) and receiving touchdowns (31), and his 12 catches Friday gave him 95 for the season. That total eclipsed the 2014 single-season mark held by Trey Smith (86).
O’Brien had touchdown catches of 7, 30 and 16 yards. His unofficial 190 receiving yards Friday were a personal-best, and he said it was fun to go back and forth with a player like Snow.
“He’s a heck of a player and he’s their guy; they rely on him to do a lot of things,” O’Brien said. “I feel like I have a lot of weight on my shoulders and also do a lot of things, so it was a respectful battle back and forth.”
Despite the loss, Valentine said he was happy to see his Arrows finish an up-and-down season with some grit.
Ashland battled for a 27-21 win in overtime in Week 9 at Wooster, then walloped Lexington in Week 10, 49-7.
It vaulted the Arrows into the playoffs for a fifth consecutive season – the longest streak ever for the program.
“The positive thing is we’ve got some young guys coming that have some experience now,” the coach said. “You’ve got to take advantage of that.”
“This is two years now that we fell by one score and just fell short,” O’Brien added. “The opportunity was right there, we just couldn’t finish.”
Photos by Doug Haidet
