NEW LEXINGTON, Ohio — New Lexington’s defense delivered the two biggest plays of the night Friday, and the Panthers are moving on. Second-seeded New Lexington beat 10th-seeded Heath 24-17 in a Division IV, Region 15 quarterfinal at Jim Rockwell Stadium on Friday, November 6, in a game where points were hard to come by for most of the first half.
The two teams combined for just 11 first-half points, according to the Newark Advocate’s game report. After a scoreless first quarter, Heath’s Cam Montgomery kicked a 32-yard field goal in the opening seconds of the second quarter for a 3-0 lead. New Lexington answered before halftime, as Colton Mathias scored on an 11-yard run and added the two-point conversion to send the Panthers into the locker room ahead 8-3.
Heath grabbed the momentum back after halftime. Tristyn Jones scored on a 16-yard touchdown run early in the third quarter, and the extra point put the Bulldogs in front 10-8 with eight minutes left in the period. Heath’s defense then stopped New Lexington on downs inside the Bulldogs’ 20, and the Panthers appeared to be in trouble.
The game turned a few plays later. New Lexington tipped a pass from Heath quarterback Ethan Grise, and Tyson Spicer came down with the interception and returned it to the Heath 18. Mathias bowled in from 4 yards out a few plays later, and Lane Ratliff added the two-point run to give New Lexington a 16-10 lead with five seconds left in the third quarter, the Newark Advocate reported.
Carson McCoy struck on the next Heath series, intercepting Grise and returning it 47 yards for a touchdown that stretched the Panthers’ lead to 24-10. “Our defense came up with the two biggest plays of the game,” New Lexington coach Kevin Board told the Newark Advocate. “Our guys showed resiliency, and they answered the call in the second half.” Board also told the Newark Advocate his team must clean up penalties that repeatedly put the Panthers behind the chains.
Heath refused to fold. Grise scored on a 2-yard touchdown run with 9:27 left to pull the Bulldogs within 24-17, but Heath could not draw even, and New Lexington ran out the clock. “Our guys lined up and played fast and physical, but they made a couple great plays on defense,” Heath coach Tim Ward told the Newark Advocate. “The game was a battle for the ages, but unfortunately, only one of us could come out of here with the win.”
The win lifts New Lexington to 10-1 on the season. The Panthers will host third-seeded West Holmes in a Region 15 semifinal at 7 p.m. Friday, November 13. West Holmes advanced Friday with a 54-14 win over Marion-Franklin. Heath’s season ends with the quarterfinal loss after the Bulldogs had rallied from a 15-0 halftime deficit a week earlier to beat Fairfield Union 22-21 in the first round.
Photo: Christopher L. Riley, CC BY-SA