Ontario rode a night of big plays to a 38-21 win over St. Marys Memorial on Friday night, Nov. 13, in an Ohio High School Athletic Association Division III, Region 10 semifinal at Ontario. The final score is listed in the Mansfield News Journal’s statewide regional-semifinal list, The Columbus Dispatch’s scoreboard, High School On SI’s statewide finals and the Reflector’s Friday scores.
Quarterback Sean Tanner needed only five completions to throw for 189 yards — an average of 37.8 yards per completion — the Mansfield News Journal reported. "I feel like my coaches are starting to trust me more, being able to do everything and I’m thankful for them. They (St. Marys) play a lot of man defense, so we took advantage of that," Tanner told the Mansfield News Journal.
Ontario scored first on a 3-yard Tanner run set up by a 72-yard screen pass from Tanner to Max Ciroli on the opening drive, the News Journal reported. Tanner then found Jermel Powell for a 93-yard touchdown, and Jaxon Craze’s 26-yard field goal sent the Warriors to halftime up 17-0.
Tanner finished with one passing touchdown and added 81 rushing yards and two more scores on the ground, the News Journal reported. His legs took over in the second half — after Tyler Holsinger got St. Marys on the board, Tanner raced 66 yards for a touchdown on the first play of Ontario’s answering drive. "Sean’s a dude. His legs took over in the second half," Ontario head coach Aaron Eckert told the Mansfield News Journal.
St. Marys kept coming behind its triple-option ground game. Tre Moore finished a 12-play, 59-yard drive to cut the lead to 24-14 by the end of the third quarter, and the Roughriders had four rushers over 70 yards — Dyllan Fink (94), Jace Rhodes (85), Holsinger (80) and Moore (77) — the News Journal reported. But St. Marys completed just 2 of 9 passes for 23 yards with an interception.
Ontario closed the door in the fourth quarter. Ciroli, who led all rushers with 160 yards, scored with 9:35 remaining, Cam Powers intercepted a pass, and Zane Curry added the Warriors’ final touchdown before Rhodes scored late for St. Marys to cap the scoring, the News Journal reported.
St. Marys Memorial finishes its season 9-4. Ontario improves to 11-1 and reaches a regional final for the second time in three years, the News Journal reported.
What happens next: Ontario faces No. 4 seed Wapakoneta, which beat top-seeded Celina 28-7 on Friday, in the Division III, Region 10 final on Friday, Nov. 20, at a neutral site the OHSAA will announce on Sunday, Nov. 15.