For the second consecutive year, Sheridan ended New Lexington’s quest for a perfect regular season, as freshman Emmitt Gilder broke a 36-all tie with an 11-yard touchdown run with just 35 seconds left to give the Generals a wild 43-36 Week 10 victory on Friday night at Paul Culver Jr. Stadium in Thornville.
Gilder had just one rushing attempt in the entire game, but he made it count, breaking off the winning score on a stretch play off the left side after New Lexington had pulled even at 36 on a 26-yard touchdown pass from senior Lane Ratliff to senior Eli Dixon with 10:21 left in the fourth quarter.
Sheridan senior quarterback Tyce Whiteman finished 15-of-29 passing for 247 yards with three touchdowns. Senior Reed Parkison hauled in six receptions for 79 yards and a touchdown, and senior T.J. Conners, who has played primarily on defense in recent weeks, caught four passes for 82 yards and a touchdown. Sophomore S.J. Shriner led the Generals’ rushing attack with 50 yards on 17 carries and a touchdown.
Ratliff hit on 10 of 18 passes for 181 yards with three touchdowns for the Panthers. Junior Colton Mathias led the New Lexington ground game with 96 yards rushing on 15 attempts, along with an 85-yard touchdown catch. Senior Tyson Spicer caught a 53-yard touchdown pass, and sophomore Cohen Martin delivered a big special-teams play with a 90-yard kickoff return for a touchdown.
The win lifts Sheridan to 8-2 and clinched the Generals’ playoff berth in Division III, Region 11, where the latest figures from joeeitel.com project Sheridan to host rival Tri-Valley in the opening round. The Scotties handed the Generals a 38-21 loss in Week 9.
New Lexington falls to 9-1 with the loss. The Panthers had already secured a first-round bye in Division IV, Region 15 with last week’s win, but slipped to the No. 2 seed in the region following the loss and Indian Valley’s 7-6 win against Claymont.
Both teams now turn to the OHSAA playoffs, with Sheridan carrying the momentum of a rivalry win over an unbeaten team into its projected home opener, and New Lexington using its bye week to reset before its postseason begins.