LIMA – The Ansonia Tigers football season would end in the OHSAA DVII Region 28 Regional Semi-Finals bowing out to undefeated Marion Local 61-0. The win extended the Flyers winning streak to 61 games as the small school power looks to add a 4th straight state championship.
It took just 12 seconds for Marion Local to score taking the opening kick-off 70-yards to go in front 7-0.
Ansonia’s first possession was short lived as they ran into a front wall that seemed impenetrable forcing them to punt after three plays.
The Flyers took just five-plays to score on a five-yard touchdown by Parker Hess to go up 14-0 at 7:31 of the first quarter.
Ansonia again was unable to move the ball and got a good punt to drive Marion Local back into their territory. This time the Tiger defense would hold Marion and force them to punt back … but yet again the offense wasn’t able to generate a first down.
The Tiger’s punted for the 3rd time in the opening quarter … but this time Marion Local returned the punt 55-yards for the score to jump in front 21-0.
Ansonia this season has played well on special teams, but a few breakdowns early put them in a hold and that’s not always an easy thing to bounce back from.
“You know, we made mistakes tonight that we don’t normally make, and you got to give credit to Marian local. Everyone knows how good they are, and they showed that tonight,” Ansonia coach Adam Hall stated.
The Flyers would end up taking a 48-0 lead by halftime leading to a running clock to start the 2nd half and they would tack on a couple more scores on their way to a 61-0 win.
Hall was just recently named the DVII Southwest District coach of the year to go along with his Western Ohio Athletic Conference Coach of the Year honors talked about his team after the game.
“Tonight, just wasn’t our night, and that’s the way it goes sometimes. You know, I’ll say this, I thought our guys played hard. I was happy with our effort,” Hall said.
Rather than dwell on the game against Marion Local … an opponent that 95% of the teams in the State of Ohio would not be able to beat, Hall focused on the team and the season they just completed.
“I think that we need to appreciate how much we improved from week one and all the work that the guys have put in during the season, since they started lifting in January. You know, the efforts been there the whole time, and I’m proud of the way that we did it,” Hall explained.
“We talked a little bit before about this senior class, I know they had a lot to live up to with the past two classes, and they didn’t let this team quit after a week one loss. They worked harder, practiced better and we played better, and I think that’s something these seniors should really be proud of, and we wouldn’t be here without the seniors, all of them were great for us this year in their roles,” Hall praised.
The Tigers will lose seven seniors: Payton Kelch, Ben Zerkle, Zane Henderson, Cooper Riffle, Nate Good, Isaiah Hartzell, Asher Shives and Bryson Robinson.
Zane Henderson would be named the WOAC Offensive Player of the Year after rushing for a league leading 1921 yards and 31TD’s. He was a first team All-WOAC on offense and defense and first team All-Southwest District.
Peyton Kelch was first team All-WOAC offensive and defensive lineman first team All-Southwest District defensive lineman.
Asher Shives was a first team All-WOAC offensive lineman and defensive linebacker. Shives also was a first team All-Southwest District offensive lineman.
The Tigers finished the season with an 11-2 record and 9-0 in the WOAC winning their 3rd straight league title.
