AIRING IT OUT … Archbold senior Jack Hurst unloads a 42-yard touchdown pass to Chase Miller in the second quarter to tie the game at 14-14. (PHOTO BY JACOB KESSLER / THE VILLAGE REPORTER)
By: Nate Calvin
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
sports@thevillagereporter.com
ARCHBOLD (November 3, 2023) – A kickoff return for a score and two long touchdown catches, all by AJ Harlamert, accounted for three of the four Coldwater touchdowns on the night for a 28-14 win at Archbold in the Division V Region 18 quarterfinals.
Coldwater hit their first long yardage play of the night following an Archbold punt when Cavalier quarterback Baylen Blockberger connected with a wide-open Harlamert down the right sideline for a 57-yard strike for a 7-0 lead.
Archbold’s first scoring opportunity came via their defense later in the quarter as Chase Miller made a diving interception of a Blockberger pass to give Streaks the ball at the Cavs 30-yard line.
Four plays later Cade Brenner tossed an 18-yard touchdown pass to Nathan Juarez on a post pattern in the end zone to tie the game 7-7 with 1:49 left in the first quarter.
The tie was short lived though as Harlamert took the ensuing kickoff and weaved his way through the Archbold kick coverage for an 85-yard return for a score to retake the lead 14-7.
Archbold answered in the second stanza with six play, 79-yard drive capped off by Jack Hurst stepping in at quarterback and he went 42 yards over the middle to Chase Miller to tie things back up at 14-14 with 10:46 left until halftime.
The momentum of the game would swing on Archbold’s final possession of the first half as they would start the drive at the Cavs 47-yard line after Coldwater’s third straight three-and-out possession.
A 23-yard reception by Evan Wendt and three runs by Lucas Dominique moved the ball to the Coldwater nine-yard line.
Coldwater would then force the first Archbold turnover of the night as Brenner was hit from behind forcing the ball to pop into the air where it was picked off by a Coldwater defensive lineman to keep the teams deadlocked 14-14 at halftime.
Coldwater’s dominant second half started on their first possession as they quickly moved to the Archbold three-yard line thanks to a 33-yard catch and run down the sideline by Mason Welsch.
Two plays later, Jake Ebbing ended the 63-yard march by scoring from three yards out to put Coldwater back on top at 21-14.
After a Bluestreak punt, the Cavaliers were on the move again with Blockberger going to Harlamert on fourth-and-three for a 42-yard touchdown pass to increase the lead to 28-14 with 4:02 left in the third quarter.
The door was left open for Archbold after a Bluestreak turnover on downs at the Coldwater 33 when Brian Burrowes forced a Cavalier fumble that was recovered by Wendt at the Coldwater 46-yard line.
Coldwater quickly extinguished the threat as Ebbing picked off a Brenner pass intended for Dominique to give Coldwater the ball right back at their own 28-yard line.
Archbold threatened one more time after a Cavalier punt as they drove to the Coldwater 31 but were turned away on downs with Coldwater then running out the final 4:00 of the game.
Brenner completed 25/43 passes for 223 yards for the Bluestreaks (10-2) with Miller totaling 98 yards receiving on eight receptions.
Coldwater (11-1) racked up 402 yards of offense on the night as Harlamert caught six passes for 173 yards and Blockberger finished with 268 yards passing and two touchdowns.
CHS AHS
First Downs 15 18
Rushing Yards 35-134 27-62
Passing Yards 268 265
Passing 14-25-1 26-44-2
Total Yards 402 327
Fumbles-Lost 1-1 0-0
Penalties 2-20 2-10
COLDWATER 14 0 14 0 – 28
ARCHBOLD 7 7 0 0 – 14
C – AJ Harlamert 57-yard pass from Blockberger (Couchot kick)
A – Juarez 18-yard pass from Brenner (Rodger kick)
C – AJ Harlamert 85-yard kickoff return (Couchot kick)
A – Miller 42-yard pass from Hurst (Rodger kick)
C- Ebbing 3-yard run (Couchot kick)
C – AJ Harlamert 42-yard pass from Blockberger (Couchot kick)
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING: Coldwater – Ebbing 12-44, B. Harlamert 7-45; Archbold – Dominique 18-50; PASSING: Coldwater – Blockerberg 14-25-1-268; Archbold – Brenner 25-43-2-223, Hurst 1-1-0-42; RECEIVING: Coldwater – AJ Harlamert 6-173, Welsch 4-53; Archbold – Miller 8-98, Dominique 7-46, Wendt 3-47
