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TOUCHDOWN RECEPTION … Archbold receiver Antonio Cruz makes a juggling one handed catch in the second quarter of a playoff win over Carey. VIEW 1128 PHOTOS OF THIS CONTEST ONLINE FOR FREE AT WWW.THEVILLAGEREPORTER.COM. (PHOTO BY RICH HARDING, STAFF)
By: Nate Calvin
ARCHBOLD, OHIO-The Bluestreaks got a balanced effort from their offense and the defense forced three turnovers to lead Archbold to a 35-28 win over the Carey Blue Devils in the Division VI Region 22 Quarterfinals. Archbold jumped on top 7-0 with 3:09 left in the first quarter with DJ Newman scoring on a designed quarterback run up the middle to cap off a seven play, 64-yard drive.
Carey evened the score with just :40 left in the quarter as Derek Lonsway went 38-yards to Bryce Conti for a touchdown to make it 7-7. Early in the second quarter the Bluestreaks forced their first turnover of the game as Carey fumbled the ball at the Archbold 37-yard line with Caleb Ranzau getting the recovery.
The Bluestreaks put together a six play, 64-yard drive featuring a 41-yard run by Gomez and ending with a one-touchdown plunge by Gomez to give Archbold the lead back at 14-7.
Carey responded on their next possession beginning with a long kickoff return by Cade Crawford to give them the ball at the Archbold 47-yard line. From there it was a nine-play drive by the Blue Devils ending with a Lonsway to Bryce Conti five-yard touchdown pass to tie the game at 14-14.
The Bluestreaks passing game then showed off their skills on their next possession as Newman went 41 yards down the right sideline to Antonio Cruz to get Archbold in striking distance again. On the fifth play of the drive, Newman would roll right and throw back to the left downfield to an open Cruz who would make the catch and take it the distance for a touchdown to make the score 21-14 Archbold at halftime.
Carey started the second half on the move as they converted a second down and long before they would fumble again at the Archbold 43-yard line with Charlie Krieger making the recovery this time for the Bluestreaks.
After the teams exchanged turnovers on downs, Archbold cashed in on their last possession of the third quarter as Newman scrambled and found room to run down the right sideline and would go 36-yards to the end zone to increase the Archbold advantage to 28-14.
Carey would not go away though as they came back with a nine play, 65-yard drive that included a 24-yard pass from Lonsaway to Crawford that setup a one-yard touchdown run by Brady Curlis to trim the Archbold lead to seven again at 28-21.
Archbold seemingly put the game away with 7:32 remaining with Newman tossing a touchdown pass of 29 yards down the middle of the field to Jayden Schulze to make it 35-21.
Carey made things interesting in the final two minutes following an unsuccessful fake punt by Archbold at their own 40-yard line with 2:30 to go in the game. Lonsway went to Conti on a 39-yard play down to the one-yard line where the Blue Devils scored on the next play to cut the Archbold lead to 35-28 with 2:04 left in the game.
Archbold was able to recover the ensuing onside kick and subsequently run out the clock to secure the win.
Archbold amassed 398 yards of offense on the night with 204 through the air and 194 on the ground.
Newman finished 13/22 for 204 yards and two touchdowns, Gomez had 106 yards on 17 totes with a touchdown, and Cruz hauled in four passes for 84 yards and a touchdown.
SCORE BY QUARTERS
Carey 7 7 0 14 28
Archbold 7 14 7 7 35
Nate can be reached at publisher@thevillagereporter.com