Center Grove’s Rylan Cook (27) runs the ball during Friday’s game against Cincinnati Moeller.
Ethan Gable | For the Daily Journal
Anyone accusing Center Grove or Cincinnati Moeller of backing away from playing out-of-state opponents isn’t paying attention.
On Friday, each side tested waters well beyond their respective comfort zones — and state lines — for a fourth consecutive week, a showdown that resulted in the host Trojans prevailing, 35-34, in an overtime thriller.
Center Grove scored on the first possession of OT, senior quarterback Tyler Cherry rolling right and throwing left to tight end T.J. Williams from 12 yards out.
It was the Trojans’ first lead of the game.
The Crusaders (1-3) countered with a touchdown pass of their own, then made the gutsy decision to go for the potential game-winning points.
Junior defensive end Ryder Woolwine had different thoughts, jumping up to bat down the pass attempt of Moeller quarterback Matt Ponatoski.
Woolwine made a celebratory beeline downfield, the same right arm raised, and was eventually joined by his Trojans teammates who sprinted from the sideline to greet him.
Moeller’s first three opponents this season also hailed from Indiana — a three-touchdown home loss to 6A No. 1 Ben Davis, a 57-0 blasting of visiting Fort Wayne Dwenger and last week’s 10-point setback at reigning 4A state champion East Central.
Center Grove, trailing most the game, needed to rally to run its record to 3-1.
Led by the University of Michigan-bound Jordan Marshall’s 99 rushing yards and three touchdowns, the Crusaders accumulated 225 yards of total offense in grabbing a 21-13 halftime lead.
Marshall’s 43-yard kickoff to open the game immediately put Moeller in good field position.
Twelve plays and 56 yards later, Marshall skirted the right side for a 6-yard TD run that put the Crusaders ahead, 7-0, at 5:55 of the first period. A three-and-out by Center Grove led to another Moeller scoring drive, this one going 63 yards in 13 plays for a 14-0 advantage early in the second.
By the time the Trojans went on offense for the second time, they uncharacteristically trailed decisively in total yardage (119-4) and offensive plays (25-3).
They were able to finally muster some offense on that very series, however, trimming the count to 14-6 on Rylan Cook’s 1-yard scoring run at 6:58 of the second quarter, capping an 11-play, 80-yard series.
Moeller, this time riding a 51-yard pass play from Ponatoski to a fully extended Jovan Love, used only seven plays to travel 81 yards on the ensuing series for a 21-6 cushion.
The Trojans responded, going 80 yards and using Cherry’s 1-yard sneak to trim the lead to one score 39.3 seconds before intermission.
After the Crusaders threw an incomplete pass on fourth and 6 from their own 44 early in the third, Center Grove took advantage. Fueled by Matthew Yoder’s 24-yard run, the Trojans capped the series, making it a 21-20 game at 7:00.
Center Grove missed out on a golden opportunity to take the lead late in the third stanza, making it to the Moeller 26 only to throw incomplete on fourth and 1. The Crusaders returned the favor, their offense stalling on the CG 4 thanks to terrific defensive plays by linebacker Owen Bright, Woolwine and defensive back Joe Gaffney.
This time, Center Grove took the pigskin as far as the Crusaders’ 27, but back-to-back sacks of Cherry ended that series at the 5:50 mark. Three plays later, Moeller senior running back Isaac Shade located a massive hole along the right side and took it for a 38-yard score and a 28-20 lead.
Junior back Austin Hennessy scored on a 3-yard touchdown run around left end with 1:02 showing, then tied it using the exact same play on the two-point conversion.
Next up for Center Grove is a fifth consecutive out-of-state foe when Harvest Prep out of Winchester, Ohio, visits next Friday night.
