Tigers fall in defensive battle with Panthers

     The win was the second straight game that Miami Trace has won by three points, but the field goal in this South Central Ohio League game came in the first half, and not on the final play of the game.

     “First of all coach (Randy) Closson and his team played an excellent game,” Miami Trace head coach Mike Bernard said. “They had a lot of players out (Friday) and still played tough.

     “This game had a lot to do with the way the wind was blowing and we had to play different on whichever way the wind was blowing.”

     McClain (1-4, 4-4), who had numerous players missing from the starting line up due to injury and flu-like symptoms, struggled at times offensively, but that wasn’t the case on the game’s opening play, when junior Zach Matracia burst through the Miami Trace defense for a 70-yard touchdown at the 11:43 mark of the first quarter. Junior kicker Luis Rivas converted the PAT for the early 7-0 lead.

     Matracia led the Tigers in rushing with 10 carries for 85 yards.

     “After that first play by McClain our defense adjusted and did well,” Bernard said.

     Then the game turned back the clock, playing old-fashioned SCOL football, full of defense and grind-it-out offensive drives.

     The defense of the Panthers held the Tigers to a total of 145 offensive yards (88 rush, 57 pass). McClain held MT to 202 total offensive yards, with 160 coming from the ground attack.

     The Tigers’ defense was the first to strike with an interception by senior Logan Wise at the McClain 44-yard line, off a pass by Miami Trace quarterback Tucker Hughes with 9:27 left in the opening quarter.

     Both defenses forced a combined three punts, until the Panthers (2-2, 4-4) gained possession of the football with 2:18 left in the first quarter.

     “Like I have said all year, our defense did a great job and we put up a fight,” McClain head coach Randy Closson said. “We improved offensively, we had a couple opportunities, but we didn’t convert. But, I am just proud of the kids and the way they stepped up tonight with all the injuries and illness we’ve had this week.”

     The MT offense took form with a 20-yard reception via the combination of Hughes-to-Grant Jones for a first down on the McClain 47-yard line. Jones had 17 rushes for 47 yards against the Tigers.

     With the drive running into the start of the second quarter, the Panthers contained a potential drive-stopper when they recovered their own fumble, turning the mishap into a 9-yard gain by Hughes. On the tenth play of the drive, Hughes found junior Ethan Snyder for an 11-yard gain on a third-and-16 play. That play gave the Panthers a fourth-and-5, which they converted with a 7-yard run by Hughes.

     On the ensuing first down, Snyder dashed for nine yards. The final play of the dive, the eighteenth play, turned into three points when junior kicker Mark Girton knocked the ball 24 yards through the uprights to make the score 10-3 with 5:36 left in the first half. The drive lasted 8:42.

     Snyder ended the first half with runs of 15 and 10 yards, but the clock struck 0:00 to end the first half. Snyder finished with 15 carries for 78 yards.

     The Tiger defense didn’t let up on the first possession of the third quarter when Cooper intercepted a pass, taking it to the Miami Trace 46-yard line with 10:36 left in the quarter.

     McClain’s offense gained just nine yards on the ensuing drive, punting on a three-and-out.

     The game was filled with punts, as the defense's forced three more three-and-outs.

     Miami Trace took the lead for good with less than two minutes remaining in the third quarter when Hughes found junior Ty Leach wide-open in the end zone for an 18-yard touchdown catch. The drive consisted of a big second down play, when Snyder carried the ball for 15 yards. The PAT by Girton gave MT the final 10-7 lead.

     McClain had a couple opportunities to regain the lead, when on a first-and-10 play from their own 36-yard line Cooper passed to Wise for a 30-yard gain, who was wide-open in the middle of the field. Wise ended the game with four catches for 57 yards.

     Matracia then rushed for a 6-yard gain, followed with a first down with combined efforts by Cooper and junior Jared Loftis.

     Then on fourth-and-5, the 36-yard field goal attempt by Rivas sailed wide left with 2:33 left in the game.

     MHS regained possession of the ball with 1:33 left in regulation, after the defense forced another three-and-out.

     On first down the Tigers went for a double reverse, wide receiver pass that sailed incomplete. The next play, a screen pass, went for a 5-yard loss, and on third down the pass was, again, incomplete. The final pass of the game was intercepted by Jones with 16.2 seconds remaining on the Miami Trace 23-yard line.

     The Panthers return to Highland County next week as they face the 6-2 Hillsboro Indians at Richards Memorial Field. HHS won Friday night against London 36-21 at LHS, improving to 2-2 in the SCOL.

     The Tigers host their fourth home game of the season next Friday, playing their final non-league game of the year, against the Jonathan Alder Pioneers at 7:30 p.m.

SCORE BY QUARTERS

MTHS – 0 3 7 0 – 10

MHS – 7 0 0 0 – 7