by MENTOR — After both teams only scored 7 points each through the first three quarters, the fans wondered what defense was going to make the final stand to seal the deal.
That was until the 4th quarter where there was an avalanche of 19 combined points.
Although both sides forced three turnovers each on defense, it came down to the Mentor offense and the arm of sophomore quarterback Scotty Fox to make a play in the final’s seconds of the game.
FIRST HALF
Canton McKinley received the opening kickoff and the Bulldogs were quick to find the endzone early on. On the second play from scrimmage, junior quarterback Keaton Rode hit senior receiver DJ Lewis over the middle on a dig route. Lewis corralled the reception and outran the entire Mentor secondary for a 68-yard touchdown reception.
Mentor got the ball after the score, but the Cardinals ultimately coughed it up on 3rd & 10. Sophomore quarterback Scotty Fox found his favorite target: Jacob Snow. Snow brought in a massive 33-yard reception before the ball was knocked out by the Canton McKinley defense where they were able to recover the loose ball.
Evidently, the Bulldogs struggled on their ensuing drive going three-and-out and giving the ball right back to Scotty Fox and the Cardinal’s offense.
The following Mentor drive showcased a balance of success through the air and on the ground. Senior running back Mitchell Waite showed his vision as the Mentor offensive line opened up holes for him. However, it was the Mckinely defense that made the play of the drive.
Scotty Fox was picked off in the endzone by junior defensive back Alex Vasquez. Vasquez jumped the route and made a great play on the ball in coverage for the Bulldogs. Consequently, the Bulldogs could not convert after the big turnover, and they once again gave the ball back the Mentor.
This time the Cardinals knew what they had to do, and they did not waste any time doing it. On the very first play of their next drive, Jacob Snow took an end-around run 46-yards to the house to give the Cardinals their first points of the evening.
After a Dylan Tackett point-after, both teams were knotted up at seven a piece.
Neither team had success finding the endzone again in the first half and evidently as the half subsided, it was a 7-7 tie with clear momentum not visible on either side.
SECOND HALF
A new half didn’t change much, at least in the 3rd quarter. Both defenses continued to show their grit and evidently, the score remained 7-7 as the quarter came to a close. However, the Cardinals were driving and had the ball inside of the 20-yard-line.
Courtesy of runs from Micthell Waite, the Mentor offense found themselves within field goal range on 4ht down from the Canton McKinley 20-yard line. Head coach Matt Gray called out his field goal unit, and after a successful snap and hold, sophomore kicker Dylan Tackett was able to knock through a 28-yard field goal to give Mentor the lead for the first time on the night.
The score was 10-7 in the opening minutes of the 4th quarter. The Bulldogs got the ball back and put together a short-lived drive before junior quarterback Keaton Rode’s pass was intercepted by the Mentor defense, giving the ball back to the Cardinals with great field position inside their own territory.
That Mentor drive resulted in another Dylan Tackett field goal. This time a 32-yarder. In a defensive chess match like the one both teams were playing in, any points at all are huge.
With 6:37 left in regulation, the Cardinals’ lead was now 6 as they were up 13-7 over the Bulldogs.
The next two drives by both squads resulted in punts and with just 2:45 left in the game, Canton McKinley would take over after the Mentor punt. Keaton Rode got things moving quickly as he connected with Marice Hill for a six-yard pitch and catch followed by a massive 15-yard pass to Dante McClellan in which set the Bulldogs up with a 1st down on the Mentor 13-yard line.
The next three plays consisted of dropped/incomplete passes, and before they knew it, the Bulldogs faced a 4th & 10 from the Mentor 13-yard. With less than two minutes to play and the season on the line, Keaton Rode dropped back, looked to his right and dropped an absolute dime into the hand’s senior receiver Tra’Sean Foster for the game tying touchdown. After the extra point, the Bulldogs regained their lead. They were up 14-13 with under 1:30 left in the game.
The home side of Jerome T. Osborne Stadium went nearly silent after the Canton McKinley score. The Cardinals were down by 1 and had only 1:15 left to put points on the board, or their season was over.
How would the Mentor offense respond after turning the ball over three times after a tough night thus far?
Completely locked in without looking back. That’s how.
Scotty Fox stole the show as he began their march with a 10-yard pass to senior receiver Holden Cerny. After missing his next throw, Fox found his go to guy Nick Jares over the middle for a massive 35-yard reception. Another 12-yard pitch and catch from the two put the Cardinals even closer to the endzone, and well within field goal range.
On 2nd down from the 21-yard line, Scotty Fox took the snap, rolled to his left, was nearly sacked, rolled back out to his right, and found Nick Jares wide open in the far-right side of the endzone for the game sealing 21-yard touchdown. The stadium shook with excitement as the Cardinals regained the lead and took the win, 19-14 over the Bulldogs of Canton McKinley.
FINDING THE ENDZONE
With two touchdowns tonight, the Mentor Cardinals have now scored a touchdown in 173 consecutive games dating all the way back to week one of 2009. The last time the Cardinals did not find the endzone was in 2008 during the OHSAA regional semifinal game against Strongsville. A game where the Mustangs routed the Cardinals 17-3. Regardless, the streak extends another week for Mentor.
PLAYER OF THE GAME
Mentor QB: Scotty Fox
Fox completed 16 of 33 passes for 242 yards and one touchdown in Friday’s 19-14 win over Canton McKinley. He connected with senior receiver Nick Jares from 21-yards out for the game clinching touchdown in the final seconds of the contest.
Jares brought in five catches for 81 yards and a touchdown on the night.
UP NEXT
Mentor: Advances to the regional semifinals against Medina.
Canton McKinley: Heads home for the offseason.
