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It was a beautiful night at Southwest General Stadium as the Firelands Falcons and the Columbia Raiders. The 9-0 Columbia Raiders hosted the 7-2 Firelands Falcons. Columbia looked to finish off the regular season undefeated, but standing in the way of that goal were the Firelands Falcons. The meeting between Firelands’ Weston Strader and Columbia’s Marco Cirgliano did not disappoint as the game was decided in double overtime.
Firelands’ Weston Strader led the Falcons’ rushing attack with 16 carries for 79 yards and 3 TD’s. Strader also had help from Evan Tester who finished the night with 13 carries for 94 yards and a touchdown.
On the other side, Columbia’s Marco Cirigliano dominated on the ground with 33 carries for 188 yards, 1 TD, and the game winning successful 2-point conversion.
Firelands started out with the ball and wasted no time taking the ball 80 yards in 7 plays, ending with a Weston Strader 25 yard rush to paydirt. Columbia was able to answer back on their opening drive when Carter Kalamasz connected with a wide open Vince Berardi for 43 yards to tie up the game at 7 all.
Firelands would not be outdone. On the next drive, Firelands ran 11 plays and 80 yards for another touchdown. This time Strader took it in from 1 yard out putting the Falcons up by 7 as we ended the first quarter.
The Raiders had the ball to start the second quarter. A drive that saw Columbia take the ball 63 yards and stall out on the 13 yard line on an incomplete pass on 4th and 3. Columbia’s defense kept them in the game, as Firelands was forced to punt from the Raiders’ 36 yard line. The punt was downed at the 10 yard line of Columbia. As time wound down in the first half with Columbia driving down the field, an errant pass by Kalamasz was intercepted by Colin Scott.
Columbia started off the 2nd half with the ball. The Raiders’ first series of the half left them just outside the redzone. On 4th and 4 Kalamasz threw an incompletion and turned the ball over on downs. Firelands could not capitalize on the turnover, as the Falcons would go 3 and out.
Columbia started the possession with their best field position of the night, starting at the Falcons’ 46 yard line. Set up by a 7 yard Marco Cirigliano rush, the Raiders’ would tie the game up on a Tony Governale 14 yard rushing touchdown. Evening the game up at 14 all. Columbia forced another Falcon 3 and out.
The opening drive of the 4th quarter was all ground and pound from the Raiders’. 9 of the 12 plays on the drive were handed off to Marco, but the drive would stall and result in a turnover on downs. Columbia’s Defense on their next time out held Firelands to their 3rd consecutive 3 and out.
Columbia had the ball with time running out in the game, the trio of Berardi, Governale, and Cirigliano took the ball all the way down to the Falcons 14 yard line with 1:07 remaining. Columbia ran the clock down to 2 seconds to give their kicker Frank Washburn a chance to win the game with a last second 31 yard field goal attempt. Washburn missed the FG and sent the game into overtime.
Firelands started the first overtime period fast as it took only 1 play for Evan Tester to take the ball 20 yards for the score. The PAT was good 21-14 Firelands. Columbia answered back with a 6 yard TD run from Jacob Sanders. The PAT was good, knotting the game up at 21 -21.
In double overtime it only took Firelands 3 plays and 2 yards rushing for Weston Strader to put the Falcons up again 28-21. Columbia’s Kalamasz nearly threw a pick in the endzone on the Raider’s first shot in double OT. After a 2 yard run by Marco, and a 13 yard pass to Gavin Tollett. This set up a 5 yard Marco Cirigliano TD run. Marco would end the game with a successful 2 point conversion on the rush.
The Final from Southwest General Stadium:
Columbia Raiders 29
Firelands Falcons 28
Player of the Game:
Marco Cirigliano
Marco had a great night rushing, he touched the ball 33 times for 188 yards 1 TD and last but not least the run for the successful 2 point conversion.
Columbia is the Lorain County League Champions and had a perfect regular season 10-0.
Such a Great smash mouth football game, it sucks that our might Falcons could not end up on top, but hats off to Columbia for such grit iron football, going for two for all the marbles. Great season Columbia Raiders a PERFECT 10-0. Not easy to do. That was a GREAT HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL GAME. I FEEL THE REFES DESERVE A DAT-BOY for LETTING OUR ATHLETES FIGHT AT THE LINE OF SCRIMMAGE. GREAT JOB BY ALL. FIRLEANDS HAVE NOTHING TO BE UPSET ABOUT. BEST OF LUCK TO BOTH TEAMS POST SEASON. ENJOY THE STATE PLAYOFFS FELLAS. 🏈