OBERLIN – St. Edmund moved one step closer to the District 4-1A title as the Blue Jays stunned No. 8 Oberlin 35-6 Friday night on the defending champions’ home turf.
“We did a great job on defense,” St. Edmund head coach Andy Hargroder said. “We are playing with a little more confidence each game.
“This was a big win to take one from the defending chanpion at their place.”
The Blue Jays (6-1, 4-0) took the opening kickoff at the 35 and moved to midfield on seven plays.
On fourth down at the 50, Blue Jay punter Peyton Marcantel ran through the Tiger defender to score the game’s first points.
Marcantel’s PAT pushed the Jays ahead, 7-0 with 7:37 left in the first period.
Oberlin (5-2, 3-1) quickly responded as Izzy Drehemsis raced 85 yards with the enusing kickoff.
The Tigers missed the extra point kick as St. Edmund held a slim 7-6 advantage with 7:23 remaining in the quarter.
Oberlin recovered the bouncing kickoff at the Jays’ 35 yard line and the Tigers later converted on fourth down to keep the drive alive.
After several strong runs by Collin Chatman and James Kirklin, the Tigers moved inside the St. Ed 10.
But on fourth down at the Blue Jay 13, the Tigers were stopped by a tipped pass in the end zone.
After a loss followed by a holding call pushed St. Ed’s back to their own 6, Blue Jay quarterback Brad Miller raced through thee middle of the Tiger defense before he was tackled at the OHS 13.
On the next play, Luke Doucet rumbled into the end zone.
Marcantel’s PAT gave the Jays a 14-6 lead with 45 left in the opening period.
After both teams were forced to punt, the Tigers seemed poised to tighten the game after a short punt gave Oberlin the ball at the Blue Jay 36.
A 13-yard run by Kirlin combined with a face mask penalty moved the Tigers to the St. Ed 8.
But a fumbled snap on fourth down stopped the drive at the Blue Jay 3 with 2:40 left in the half.
St. Edmund was forced to punt again, but on the first Tiger play, Blue Jay defender Noah Clause snared an interception and ran to the Oberlin 36.
After and incomplete pass, Miller raced 33 yards before being tackled at the Tiger 2 as time expired in the second period.
Oberlin was forced to punt on its first possession of the second half and the Blue Jays quickly responded on offense.
Doucet ran 25 yards to the Blue Jay 43 and Miller followed with a 57-yard touchdown scoot through the middle of the Tiger defense.
Marcantel’s PAT pushed the Jays ahead, 21-6 with 7:38 left in the third frame.
Oberlin had a scoring chance late in the quarter as Marcantel was tackled on the Blue Jay 41 after the punt snap sailed over his head.
But the St. Edmund defense responded again stopped the Tigers on fourth down at the Jays’ 24 when Kirklin’s pass fell incomplete in the end zone early in the fourth quarter.
The St. Ed offense converted two first downs on the drive before Miller connected with Marcantel for a 36-yard pass play.
Miller then ran the final 12 yards for the score as the Jays led 27-6 with 5:57 left in the game.
Three plays later, Clause helped the Blue Jay defense again with a fumble recovery at the Tigers’ 19.
Doucet then ran five straight times including a 2-yard scoring plunge with 1:34 left in the game.
Marcantel’s PAT increased the final margin to 34-6.
St. Edmund entertains Grand Lake (1-5, for homecoming, while Oberloin plays host to Basile (4-3, 3-1) this week.
Grand Lake fell 28-14 to Hamilton Christian, while Basile held on for a 28-26 win over Elton.