Onaway to host first playoff game ever; Posen plays at Hale

 

by Peter Jakey–Managing Editor

After a mighty battle on the gridiron last Friday where Onaway survived an upset bid by county football rival Posen, that needed two overtimes to decide, both are headed to playoff games close to home.

Actually, Onaway does not have to go anywhere, earning a home playoff game for the first time in school history with an undefeated, 6-0, mark. The Cardinals will host Newberry Saturday at 2 p.m. with tickets only available electronically with the go.fan app. Onaway High School athletic director Marty Mix said there will be no cash transactions at the gate. The maximum number of fans allowed will be 1,000.

Posen (2-3) will be on the road taking on a Hale team that came away with a 42-20 victory in Posen just two weeks ago. Game time for the Vikings is Saturday at 1 p.m.

ONAWAY SENIOR quarterback Kevin Pearson, who scored the game tying touchdown in the fourth quarter, is bracing for a hit from Posen freshman Ethan Romel. Posen’s swarming defense had the undefeated Cardinals on their heels much of the night. (Photo by Peter Jakey)
ONAWAY SENIOR quarterback Kevin Pearson, who scored the game tying touchdown in the fourth quarter, is bracing for a hit from Posen freshman Ethan Romel. Posen’s swarming defense had the undefeated Cardinals on their heels much of the night. (Photo by Peter Jakey)

While the Michigan High School Athletic Association calendar says the postseason starts this week, those who watched last Friday’s contest between Posen and Onaway came out of there saying they already have seen the intensity of a playoff football game.

Hudson Decker’s 9-yard touchdown run around the right end in the second overtime was the difference in the game. Gavin Green ran in the two-point conversion to make the score 22-14.

When Posen got the ball in the second overtime, Chase Dubie ran it twice to get down to the 2-yard line, before Onaway’s defense pushed back for a 6-yard loss and an incomplete pass and the victory.

Down 14-8 at the half, Onaway head coach Steve Klinge said he challenged his squad.

“For the seniors, it was their last regular-season home game, it was time for them to step up and I think they did,” said Klinge.

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ON A night where there were not too many completed passes, Posen quarterback Chase Dubie searches for a receiver with Onaway defensive lineman Colby Pauly applying pressure in the backfield.

The Vikings were held scoreless from the middle of the second quarter on.

“A game like this is what football is all about,” said Posen head coach Greg Pietsch. “Small schools, small towns, two teams out here, slugging it out, trying to get a victory, and you know, we came up short.”

Pietsch knows his club had a chance to pull off the biggest win of the season.

“We executed and continued to move the ball,” said Pietsch. “Our (fourth quarter) drives just stalled a couple of times.”

Onaway started the game with a drive all the way to inside the Posen 10, before an illegal procedure penalty backed them up. The Vikings’ defense came up with a stand and forced the Cards to turn the ball over on downs. 

Posen got a couple of first downs when Lucas Stone broke a 74-yard touchdown run with 2:20 left in the first quarter.

On Onaway’s ensuing possession, a 1-yard score from Green was set up by a long run by Kevin Pearson. Green also plowed in the two-conversion for an 8-6 lead early in the second.

Posen answered, though, on a 25-yard touchdown sprint by Stone for a 12-8 Vikings’ lead with 6:22 left in the first half. Jack Romel took up the middle for the two-point conversion, for a 14-8 lead, but it would be all the points the Posen offense could muster.

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THE CARDINALS Gavin Green (35) breaks to the outside to score a two-point conversion in double overtime. Posen’s Logan Timm (9) forced the running back to head outside by filling the hole. In the background, quarterback Kevin Pearson knows he is going to make into the end zone.

A key moment in the fourth quarter came when Pietsch opted not to punt into a stiff north wind and failed to move the sticks and gave the ball up at their own 35. Working with the short field, the Cards capped off the game-tying drive with a 7-yard touchdown run by Pearson. Dubie stopped the conversion to keep the game tied.

Both defenses held the line in the first overtime, setting up the dra

matic finish in the second overtime.

Klinge believes it’s the kind of game that will make his troops better in the playoffs.

“That we are not giving up and we are going to fight until the end, that’s the biggest thing,” said Klinge.

Decker had 84 yards on 12 carries, while Pearson had 127 on the ground.  Green had 51 rushing yards. 

Ian Veal led the Onaway defense with 18 tackles. Jager Mix had 14 tackles and three sacks. Colby Pauly had 13, Pearson 12 and Daniel Price with 11. 

Stone rushed for 194 yards on 29 carries and picked off two passes, while Ben Romel led the team with nine solo tackles.