Andrew Grimm BREAKING TACKLES — Toronto’s Kam Baker breaks through attempted tackles from Crusaders defenders during Friday night’s game at Clarke Hinkle Stadium.

TORONTO — While it has been Toronto’s offense that has garnered most of the attention all season, it was the Red Knights defense that took center stage Friday night.

The Toronto ‘D’ stymied the Catholic Central offense for most of the game, created a couple of key turnovers and shut down the Crusaders potent ground attack in a 17-6 victory over their rivals from the south.

“Our defense is the reason we won that game,” Toronto head coach Josh Franke said. “Our defense met the match, they played really physical, they controlled the line of scrimmage. They did that against an offense that I was worried about coming into the game.

“It wasn’t pretty, but a win is a win, and there are going to be times in the playoffs when you have to win tight games, games that aren’t pretty that you have to find a way to win and these kids find a way to win. That’s what winning football is about.”

In doing so, the Knights clinched the OVAC Class 2A title and at least one home playoff game.

“It’s an historic season for us,” Franke said.

The Red Knights (9-1) held Central (9-1), who entered the game averaging more than 250 rushing yards per game, to just 49 yards on the ground.

Toronto’s offense did rack up 362 yards and had its chances to break things open, but the Crusaders’ defense, which had pitched four shutouts, was stout to keep Central within striking distance as it forced a couple of red zone turnovers and made the Knights turn the ball over on downs four times.

The Toronto defense, though, had just a bit more success keeping points off the board.

“We had several opportunities that we should have executed better on, and we didn’t do that … I personally feel I called the worst game of our season. I didn’t do a good job calling plays, and I take the blame for that,” Franke said. “We’re going to clean some things up (before the playoffs).

“You have to give a ton of credit to Steubenville Catholic Central, defensively they had a great game plan and took away a lot of things we like to do … They forced us to run the ball which we had some success doing, but they made it tough and we hurt ourselves with mistakes.

Toronto seemed poised to score on its opening drive as Kam Baker ripped a 48-yard gain deep into the Central end, but the Crusaders’ Noah Hough intercepted a pass on the next play.

The Knights did, however, score on their second drive as Dom Bouscher capped a quick, five-play march with a 6-yard run, then plowed in for two points on the conversion to make it 8-0. That was the score after one.

After the Toronto defense forced a turnover on downs and two punts, the offense, which fumbled at the Central 1-yard-line early in the second quarter, added to the lead when Bouscher again found the end zone, this time on a 10-yard run for a 14-0 lead.

Central QB Tyler Ialenti hit a couple of big passes on a late drive that threatened to cut into the deficit before the half, but Heath Thomas stepped in front of the third pass of the drive to preserve the two-score lead at the break.

Both defenses held serve in the third quarter, before Central did finally break through on the first play of the fourth quarter when Ialenti, who finished with 28 rushing yards and 83 passing yards, found a lane and scored on an 11-yard run. The conversion pass, though, failed, leaving the margin at 14-6.

Needing an answer, the Knights got it, marching 10 plays deep into the Central end looking re-gain a two-possession lead.

The drive stopped short of the goal line, but sophomore kicker Michael Henry connected for a 30-yard field goal with 5:49 to go, pushing the margin back to two possessions.

The Red Knights defense then recorded sacks on three-straight plays to end the next Crusaders possession and all but seal the deal.

“I think our player of the game (award) is going to Michael Henry,” Franke said. “He had never made a field goal in his entire life before that and came out and did it in a clutch moment in a rivalry game to put the game out of reach, that’s clutch. I don’t think people understand how hard that is to be a field goal kicker, especially being in a moment like that having never made one before.”

Knights QB Russ Dickinson, who took over in-game in Week 3 for the injured Zeb Kinsey, had a relatively quiet night, but his 40 yards passing were enough to break the school’s single season passing yards record, needing just 7 starts and half a game to do so. He passed the mark, fittingly, on a completion to his brother, Nolan Dickinson.

“For a kid that came in a backup quarterback to go in and break the school passing record in seven-and-a-half games, that’s pretty incredible,” Franke said. “What a memorable season it has been. We’re not 9-1 and OVAC champions without Russ Dickinson.”

Bouscher finished with 150 yards and the two scores on 17 carries. He carried the load for much of the second half as Baker, who racked up 149 yards in the first half, did not see the field in the second half.

The Crusaders’ top offensive performer was Tommy Pergi, who had 52 receiving yards.

“I want to wish Toronto the best of luck in the playoffs,” Catholic Central head coach Eric Meek said. “I love those kids, I know almost each and every one of them. Congrats to them. We will learn a lot from this, they had a heckuva defense.

“We’re proud to be playing next week. Our kids played with courage, character, heart and spirit.”

PLAYOFF PICTURE

Joe Eitel, late Friday night, had the Red Knights in fourth place in the Division VII, Region 25 standings, with a couple games that could impact the standings to be played on Saturday. His projections had Toronto finishing fourth or fifth, meaning they will play at home in round one next Friday.

The Crusaders, meanwhile, saw their bid for a home playoff game slip away with the loss as Eitel’s standings showed them in 11th and projected to finish 11th, meaning they will travel in the opening round.

Toronto 17, Central 6

Central 0-0-0-6 – 6

Toronto 8-6-0-3 – 17

SCORING

FIRST

T: Do. Bouscher 6 run (Do. Bouscher run)

SECOND

T: Do. Bouscher 10 run (pass failed)

THIRD

None

FOURTH

C: Ialenti 11 run (pass failed)

T: Henry 30 field goal

RUSHING: Central 33-49-TD (Ialenti 17-28-TD; Fallon 8-21; Pergi 7-3; Sprochi 1-(-3); Toronto 42-322-2TD (Baker 7-149; Do. Bouscher 17-150-2TD; R. Dickinson 7-10; Marchbank 2-1; Liddick 1-(-1); Dr. Bouscher 7-12; Baord 1-1)

PASSING: Central 4-8-83-2INT (all by Ialenti); 4-11-40-INT (R. Dickinson 4-10-40-INT; Baker 0-1)

RECEIVING: Central 4-83 (Pergi 2-52; Fallon 1-16; Sprochi 1-15); Toronto 4-40 (Marchbank 1-3; Baker 1-21; N. Dickinson 1-16; Dr. Bouscher 1-(-2)

FIRST DOWNS: Central 6; Toronto 14

PENTALTIES-YARDS: Central 3-30; Toronto 6-65

FUMBLES-LOST: Central 1-0; Toronto 2-1

PUNTS: Central 5-30.6; Toronto 1-30