(This is a web-only recap of Saturday's Div. III Regional Semifinal match-up between St. Marys and Big Walnut. Look for a complete story in Monday's Evening Leader.) 

By BRIAN SMITH
Sports Editor

LEWISTOWN – The St. Marys Roughriders had Big Walnut on the ropes early, got deep into Golden Eagle territory multiple times and had the would-be game-winning drive late in the game mapped out in front of them.

In all three cases, the Roughriders came tantylizingly close, frustratingly short.

The Big Walnut Golden Eagles scored 17 unanswered points over the game’s final 25 minutes and picked up a 17-12 win over St. Marys in a Div. III regional semifinal game at Indian Lake Stadium on Saturday night.

A late first half touchdown set up by an interception and big defensive stands with their backs close to the goalline put the Golden Eagles into the regional final game next Saturday and gives Big Walnut a chance to defend its Div. III crown.

St. Marys completely controlled the first 23 minutes of the game, but as the Roughriders ran past the scoreboard to go to the locker room at the end of the first half they were up by only five points with a 12-7 score.

"It's not disappointing to go to the half with the lead, but we did feel like we should have had more than 12 points," St. Marys head coach Doug Frye said.

St. Marys scored the game’s first two touchdowns with a punishing ground game and a hot hand by quarterback Jake Taylor throwing the ball.

Taylor converted a third and long from the 23-yard line, finding Cody Martin in the right back corner of the endzone to put the Roughriders on the board with 8:03 left in the first quarter. The extra point was no good.

The touchdown pass was part of a 6-for-6 start the Riders had in the passing game. Taylor found four different receivers in that string of completions.

St. Marys extended that lead with 4:24 left in the first quarter, when fullback Jeremy Frey busted free down the middle of the field for a 32-yard touchdown run to make it 12-0. St. Marys went for two, but was stopped a half yard short of the goalline.

Frey finished the game with 168 yards rushing on 26 attempts against a Big Walnut squad that was giving up less than 120 yards on the ground per game this season. The Riders rushed for 304 yards as a team, including a 75-yard night from running back Aaron Homan.

The St. Marys defense got a stop on the ensuing possession and St. Marys looked to drive the ball with a minute left in the half. At midfield with 47 seconds left, the momentum of the half and the game turned drastically.

An interception by Jacob Deltedesco of Jake Taylor with less than a minute left in the first half gave a lethargic Big Walnut offense new life.

 "That was bad," Frey said. "That was bad."

Big Walnut coach Scott Wetzel said the interception and ensuing score was the lift his team needed for the second straight week.

The Golden Eagles quickly went into the endzone on a 15-yard Johnny Cannell touchdown pass with 21 seconds left in the half to make it 12-7.

The second half had a completely different tenor after the late Golden Eagle score. Big Walnut stopped  a St. Marys drive on a fourth down inside the Eagles’ 30-yard line and stuffed the Riders on a fourth and 2 at the St. Marys 46-yard line that turned the game’s field position around with 5:26 left in the third quarter.

On the first play after the turnover on downs, the Golden Eagles shook things up. Going from a Wilcat formation with wide receiver Eugene Cannaday out of the shotgun, he slipped through the first level of defense and kept churning after hit after hit to his legs and back.

He ran backwards for the final 15 yards of his run, finally going down at the Roughrider six-yard line. The 40-yard scamper put the Eagles in prime position for a Cannell two-yard quarterback sneak to give Big Walnut its first lead of the game 14-12 with 3:15 left in the third quarter.

Walnut added a 37-yard field goal with 10:11 left in the game and appeared to be bleeding the clock out with 7:12 left in the game as they drove into St. Marys territory on a big run.

But Big Walnut’s running back had the ball pop loose into the air, at the St. Marys 43-yard line in the midst of a big run. St. Marys senior defensive back Cory Dammeyer had the reflexes to snatch the ball as it whizzed towards his helmet and give the Roughriders new life.

And it looked like a replay of Week 11, as the Riders took the ball late in the game with a chance to win with a touchdown. A week ago, the Riders drove 74 yards with less than six minutes left against Tipp City Tippecanoe on the shoulders of Aaron Homan and Jeremy Frey.

On Saturday, it looked like it was happening again.

Aaron Homan took the first carry after the turnover for a 36 yard gain, down to the Big Walnut 31 yard line. But the Golden Eagle defense stiffened, forcing a fourth and three from the 23-yard line with 4:30 left in the game.

With the playoff win and season in the balance, Homan took the carry over the right side of the line, but was met by a wave of red jerseys. The no-gain carry gave the ball over to the Eagles.

St. Marys got one last possession with 1:50 left in the game, but an interception ended the drive and the Riders’ hopes of advancing to the regional championship game.

St. Marys finishes the season at 9-3. Big Walnut advances to play Avon next Saturday. 

Frey expressed his pride in his team making it this far after the game.