SOT Westlake Interior Painting GOTW: Highland Scores on Final Play to Top North Royalton 45-43

Sponsored by: Westlake Interior Painting 

By Sean Duffy 

Medina, OH- It is week 3 of the Northeast Ohio High School Football Season. For most teams, it marks the end of their non-conference schedule and teams begin to prepare to enter conference play.  Our game of the week features a cross division match up in the Suburban league. North Royalton Bears (2-0) from the National Division take on the (1-1) Highland Hornets of the American Division.  The Hornets look rebound from a week 2 loss to Medina, while the Bears will look to continue their winning ways as they defeated Parma in week 2.   It looks to be a great game  to  close out the non conference portion of the 2018 schedule.

Highland got the ball to start and wasted no time getting into the end zone thanks to a 33 yd TD run by Senior RB Jake Rogers, Highland took an early 7-0 lead with 10:36 left in the 1st quarter.  Highland would score again later in the 1st on a 68 yd TD throw and catch from Senior QB Jack McGinty to Junior WR Bryce Profitt, Hornets led 14-0 with 4:04 left in the opening quarter.  North Royalton got on the scoreboard thanks to a 60 yd run by Junior RB Simon Antonio, Antonio would not only punch it it in the end zone  on a 3 yd run  but also scored the 2 point conversion.  At the end of the 1st quarter Hornets led 14-8

North Royalton would score early in the second quarter, thanks to a 22 yd run by Antonio second score of the half,  North Royalton jumped out to a 15-14 lead with 10:47 left in the half.

Touchdown @NRAthletics. Simon Antonio with 22yd TD rec. from Marousek. XP good. Bears now lead 15-14, 10:47 2nd qtr.@NEOSportsInside @HSHysteria @FOX8FNTD pic.twitter.com/MG4dj62AtH

— Sports On Tap (@SOTPodcast) September 7, 2018

Highland would not find themselves behind for long as Jake Rogers rumbled 62 yds for a TD on the next hornets possession, Highland led 21-15 with 10:00 remaining.  Highland would add three more thanks to a 20 yd field goal from Junior Kicker Justin Tepes. Hornets held a 24-15 lead with 2:53 left in the half.  North Royalton would add a score just before halftime when Junior QB Joe Marousek connected with Junior WR Riley Knurek for a 37 yd TD Pass.  At the end of the half Highland led 24-22.

North Royalton took the ball to open the second half of play and marched 68 yds down the field, scoring  on a 4 yd TD pass from Marousek to Antonio, his third of the night.  North Royalton took a 29-24 lead with 9:11 left in the third quarter.  Highland took back the lead thanks to an electrifying 83 yd kick off return for a TD by none other than Jake Rogers, his third score of the night.  Highland led 31-29 with 8:54  remaining in the third.  later in the quarter, North Royalton benefited from a costly Highland penalty on a punt and took over deep in Hornet territory.  Simon Antonio would score on a 7 yd TD run, his fourth score of the contest. Highland was driving at for a score late in the third, but a fumble in the end zone by Rogers cost Highland a scoring opportunity.

Jake Rogers with a costly fumble in the end zone for the @HornetAthletic. @NRAthletics takes over on their 20yd line pic.twitter.com/9CTgfK2FUy

— Sports On Tap (@SOTPodcast) September 8, 2018

Bears took a 36-31 lead as the third quarter expired.

Highland’s Defense was able to overcome the costly turnover and force a North Royalton punt to open the fourth quarter.  Highland’s offense drove the ball 75 yds for a TD, a 1 yd TD Run by QB McGinty.  Rogers would convert the 2 pt conversion to give Highland 39-36 lead with 7:17 left in the game. North Royalton took the next drive 63 yds in just under 6 minutes for a score, Marousek 6 yd TD run.  North Royalton led 43-39 with 1:10 Left in the game.

TOUCHDOWN ROYALTON!!Marousek scampers for the go ahead TD with 1:10 left. XP good. @NRAthletics 43@HornetAthletic 39@NEOSportsInside @HSHysteria @FOX8FNTD pic.twitter.com/ZeeR4tFANt

— Sports On Tap (@SOTPodcast) September 8, 2018

Highland got a lucky break as a Bear squib kick was returned for a good gain and took over on the North Royalton 40 yd line.  Highland put together a fantastic  game winning drive consisting of a converted 4th down conversion.  The final play of the game was a TD pass from McGinty to Rogers as time expired. Highland wins in walk off fashion with the final score 45-43.

GAME WINNER! pic.twitter.com/l1BL2txRj7

— Sports On Tap (@SOTPodcast) September 8, 2018

North Royalton falls to 2-1 on the season, they were led  by RB Simon Antonio who rushed 18 times for 164 yds and 2 TDs, 5 rec 33 yds and 2 TDs . The bears will look to rebound in week 4 as they host Stow-Munroe Falls.

Highland improves to 2-1 on the season.  Hornets were led by Player of the Game RB Jake Rogers who finished with 24 carries for 249 yds, 2 TDs on the ground, 1 kickoff return of 83 yds for a TD, and the game winning touchdown reception. The Hornets will look to continue their winning ways as they host Kent Roosevelt in week 4.