Ross fails to score when it mattered most, loses season-finale in 21-7 upset to St. Francis

FREMONT – In a season with more than its share of could-haves and should-haves, the Fremont Ross football team saved the worst for last.

With a playoff berth hanging in the balance and hosting a team whose only victory came against a winless Division III program, the Little Giants could not take advantage of more than a half-a-dozen scoring opportunities and saw their season come to a bitter end in a 21-7 upset loss to St. Francis de Sales.

“It’s not the way we want to end for the seniors,” coach Chad Long said. “We wanted to be 6-4 and end on a good, positive note heading into the offseason. But 5-5 is nothing to be disappointed about.

“The seniors did all they could as far as leadership and everything else. It’s just a slow process. You can’t build a castle in one or two years.”

Ross’ loss eliminated it from playoff contention, but even if it had won, St. John’s 13-6 upset win over Toledo Central Catholic would have jumped the Titans ahead of the Little Giants in the Division 2, Region 6 playoff rankings.

But to even have a chance at its first postseason appearance since 2014, Ross needed to do its part, and it failed to do so.

Ross fell behind early as St. Francis scored on its first possession of the game. Junior running back Malachi Wyse carried the ball on all six plays of the Knights’ opening drive, gaining 45 yards and putting the ball into the end zone on a 2-yard carry for the game’s first score.

The 6-foot, 175-pound Wyse was a one-man offense for St. Francis. He ran the ball 42 times Friday night for 192 yards. The rest of the Knights rushed for -18 yards.

Wyse broke through the Ross defense early in the second quarter and took off for a 61-yard touchdown to put the Knights ahead 14-0, where the score remained through halftime.

“He’s so patient. He let his linemen work, then he’d turn sideways and slither off,” Long said of Wyse. “I think our kids were tackling him high and not wrapping at the legs. Greta running back. He runs hard.”

While the Knights had a reliable source of offensive production, the Little Giants did not. The Little Giants had -1 rushing yards at halftime and only 58 offensive yards. But that’s not to say Ross didn’t have its chances.

Following St. Francis’ first touchdown, Ross got a 24-yard pass play from Hayden Lehmann to Devyn Jagodzinski followed soon thereafter by a pass interference call against St. Francis. The drive, however, stalled at the Knights’ 26-yard line. A trend that continued throughout the night.

The Knights’ ensuing possession ended in a punt blocked by senior Ben Rozzell, setting up the Little Giant offense at the 33-yard line. The first play of the drive, however, was intercepted.

St. Francis then turned the ball back over to Ross on a fumble, giving the Little Giants possession at the 24. Ross moved inside the 10, then down to the 3-yard line before turning the ball over on downs.

“We did no justice for ourselves as far as executing once we got into the red zone,” Long said. “We were still able to throw the ball. There were some things we left out there I wish we could take back.”

The Little Giants finally got on the board with their first possession of the third quarter. A pair of receptions by Chrystjan Mancini put Ross to first and goal. Two plays later, Lehmann scored on a 4-yard touchdown run, trimming the deficit to 14-7.

Ross forced a St. Francis punt on its next possession. With momentum in their corner, the Little Giants moved from their 25 inside the Knights’ 30 when Lehmann connected on a swing pass with Mancini for a touchdown – only the score was called back due to a holding penalty. Two plays later, Ross dropped a touchdown catch in the end zone and the drive ended the next play on an incomplete pass and a turnover on downs.

The first play of St. Francis’ ensuing possession, the Knights threw their first pass of the game, resulting in a 65-yard gain to the Ross red zone. Four plays later quarterback Ethan Hertzfeld scored from a yard out.

“They hit us on that tight end pop pass and that changed the momentum, the whole complexion of the game,” Long said.

Ross, however, still had a chance to get back in the game. The Little Giants had first-and-goal at St. Francis’ 2-yard line early in the fourth quarter. Two runs plays, however, lost yardage and then, on fourth down, Ross’ last best chance fell incomplete.

In all, the Little Giants had the ball inside the Knights’ 33-yard line eight occasions and failed to score on seven of them.

Long said the constant rain was not an excuse for Ross’ offensive woes.

“You got to find a win in these conditions,” he said. “Everyone in the state of Ohio is playing in these conditions. Hats off to St. Francis, they were able to run the ball and score when they could.”

 

Scoring summary

First quarter

SF – Malachi Wyse 2 run (Jake Henry kick), 8:49

Second quarter

SF – Malachi 61 run (Henry kick), 9:36

Third quarter

FR – Hayden Lehmann 4 run (Mikey Contreras kick), 8:07

SF – Ethan Hertzfeld 1 run (Henry kick), 2:18

Fourth quarter

No scoring

 

INDIVIDUAL STATS

RUSHING – ROSS: Chrysjan Mancini 9-16; Noah Hotz 1- -9; Shawn Newsome 4-2; Remey Bulger 5-27; Hayden Lehmann 8-16. Totals: 27-58. ST. FRANCIS: Malachi Wyse 42-192; Keith Holmes 6- -16; Cam Long 2- -3; Ethan Hertzfeld 1-1. Totals: 51-174.

PASSING – ROSS: Hayden Lehmann 13-33 156. ST. FRANCIS: Ethan Hertzfeld 1-1 65.

RECEIVING – ROSS: Noah Hotz 1-20; Chrystjan Mancini 4-43; Devyn Jagodzinski 2-33; Kamyron Jones 1-2; Bryce McKinstry 2-33; Shawn Newsome 2-19; Remey Bulger 1-16. Total: 13-156. ST. FRANCIS – Joey Carroll 1-65. Total: 1-65.

 

Football box score
Score by quarter
		1	2	3	4	Tot
	St. Francis	7	7	0	7	21
	Ross	0	0	7	0	7
	Ross	St. Francis
Total yards	214	238
Rush-yards	27-58	51-174
Pass yards	156	65
Comp.-Att-TD-INT	13-33-0-1	1-1-0-0
Fumbles-lost	2-0	3-2
Penalties-yards	4-25	50