Ridgewood falls at Centerburg in Div. VI regional playoffs

The Ridgewood football team understands the challenges of the playoffs.

The Generals have advanced to the playoffs in 20 of the last 23 seasons, including the last eight in a row, so they know that when two good teams square off, sometimes all it takes is one play to change the momentum and the outcome of the game.

Ridgewood took it to Centerburg on Friday night, smacking the Trojans in the mouth right out of the gate. But a big pass play gave the Trojans all the juice they needed, and they went on to a 28-14 victory in a Division VI, Region 23 quarterfinal game at Centerburg.

“I thought it was a great high school football game. Real physical game. I thought Centerburg was a really good team,” said Ridgewood coach John Slusser. “Thought we had some chances. They hit that big pass play and it just changed the whole momentum of the game. We’re up 7-0, just drove the ball down the field, had them at third and 10, and they throw one up and everything changed.”

The Generals (9-3) came out swinging, stuffing the high-flying Trojans, which had averaged 42 points per game, on three straight plays to open the game. They then went on a ground-pounding, 61-yard drive to score. Bryce Tolliver’s 4-yard run gave the Generals a 7-0 lead.

For two plays, it looked like the same was going to happen as the Trojans faced a third and 10. But, Centerburg quarterback Blane Ball hit Hayden Love on a 49-yard pass play and things changed in a hurry.

That long pass play set up a 17-yard TD run by Miles Marshall and the Trojans (10-1) were back in business.

“We knew it wasn’t going to be easy. Figure out how to get to the next week. Our guys did a great job of that,” said Centerburg coach Andy Colella. “That’s (Ridgewood) a really good football program and football team. We knew it wasn’t going to be easy, and I think that was the challenge this week. It’s been easy for a while for us, so when you get in those situations, how are you going to respond?

“You’ve got to get it to your playmakers. It was tight coverage, and he (Love) went up and made a play. That’s what he’s been doing all year, so you’ve got to do those things to win these kinds of games.”

While it changed the momentum, it didn’t necessarily mean the end for Ridgewood.

Centerburg scored again on another run by Marshall, this time a 3-yarder. But the Generals found a spark with a trick play. Halfback Maverick Lockard took a pitch from quarterback Jace McQueen, then fired a pass to a wide-open Talon Carns for a 70-yard score that tied the game up at 14.

Marshall was able to put the Trojans back up by six at halftime with a 38-yard run late in the second quarter.

The Generals made some adjustments in the second half, slowing down the Trojans and Marshall in the third quarter.

“I still felt like we were in it. We went into the half down six in Centerburg on the road, I was all right with that. I thought we could do that,” Slusser said. “I was more concerned that we weren’t able to stop them, but we came out in the second half and held them to seven. We made a few adjustments. 

"They’ve just got a lot of skill players. They’re real big. Their size I thought really hurt us.”

But Marshall added his fourth TD of the game early in the fourth quarter on a 4-yard run to open the game up.

“We went to a four-man front in the second half. Tried to cover up their guards and tackles so they couldn’t get to our linebackers as much. It worked at times, but eventually they caught on,” Slusser said. “In the fourth there, they started putting a little bit of a drive together there. I think there’s a time when it starts getting frustrating. It started getting frustrating there in the fourth when they scored.”

Ridgewood didn’t go away quietly, though. It drove down the field, making it to the Centerburg 22-yard line before getting stuffed on a fourth-down play. The Trojans were then able to run out the clock and advance to the regional semifinals next Friday.

Tolliver led the Generals with 39 yards rushing on nine carries. Lockard added 35 yards rushing and completed one pass for 70 yards, while Carns had 21 yards rushing and 75 yards receiving, and Logan Israel had 20 yards rushing.

“My kids played hard. I’m really proud of my kids. I didn’t think this was a team that would go 9-3, but once you get here, you don’t want to lose. All in all, very happy with our team. They’ve (Centerburg) got a nice team. They were classy and everything,” Slusser said.