New Lexington makes statement in regional semifinal win over Unioto
By: Sam Nolan
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NEW LEXINGTON, Ohio (WOUB) – #1 New Lexington hosted #4 Unioto in the Region 15 Semifinal on Friday night. The Panther defense and run game proved to be too much for the Shermans, as they ran away with this one by a score of 47-14.
The first couple of drives stalled out for both teams, but on the first play of the second possession for New Lex, QB Lane Ratliff tucked one in and ran for a 67-yard score – which set a clear, strong tone for the Panthers early on.
The next few drives amounted to no points for either school, as both defenses did a great job of shutting down the run. Suddenly, New Lex was back in Sherman territory, where Lane Ratliff found his second score of the night. That time, it was through the air, to WR Tyson Spicer on the 26-yard score to make it 12-0 at the end of the first.
On one of the first plays in the second, Panther DB Terrelle King took a pick-six from 40-yards out to extend the New Lex lead. 19-0 was the score fresh into the second.
Finally, Unioto was able to catch a break, when a muffed snap on a punt would allow for their first score of the game. It was not a typical way to get on the board, but it made the game 19-7, and a little more manageable halfway into the second.
On an incredibly improbable 4th & 19 from the Unioto 27-yard-line, New Lex got creative. A hand-off to Spicer, who threw it to WR Eli Dixon, in double coverage, in the endzone. The pass was somehow caught, which gave the Panthers the boost to 26-7.
The Shermans tried to get something going out of half, and were actually able to make it to the redzone, but were stopped on fourth down.
New Lex was able to answer in a hurry, with a 56-yard score from WR Tyson Spicer that made it 33-7 Panthers.
A 99-yard kick return TD by WR Jack Welch was the only other highlight for Unioto, who had the running clock going the entire fourth quarter.
New Lexington will now face a familiar Indian Valley squad, the same team they took on in last year’s Regional Semifinal. As for Unioto, the Sherman’s season came to an end, finishing 11-1 on the year.