Nelsonville-York pushes past Columbus Academy, earns regional final berth
By: Joshua Jacob
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GAHANNA, Ohio (WOUB)—Round three of the playoffs often has many implications for how a team will continue throughout the playoffs. Teams settle into a win-or-go-home mentality and are required to take another step toward the holy grail: a state championship.
This game would be no different as going into this matchup, Nelsonville-York had a dominant showing against Union Local, posting a 35-0 shutout. The defense for Nelsonville-York has been their bread and butter all season. When necessary, there was no doubt the Buckeyes would come up with the stop, giving them an insane stat of allowing, on average, 8 points a game.
Columbus Academy had a significant 35-23 win over the Zane Trace Pioneers, with the X Factor being Gabe Davis-Ray. Picking up three touchdowns in the first half alone, the Vikings showed that when in doubt, the offense would roll through him, but they also just showed off their proficiency in the air. They are in special company as a high school team capable of setting up their runs with the pass, and that would be the primary concern Nelsonville-York would have to combat.
Starting, the Vikings won the toss and deferred, giving Nelsonville the ball first. The Buckeyes tried to establish the run game, but a strong effort from the D-line led to a three-and-out for Columbus Academy.
The Vikings had an explosive play to start their drive, but they soon felt Nelsonville-York closing in and disrupting plays, forcing them to kick it away.
Nelsonville-York tried to switch it up on the offensive side and took to the air, but Columbus Academy locked them down and forced another three-and-out.
The Vikings defense, however, wouldn’t be able to capitalize as the Buckeyes defense came up with another big stop.
Nelsonville would hit the ground again, and this time they would find some success. However, an illegal substitution call would pin the Buckeyes 13 yards back, but Cameron Sullivan would keep the drive alive with a scramble, picking up a first down to end the first half. Try as they might, Nelsonville-York couldn’t continue the momentum, and they would punt it away.
Columbus Academy would try to climb out of the deficit by hitting their go-to guy, and Davis-Ray would deliver with a big-time run for the Vikings’ first down. They would try to hit the air to keep the energy up; however, Walker Stone would have it read the whole way and come down with the interception, bringing hope back to the Buckeyes.
Nelsonville hit the air, and this time, Alec Thompson would be able to get some leverage on his defender and dive for the ball, getting a huge pickup to put the Buckeyes in the red zone. From there, however, the Vikings would put up an impressive goal-line stand and keep Nelsonville out of the end zone. This would lead to a turnover on downs, pinning Columbus Academy deep in their own red zone.
The Vikings tried to get some offense going, but the field position proved too much to overcome, and they punted to Nelsonville-York.
The Buckeyes would hit the ground running and carve through the field. This would set them up for a Cameron Sullivan touchdown pass to none other than Alec Thompson. This would end the first half with the Vikings receiving the ball to start the second.
In the second half, Columbus Academy would get a touchdown courtesy of Charlie Pizzotti, but in a defensive battle, the only scoring was a field goal by the Buckeyes. That would be enough to take the win 10-7 Nelsonville-York.
The Buckeyes will take on the Wheelersburg Pirates at a neutral site on Friday, Nov. 21.