CHESTERLAND TWP: In a do-or-die move, No. 1 Perry (Lake County) made a 2-point conversion in overtime to beat No. 4 Woodridge 42-41 in a Division IV regional semifinal at West Geauga High School on Friday night.
Junior quarterback Kolston Brewster had just tossed a touchdown to sophomore Jacob Allen in overtime and managed 521 passing yards throughout the game. Then, on the 2-point try, he connected with senior Josh Petruccelli on a screen pass. Petruccelli dove over the pylon for the score and helped advance the Pirates (12-0) to the next round of the postseason.
The Bulldogs (11-1) watched their season end.
Junior quarterback Mason Lydic, who passed for 159 yards, three passing touchdowns and a rushing score, found a diving senior Jacob Margroff from 20 yards out to start the overtime period. After breaking the 34-34 tie, the Bulldogs forced the Pirates into a third-and-seven before Brewster hit Allen for the touchdown.
Similar to the ending, the game provided dramatic twists to a changing narrative. How the Bulldogs and Pirates reached a 34-34 tie couldn’t have been more electric.
At halftime, it seemed as if the Bulldogs had settled the game. Lydic connected with Margroff for an early 17-yard touchdown pass and junior Robert Singletary ran for another score, powering the Bulldogs to a 13-0 advantage. Even after Brewster connected with Allen — who managed 190 yards receiving — for the Pirates’ first touchdown, the Bulldogs seemed like the more poised team. Lydic rushed for a touchdown and, following a 19-yard touchdown grab from Pirates senior receiver Andy Foley, the Bulldogs answered with a touchdown from senior Sharif Howard and led 27-14.
Brewster appeared as if he was going to lead the Pirates to a scoring drive early in the third quarter. But on a third-and-goal situation from the 1-yard line, junior Spencer Robinson intercepted a Brewster pass, the first of two interceptions for Robinson. The Bulldogs couldn’t capitalize on the interception, though, and Brewster hit Foley in stride for a 90 yards for a touchdown on the fourth quarter’s first play.
The touchdown seemed to erase everything — the halftime lead, the strong defensive performance and even the momentum for the Bulldogs — until Howard returned the ensuing kickoff 75 yards for a touchdown to put Woodridge back on top 34-27.
Allen tied the game at 34-34 with a 74-yard touchdown reception from Brewster. The Bulldogs had one more chance to seal a win when Lydic — fresh off a string of two interceptions — marched his offense down the field. Howard, who had just played hero with his kickoff return, booted a 33-yard field-goal attempt too far right with 1:22 remaining in regulation. The hit the upright and bounced back to the turf.
The Bulldogs completed two consecutive undefeated regular seasons under coach Jeff Decker and simply couldn’t put the Pirates away.