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The No. 3 Genoa football team made a defensive stop on a two-point conversion attempt to seal a thrilling 34-33 overtime victory over No. 2 Triway in a Division V regional semifinal at Wooster’s Jack Miller Field on Nov. 14.
With the victory, Genoa (11-1) will face top-ranked Liberty Center for the Division V regional championship at Fostoria High School on Nov. 21.
Genoa’s Alex Materni, who rushed 19 times for 126 yards and three touchdowns in the win, produced the go-ahead score with a one-yard touchdown run to open the overtime period.
Triway’s Bruin Flinner then answered with his fifth touchdown of the game, but he was stopped by Evan Millner at the two-yard line on a double reverse two-point conversion attempt.
Part of the reason that Triway (10-2) attempted the two-point conversion, as opposed to a game-extending extra point, was because Genoa’s Gavin Grigson blocked an extra point with 7:40 left in regulation that kept the game tied at 27.
The victory gives Genoa its first appearance in the regional final since 2018, where they also coincidentally faced Liberty Center.
Myles Mollenhauer finished 16-of-24 passing with 167 yards for Genoa. Jaxon Magnone, who had several key catches, caught seven of those for 90 yards, while Ryan Routson had six receptions for 51 yards.
Following Grigson’s blocked PAT, both teams made defensive stands to send the game to overtime. Mollenhauer’s pass attempt on a fourth and eight with 3:04 left from Triway’s 20-yard line fell incomplete, and Genoa forced a turnover on downs with 1:40 left. The two teams then traded desperation interceptions heading into overtime.
The Comets opened the game in strong fashion, jumping out to a 14-0 lead over the game’s first eight minutes while Triway wasn’t even able to take an offensive snap.
Magnone got the momentum going with a 43-yard catch on a third and 11 on the opening drive, and following back-to-back runs from Ryan Routson for a first down, Materni ran it twice, including a one-yard carry for the game’s first score with 9:13 left.
Genoa then recovered a fumbled kickoff return at Triway’s 35-yard line, and on a fourth and six from the 18, Magnone caught a deflected pass for a first and goal at the six-yard line. After a penalty, Mollenhauer found Routson on another tipped pass in the back left corner of the endzone for a 14-point lead.
Flinner responded with Triway’s first scoring drive, converting a fourth and one from the 24 before running it in from five yards out. After forcing a three-and-out defensively, Flinner scored from two yards out on the next drive to tie it at 14 with 7:01 left in the half.
Genoa responded by converting two fourth downs and a third down on the ensuing drive, but a tackle for loss on another fourth down conversion attempt gave Triway the ball with 2:07 left.
One of the game’s biggest plays then ensued as Logan Routson, who was the ball carrier that was stopped on fourth down, returned a fumble for a 48-yard touchdown with 1:22 left to give Genoa a 21-14 lead at the half.
Triway had just completed a third and long and sat five yards short of midfield when Adam Knight stripped the ball, which led to Routson’s return on the first play after the third down conversion.
Hunter Bickel forced another Triway fumble to open the second half, which was recovered by Magnone to set Genoa up at Triway’s 32. However, Magnone’s catch on fourth down came up one yard short as the Comets turned it over on downs.
Triway responded with a game-tying drive with 7:34 left, as Flinner scored his third touchdown following a long conversion on third and 20.
The Titans then failed to successfully convert a surprise onside kick, but a sack on third down forced a punt.
After a defensive stop, Materni followed by breaking multiple tackles on the first play of the fourth quarter, en route to a 61-yard touchdown run on third and two. However, the kick failed as the Comets led 27-21.
Genoa then followed by forcing a punt, but a fumble gave Triway the ball back with 9:50 left, and Flinner capped a scoring drive with a four-yard run, which set up Grigson’s crucial blocked PAT.
