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Cougars beat Arrows to keep playoff hopes alive

KR holds off late Tecumseh rally to improve to 8-2 overall.

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By Brian Plasters, Contributing Writer 12:15 AM Saturday, October 29, 2011

By Brian Plasters

Staff Writer

NEW CARLISLE — Even if the Cougars don’t play another football game in the 2011 season, they have a lasting memory to propel them to 2012.

Kenton Ridge High School beat Tecumseh 32-29 on Friday at Spitzer Stadium in the Central Buckeye Conference Kenton Trail Division regular-season finale. The Cougars led 32-14 early in the fourth quarter before holding off a late Tecumseh rally.

A Tecumseh fumble with 95 seconds left in the game essentially sealed the Cougars’ win.

“We’re two wins better than we were a year ago, and we finally beat a big team in the Kenton Trail Division,” Kenton Ridge head coach Joel Marratta said.

Now the postseason is potentially ahead for both the Cougars (8-2) and the Arrows (6-4).

Even though the Arrows lost, they still have a good shot at a Division II, Region 7 playoff berth. Tecumseh was No. 6 in the region after nine games.

“We’ll just have to wait and see,” Tecumseh head coach Kent Massie said.

Sitting at No. 13 in Division III, Region 12 after nine games, Kenton Ridge has an outside shot at a playoff berth. The official pairings will be released Sunday.

“We’re living on a prayer and a lot of things have to happen for us to get in,” Marratta said. “But I told the kids, don’t take it on the chin twice. Don’t lose and then wake up and find out you would have been in with a win.”

Thanks to 146 rushing yards and a touchdown from Jeff Hamilton, and 114 yards and two touchdowns from Jeremy Armstong, the Cougars took care of that Friday.

The Cougars scored on their first four possessions. Hamilton’s 36-yard scoring run with 9:33 left put the Cougars up 32-14.

That’s when the Arrows started to rally. Tony Evans scored with 8:39 left, and the Arrows recovered the onside kick. Jeremy Herdman scored five plays later on a 26-yard run.

Behind a punishing offensive line, the Cougars then wound four minutes off the clock to keep the ball away.

After the game, Marratta received the traditional water gatorade bath from Warren Napper and Eric Hube.

“It’s been a long time since we’ve had a big win like that, so I’ll take that one for the team,” Marratta said.

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