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CJ eliminated from playoffs in final seconds

Clinton-Massie’s Wolf scores TD with no time remaining.

Photos: CJ vs. Clinton-Massie

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By Marc F. Pendleton, Staff Writer Updated 2:16 AM Sunday, November 20, 2011

MASON — Chaminade Julienne High School linebacker Darrien Howard had blasted Clinton-Massie running back Bayle Wolf all night. But the Falcons had just enough time for one last blast of their own.

“It was a 26-blast,” said Wolf, C-M’s celebrated sophomore. “I looked at the clock and it was six seconds left and it was running down. I thought, this is it.”

Stuffed by Howard the play before, Wolf scored his third touchdown, tumbling into the end zone with Howard and the middle of CJ’s defense as time expired to give Massie a thrilling 21-20 victory in the Division IV, Region 16 high school football final Saturday at Atrium Stadium.

It was a crushing last-second loss for the Eagles, who closed 9-4 under first-year head coach Marcus Colvin.

Howard, a national recruit who lists Ohio State among his final picks, was greeted by a long line of C-M players and coaches afterward. A force throughout the game, he was wished well and told he should make his future home at Columbus.

“It’s heartbreaking,” Howard said, tears streaking down his cheeks while he thumped his chest. “It hurts right here, right in my heart.

“We didn’t wrap up and (Wolf) had a good lean toward the end zone. He just got the ball in. I got a hit on him and I tried to go for the ball. It just wasn’t a big enough hit.”

The Falcons (11-2) advance to next week’s D-IV state semifinal against unbeaten Kenton, a 30-28 winner over Columbus Hartley in the Region 14 final. It was the first regional final win in four tries for Massie. Each of those other losses was to the eventual state champion.

“This is the greatest game that I’ve ever been a part of since I’ve been coaching,” Falcons coach Dan McSurley said. “This is foreign country to me. I’ve never worked past Thanksgiving.”

Junior running back Brandon Payne raced 48 untouched yards on 4th-and-3 to put CJ up 20-15 with 5:19 left in the game. Massie answered with a season-saving 83-yard drive that was expended by a pass interference penalty on CJ on fourth down.

That gave C-M 1st-and-goal at CJ’s 16 and three plays later Wolf scored.

“It’s tough,” Colvin said. “They made the play and we didn’t make the play. They win the game and we’ve got to go home and best of luck to them.”

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