Fort Loramie makes most of 1st football playoff run

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By Greg Billing and Kyle Nagel
Staff Writers 10:10 PM Thursday, November 19, 2009

FORT LORAMIE — As the Fort Loramie High School football team prepared to leave for its first-round playoff game against Lockland two weeks ago, the Redskins were greeted by about 100 fans in the school parking lot to send them off.

Those fans then jumped in their cars, drove to Lockland, waited in the parking lot and watched Fort Loramie beat Lockland 14-0 in the program’s first playoff game in only the fifth year of the football program.

“We probably had three times as many people as they did,” said Fort Loramie coach Matt Burgbacher. “The same thing happened last Saturday when we played Southeastern at Welcome Stadium.”

Mitch Raterman rushed for 287 yards on 25 carries — 203 of those coming in the first quarter — and five touchdowns, including a 52-yard romp in the second quarter. Nick Meyer (115 yards), Brandon Puthoff (86) and Zac Ranly (85) also added to that total.

And don’t forget about the defense. The Redskins picked off three passes and had six sacks.

The two victories have placed Fort Loramie in the Division VI, Region 24 championship against Marion Local (7-5) at 7 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 21, at Harmon Field in Wapakoneta.

“It’s an experience I wish every coach could have,” said Burgbacher, in his first season, of the town’s support. “About eight years ago, there were about 50 guys who wanted to get things started and have a football team. Luckily, we’ve been able to make them proud.”

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