Trotwood-Madison vs. Winton Woods
2009-10 UD men's basketball
Pyramid Hill lights up
Valley View falls on last-minute FG
Spartans make some big plays on defense, but can't stop Canal Winchester's last drive.
Saturday, November 03, 2007
CANAL WINCHESTER — The Valley View High School football team had a long ride home Friday night to ponder what might have been.
Canal Winchester sophomore Tyler Shryock provided the misery, booting a 22-yard field goal with 3.8 seconds remaining to sink the visiting Spartans 17-16 in a Division III-Region 12 quarterfinal.
Extras
Spartans coach Jay Niswonger could only shake his head and speak softly after his squad finished 5-6.
"It's different than lining up against Watterson or Ironton and just getting munched," Niswonger said. "I don't think we got outplayed. We just got outexecuted on a couple plays."
Valley View's defense routinely came up with big plays before a standing-room-only crowd. Trey Michael, Sean Figley and Blake Shephard all had interceptions, Jaryd Brown recovered a fumble, and Zach Pummill and Brown each contributed a sack.
"That was one of the best defenses we've seen," Indians coach Phil Mauro said. "Their defensive front was strong. There was some tough sledding in there."
Yet the Spartans couldn't stop the hosts on the final drive, which began at the CW 18-yard line with 4:58 left.
The Indians appeared to get a break during that drive after Valley View thought it had recovered a fumbled lateral. Travis Stevenson's throw was ruled an incomplete pass.
Canal Winchester (10-1) faced fourth-and-3 at the Spartan 25 in the final minute and responded with a 19-yard screen pass from Stevenson to Tony Davis.
That took the Indians to the 6-yard line. Davis ran for a yard and Stevenson spiked the ball, setting the stage for Shryock.
His kick wasn't exactly a boomer, but it was true.
"I was feeling the pressure — I just had to stay relaxed in my mind," Shryock said. "I had to do it for the seniors."
Johnny Day completed 14-of-25 passes for 134 yards for Valley View, connecting with Andy Genslinger and Lucas Donson for touchdowns. But Day was victimized by numerous dropped passes, especially in the first half, when the Spartans fell behind 14-3.
Davis paced the Indians' ground attack with 68 yards on 20 carries. Stevenson was 7-of-16 for 104 yards.
Canal Winchester advances to face Monroe next Friday at a neutral site to be announced Sunday.
