DaytonDailyNews.com

PIQUA — The only thing missing in the Division IV regional semifinal between Alter and Coldwater were the hand-held controllers.

In a game that would've made John Madden '08 proud, Coldwater stunned Alter with a 59-52 win in triple overtime Saturday at Alexander Stadium. The Cavaliers twice trailed by three touchdowns — the final time midway through the third quarter — and never led until the final score.

"It makes it more difficult to take. You see all the great things we did, and it makes it more difficult for that fact we didn't win," said Alter coach Ed Domsitz.

The teams combined for eight touchdowns, 943 yards in total offense and countless clutch plays.

The two biggest came in the third overtime. The first OT was scoreless and the second saw matching field goals. Coldwater, which completed a fourth-and-7 pass to keep its third OT drive alive, went ahead on Cory Klenke's 7-yard pass to Tony Harlamert in the corner of the end zone two plays later. Alter, needing to match and facing a fourth-and-8 on the 18-yard line, came up 1 yard short on Austin Boucher's pass to Nate Wolfe in the flat after he was tackled at the 11.

"This is very, very, very satisfying," said Coldwater coach John Reed. "(Alter) is a great, great program. I'm sure they thought — and rightfully so — they would end up playing (Youngstown) Mooney or whoever in the state championship. This little community of Coldwater is a special place."

Klenke — running Coldwater's shotgun offense that played catch up since late in the first quarter — completed 24-of-49 passes for 429 yards and six TDs. Alter's Corey Roark led the Knights' ground game with 193 of his team's 354 rushing yards.

Coldwater plays Clinton-Massie in the D-IV regional finals next Saturday.