DaytonDailyNews.com

COLUMBUS — "Speed kills."

That's how Valley View coach Jay Niswonger summed up Saturday night's 48-19 drubbing at the hands of host Eastmoor Academy in the Division III, Region 12 state playoffs at Archie Griffin Field.

The Warriors' speed, largely in the form of senior halfback Touche Hopkins, was simply too much for the Spartans to handle. Hopkins only carried the ball 12 times, but three of those runs were for back-breaking touchdowns. He also passed for 61 yards to fellow speedster Alex Coleman for another touchdown.

The pass to Coleman was the clincher.

Valley View had just gone 70 yards on seven plays. Quarterback John Day faked a handoff to Travis Dalton and raced in from 2 yards out to pull the Spartans to within 19-13 with most of the second quarter remaining.

Moments after Michael Boyd's kickoff, Eastmoor's Hopkins launched a bomb to Coleman for the score. Things even went right for the Warriors on the extra-point try. Quarterback/holder Malon Johnson muffed the snap, so he simply stood up with the ball and outraced the Spartan defense into the right corner of the end zone for a two-point conversion. Eastmoor led 27-13.

Valley View had a chance to get back in the game in the first half, but a fumble on Eastmoor's 30-yard line killed the drive and the remainder of any momentum the Spartans may have had.

"We get a score there and we're right back in it," Niswonger said. "But when they recovered that fumble and scored the other way, that pretty much took away any chance we had of coming back."

Eastmoor (10-1) will face top-ranked Thornville Sheridan, a 33-7 winner over Franklin, in the regional final on Saturday, Nov. 8.

"We knew Valley View was a very good football team," said Eastmoor coach James Miranda, who was doused by a pitcher of ice water after the game. "We told the kids not to let up in the second half. Valley View had come back by 20-21 points in games this season, and we knew we had to keep playing hard.

Miranda said Hopkins began the season as a defensive back, but that the senior stepped into the running back role when the team's original halfback was injured in the fourth week of the season.

"This is a big win for this program," Miranda added. "I'm really proud of how they played tonight."

Day finished with 215 yards and one TD pass on 15-of-28 passing. He also tossed an interception and was sacked eight times. Valley View (7-4) rushed for 82 yards for the game.