CHILLICOTHE — Coming into its first-round playoff matchup with Northwest Cincinnati, Unioto knew it had to do two things well.
The Shermans identified two primary roles in game design: controlling time of possession and the ability of the circus to produce explosive plays.
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Union played over 33 minutes of football, while North had 14 compared to 14. Defensively, the Shermans did all the work for North, forcing three turnovers while giving up just 193 yards of total offense.
The result was a 17-0 victory for the Knights on Friday night, October 30, giving the program its third victory and the streak continued in Week 12.
“When we were set up this way for the game, we knew the Sevens could outrun us with big plays,” Unioto head coach Matt Circles said. “But we weren’t convinced we could keep the ball and drive 80 yards. If that happens, you take your hat off to them. But our guys pressed down the field on them, toughed them out in the red zone and when you do that, they become good.”
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Unioto’s Ryker Larson runs with the ball during the Shermans’ 17-0 win over Cincinnati Northwest in a Division III, Region 12 playoff game on Oct. 30.
Unioto (8-3) was forced to play without quarterback Isaac Coy after he suffered an injury in the team’s final regular season.
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That pushed sophomore Blake Braden into his first start of the season. And while Braden managed the offense well, he quickly found a trusted friend in senior running back Yusef Wilson.
Wilson helped the Shermans control the clock, rushing 31 times for 156 yards and two touchdowns.
“Yusef was the man tonight,” Circles said. “He showed and proved what he could do. He understood the opportunity he had and took it. I couldn’t be more proud. Our offensive line did a great job as well. The game plan was going in as long as we could get possession of the ball. We did it. We’re all proud.”
North (8-3) started the evening with a layup and quickly reached the red zone. But with the Knights threatening from inside the 10-yard line, Unioto’s Donzel Newlun had other plans.
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The Proto-6 passed feet in darkness, denying that he could be touched.
“I told him I’d love him to play two weeks in a row. He’s in the same place next Friday,” Circles said with a laugh. “He said last week, ‘Next time I got you.’ Obviously he did. I think he stole a little bit of momentum and gave us a ton. It was just a huge game from the senior.”
Newlun’s interception set the tone for the rest of the night.
Every time the Knights thought they had something to build up, the Sherman defense went to make a play and resist the opportunity to score.
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Meanwhile, Wilson and the team began to bring the rhythm at the end.
After going scoreless at halftime, Wilson started the half with a bang. He scored his first touchdown of the night from five yards out, making it 7-0 with 7:35 to play in the third.
“It felt amazing,” Wilson said. “I knew I had a lot of opportunities this week. With Isaac going down, we knew we had to rely on running a little more. The game plan was to have the ball as much as we could, just to get it away [Northwest]. I think we did well to do what you did.
Wilson’s first score was the game’s lone points until the 2:53 mark in the fourth. That’s when Jonas Allsop made a 23-yard field goal for a 10-0 count, advancing Northwestern to the brink of elimination.
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Not even a minute later, Knights sophomore defensive end and sophomore defensive end Jonah Renner fumbled the ball, giving the Shermans possession on the NW three-yard line.
“He’s just everywhere,” Circles said of Renner. “Iona is part and part animal. He’s got a motor that doesn’t stop, he’s focused, he’s angry and he’s 15. We’re so excited about all of that. Jonah Renner is going to benefit us for two more years.”
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Unioto’s Brayden Harsha defends during a 17-0 win over Cincinnati Northwest in a Division III, Region 12 playoff game on Oct. 30.
With 2:07 to go, Wilson hammered the hammer with two touchdown passes, delivering the ultimate in the shutout victory.
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Henry Vallette followed Wilson with 77 yards on six carries. Braden had 23 yards rushing and 28 yards passing, and Levi Deam had 21 yards receiving.
The Shermans will now shift their focus to the Division III, Region 12 quarterfinals.
They will travel to Bellbrook High at 7:00 p.m. on November 6.
There is no reason why the Golden Eagles are the top seed in the region. They are invincible.
“If the opportunity presents itself, you make the most of it,” Circle said. “We talked about answering two questions before the game. How will they respond when the conditions aren’t right? That loss coming last week. How will they respond when they hit a big game on you? It felt like they responded consistently tonight.”
This article first appeared in the Chillicothe Gazette: The Shermans relied on defense, Wilson to blank Northwest Cincinnati