Football Playoffs: Airport, Ida, Mason all exit in opening round

TECUMSEH - Airport saw its season come to a close Friday as it couldn't keep up with the high-powered Tecumseh offense in the second half of a 52-28 loss in the opening round of the state playoffs.

Airport (7-3) and Tecumseh (10-0) traded blows in the first quarter with Tecumseh holding a 20-14 lead after the opening 12 minutes, but the Jets had an answer for every score.

The Jets scored on the first play of the second quarter to go up 21-20 and, following another Tecumseh score, answered again to make it 28-28 with 5:46 to go in the second quarter.

"We knew anytime we were down that we had to score to match them," said Airport head coach Jim Duffy. "If we didn't, they were going to separate a little bit further."

The 1-yard Jack Mills touchdown plunge was the final score of Airport's season as Tecumseh shut out the Jets in the second half with 24 unanswered points.

The Jets got a turnover on downs late in the second quarter for their first stop of the night, but Tecumseh's Gavin Chenevey made a diving interception along the home sideline and Tecumseh made the turnover costly.

Tecumseh quickly drove down the field and scored on a 10-yard touchdown pass on the final play of the half to go into the locker room up 36-28 and receiving the ball in the second half.

"That touchdown to end the half was a backbreaker," Duffy said. "That probably changed our gameplan a little more like it was in the first half to slowly match them. Once they went up two scores it changed our philosophy a little bit."

Tecumseh outgained the Jets 452-352 in total offense.

The junior trio of running back Jack Mills, quarterback Cooper Nye and wide receiver Collin Nowak did what they could to keep Airport in the game.

Mills had 186 yards rushing and two scores while Nye completed 13 of 18 passes for 144 yards and two touchdowns. Nowak caught five passes for 77 yards and a touchdown.

The offensive trio gives the Jets a lot to be excited about for the 2023 season.

"Those guys are going to have another opportunity to do this again next year and hope for a better outcome," Duffy said. "The bulk of skill positions guys are coming back while the seniors did most of the dirty work to make this season possible."

First Quarter 

T – Job Benschoter 66 pass from Burns (run failed)

A – Jack Mills 26 run (Nolan Zajac kick)

T – Ryder Zajac 23 pass from Burns (Gavin Chenevey run)

A – Colin Nowak 44 pass from Nye (Zajac kick)

T – AJ Bryan 77 kickoff return (pass failed)

Second Quarter 

A – Brett Moore 11 pass from Nye (Nye kick)

T – A.J. Bryan 5 run (Bryan run)

A – Mills 1 run (Zajac kick)

T – Bryan 10 pass from Burns (Bryan run)

Third Quarter 

T – Zajac 15 pass from Burns (Bryan run)

Fourth Quarter 

T – Bryan 15 run (Chenevey run)

INDIVIDUAL LEADERS 

Rushing: A.J. Bryan, T, 29-234; Jack Mills, A, 33-186; Jacob Burns, T, 6-40; Brett Moore, A, 3-13; Colin Nowak, A, 2-11.

Passing: Jacob Burns, T, 11-15-188; Cooper Nye, A, 13-18-144.

Receiving: Job Benschooter, T, 2-94; Colin Nowak, A, 5-77; Gavin Chenevey, T, 4-41; Jack Mills, A, 5-40; Ryder Zajac, T, 2-38.

***

Clinton 44, Ida 23

CLINTON – Ida trailed by just 6 points at halftime, but Clinton scored 28 in the second half to end the Blue Streaks’ season.

“I was proud of the effort our kids gave tonight,” said Ida coach Jeff Potter. “It was a physical game played by both teams.”

Quarterback Nate Miller rushed for 75 yards on 8 carries, with the bulk of that total coming on a 60-yard touchdown gallop in the first quarter. And he completed 8-of-14 passes for 114 yards, including a 29-yard scoring pass to Jaeden Gianino, who also rushed for an 8-yard touchdown.

Kirby Carsten led the Blue Streaks with 56 receiving yards on 3 catches. Max Buschmann went 2-for-3 on extra point attempts and booted a 35-yard field goal.

Defensively, Miller led Ida with 14 tackles. Luke Levicki recovered an onside kick.

Ida ends the season with a 4-6 record.

First quarter 

C – Jacob Felts 3 run (Nik Shadley run)

I – Nathan Miller 60 run (Max Buschmann kick)

Second quarter 

I – Buschmann 35 field goal

C – Bradyn Lehman 1 run (N. Shadley run)

Third quarter 

I – Jaeden Gianino 29 pass from Miller (Buschmann kick)

C – Lehman 17 run (Lehman run)

C – Felts 8 run (run failed)

Fourth quarter 

C – Joey Preston 24 run (N. Shadley pass from Andy Fair)

I – Gianino 8 run (kick fail)

C – Lehman 58 run (conversion failed)

INDIVIDUAL LEADERS

Rushing: Bradyn Lehman, C, 13-138, Joey Preston, C, 17-101; Nate Miller, I, 8-75; Jacob Felts, C, 8-52; Jaeden Gianino, I, 9-44.

Passing: Nathan Miller, I, 8-14-114; Andy Fair, C, 0-1-0

Receiving: Kirby Carsten, I, 3-56; Gianino, I, 4-55.

***

Napoleon 49, Erie Mason 0

NAPOLEON – Mason just could not stop Napoleon’s offense Friday.

The Eagles allowed 382 rushing yards in their shutout loss to the undefeated Pirates, whose quarterback, Grant Bradley, also threw for 105 yards and 2 touchdowns.

Napoleon led 21-0 after the first quarter, and 35-0 at halftime.

“We were excited about the opportunity to be in the playoffs after having another successful regular season,” said Mason Coach Steve Bowers. “We drew Napoleon, which was a team we really don’t know a whole lot about besides the film we exchanged and a couple of other things we were able to watch. On film, they definitly show they’re a tough team, really physical up front. And that showed in the game; they dominated us up front...”

Mason finishes the season at 6-4.

INDIVIDUAL LEADERS

Rushing: Bart Laretz, N, 26-176; Vaughn Brown, EM, 7-16.

Passing: Grant Bradley, N, 6-7-105; Vaughn Brown, EM, 11-14-101; Mike Narew, EM, 1-1-36.

Receiving: Korbin Herrera, EM, 4-69; Mason Roth, N, 3-51; Phoenix Stefko, EM, 1-24; Mike Narew, EM, 4-17; Cole Kreger, EM, 1-16; Trent Herrera, EM, 2-11.

This article originally appeared on The Monroe News: Carleton Airport, Ida, Erie Mason football fall in district semifinals