Oak Harbor gets top score for Lalonde, Hayward offense mix on football field at same time

Mike Lalonde unfurled a touchdown pass on a perfect parabola to Hayden Buhro in the back of the end zone.

Jaqui Hayward had 204 yards of offense for Oak Harbor, including 86 on a touchdown pass from Lalonde in the second quarter Friday in a 47-36 victory over Genoa in Division V's Region 18. Lalonde misfired on only 1 of 15 tries for 269 yards and four scores.

The six-seed Rockets (10-1) visit unbeaten two-seed (tie) Eastwood next week. The Eagles beat Genoa 34-26 and two-seed Elmwood 49-48 in their only close games.

Lalonde and Hayward weren't paired together on the field until the weeks after Oak Harbor lost 28-25 to Genoa in Week 2. Hayward's cramps were a blessing in disguise as Lalonde flourished at quarterback.

Hayward moves around to get the ball in his hands. He had 118 yards and three touchdowns on only 12 carries, and added 86 yards on two catches.

Buhro had nine catches for 154 yards, including three touchdowns. He juggled one off his own helmet and high into the air, before easily collecting it in the end zone.

Lalonde is Hayward's loudest and most emotional supporter from the sideline on fourth-and-2 plays. Hayward is equally enthused about the arrangement.

"Mike throws a perfect ball," Hayward said. "He's stepped in and done great things. He puts it on the money, as you could see. I love Mike."

Judson Overmyer didn't finish the Genoa game because of injury for the second time. This time, little brother Jaxson Overmyer, who is actually the same size, stepped up. Overmyer occupied a substantial role for the first time and maximized the opportunity with an interception to foil the Comets' final possession.

"Maybe the first play I was a little nervous," Jaxson said. "After that I was just having fun playing football. They'd been running that play. I hadn't played corner [on film]. They were picking on me. I saw it and knew it was time to jump it and make a play.

"I've been going at corner all week. We knew that play by the alignment. To make such a big play in such a big game is a huge moment. The team got us in that situation and I was in the right spot."

Maybe, but Oak Harbor had to have the adjustment.

"I was impressed to see Jaxson step in and not give up," Hayward said. "They hit big plays on him and he kept fighting. It paid off with a big interception to change momentum."

Genoa (6-5) trailed 39-36 when Adrian Antry scored from 29 yards with 6 minutes, 56 seconds left in the fourth quarter. Mason Drummond plucked the conversion pass with his hands above his head and held on even though he couldn't brace his fall as the Comets climbed within a field goal.

Oak Harbor's Trent Wilson recovered an onside kick after Genoa's initial boot dribbled out of bounds. Hayward later converted with a rush to the 25 on fourth-and-2.

Hayward capped the drive from the 9 and converted a run to complete the scoring with 2:34 left. He broke up a long pass, before Overmyer's pick.

"They beat us," Hayward said. "We wanted this game since Week 2. Go hard."

Genoa pulled within 33-28 as Aiden Brunkhorst naked bootlegged for a 12-yard touchdown with 2:39 left in the third quarter. Hayward responded with a touchdown from the 2 for an 11-point lead.

"Both teams played extremely hard," Oak Harbor coach Mike May said. "It was back and forth. We had trouble stopping the run in the second half. We stepped up and made plays when we had to."

Brunkhorst ran in from the 10 late in the second quarter and Antry scored from 55 yards early in the third as Genoa erased most of an early deficit for a 27-21 margin. Hayward answered from 29 yards out on fourth-and-1, after Carson Ridener caught a third-and-12 pass to convert.

"Before we even called the play, I read the line," he said. "The hole was open. I hit the hole, bounced it and scored."

Ridener had 128 yards on 26 carries and 149 yards of offense with two catches. Oak Harbor had 528 yards of offense, including 259 yards on 43 carries.

"We always want to run the football first," May said. "We can throw it around a little. We want to get kids in space."

Genoa had 356 yards, including 177 rushing on 31 totes. Antry had 169 yards on only 18 carries, Drummond had 133 yards on six receptions and Brunkhorst completed 9 of 17 passes for 179 yards.

Drummond opened the scoring with an 89-yard catch-and-run touchdown.

Oak Harbor linebacker Garry Brooks made certain there were no yards after the catch on several occasions.

"He played well," May said. "Garry is somebody, he plays inside linebacker and strong safety. He's very multiple with what he can do. He makes plays."

He added an interception by closing the ball between his forearms and biceps as though he was cuddling it.

"We knew they like to run screens," Hayward said. "Garry read it and reacted and cradled the interception."

Buhro's circus catch established a 27-8 lead in the second quarter.

"He had a fade," Hayward said. "Mike threw the ball and he tipped it and it bounced off his head and he tracked it down and scored."

Buhro's first touchdown covered 56 yards, after he discarded a tackle near mid-field. Judson Overmyer had a third-down conversion catch.

Buhro's second scoring reception was only 15 yards, but Lalonde's pass followed a high arc before dropping to somehow still give Buhro plenty of time to keep his feet in.

It was a sublime little throw, on a third-and-goal play, that looked so much easier than it was on both ends. With multiple versatile weapons, it's not uncommon Oak Harbor's offense finds the end zone in a snap.

mhorn@gannett.com

419-307-4892

Twitter: @MatthewHornNH

This article originally appeared on Fremont News-Messenger: Hayden Buhro catches three touchdown passes for Oak Harbor football