Southern Ohio Sports Authority is presented by OhioHealth.
CHILLICOTHE — Win or lose, there wasn’t a team in Ohio that was perfect on Friday night.
But by all means, and in all phases of the game, Unioto was as close as it gets.
The Shermans took an early lead, kept the gas pedal pressed to the floorboard and pummeled Paint Valley by a 43-0 final — clinching at least a share of their second consecutive SVC championship in the process.
“We’ve been asking our guys to play for four quarters all season,” Unioto coach Matt Hoops said. “Whether it be a bad quarter here or a penalty there, we haven’t been able to do it. Obviously, tonight, these guys came out and got it done for four quarters. Whoever’s number was called, they made a play. That’s offense, defense and special teams. I’m just really proud of our guys.”
CREDIT: Raymond Gleadle/SOSA
From the opening kick, Unioto (8-1, 6-0 SVC) was in control of the ballgame.
The Shermans started the night with a 5-play, 64-yard scoring drive that set the tempo. That came on the legs of Cody Braden, who made it a 7-0 tally with a three-yard touchdown run at the 9:47 mark in the first quarter.
Paint Valley’s ship continued to quickly sink when Unioto senior Caden Cutright stepped in front of a pass to set his offense up at the Bearcats’ nine-yard line. On the next play, Braden scored again and before PV could blink, Unioto had a 14-0 lead with 8:38 left in the first.
After trading punts, Unioto took over with 4:51 remaining in the first. The Shermans then pieced together their best drive of the night, embarking on a 15-play, 87-yard drive that spanned over six minutes.
It ended with a three-yard touchdown run from Braden at the 10-minute mark in the second, pushing the lead to 21-0.
“I think over the last four or five weeks, us being able to run the football has made us better,” Hoops said. “That goes for our guys up front, Cody Braden is huge in that and David Long is huge in that. Then, being able to have Yusef Wilson off the bench, fresh, is big as well.”
Up three touchdowns, Unioto didn’t let up.
On the Bearcats’ next possession, Cutright again picked off a pass — the 14th of his career to tie Unioto’s career record.
“We hope he has the opportunity to break that [record] with a couple of games left,” Hoops said. “For him to tie it at home, that’s awesome.”
PHOTOS: Images from Unioto’s win over Paint Valley
The offense cashed in once again, this time with a 10-yard touchdown run from quarterback Isaac Coy to push the edge to 29-0 — a successful two-point try after a penalty — with 5:10 left in the first half.
Paint Valley then turned the ball over a third time, allowing JJ Smith to recover a fumble, before Unioto topped off a 36-point first half with a three-yard touchdown toss from Coy to Blake Hoops.
“I feel like once we get the momentum, we just keep going,” Unioto’s Yusef Wilson said. “We have guys everywhere. God forbid we lose a starter, but if we do, it’s next man up. We just want to keep going. We want to make history with back-to-back Gold Balls.”
Wilson was responsible for the Tanks’ next score, which didn’t come until the 2:40 mark in the fourth quarter with a running clock in full effect.
On an 11-play, 93-yard scoring drive, Wilson carried the ball nine times for 67 yards and added a 26-yard reception as well. His score came from six yards out to put the icing on the cake.
“It means a lot to our seniors, too. Winning [the SVC title] in back-to-back years and, hopefully, winning the Gold Ball again next week, it just means a lot,” Cutright said. “We have to go 1-0 every day, focusing on ourselves and not the other team.”
Statistically, Braden rushed 16 times for 60 yards and scored three touchdowns while Wilson ended with 12 carries for 72 yards and a score. Coy finished 8-of-15 passing for 150 yards and a touchdown alongside 35 rushing yards and a score. Hoops led the team’s receivers with four catches for 55 yards and a touchdown, and Levi Beam added a 47-yard reception.
“We just have to keep working in practice. We have to keep it up. We can’t just take stuff for granted,” Unioto’s Marcel James said. “We always have to want it. We have to need it. This week, starting Monday, we have to win that day. We have to build up to game day so when it comes, we’re at our best. We can’t let off the gas.”
In Week 10, Paint Valley (7-2, 4-2 SVC) will attempt to bounce back with a home date against Zane Trace. Meanwhile, the Shermans will try to win their second consecutive Gold Ball, hosting Southeastern.
Last year’s Gold Ball was the team’s first since 1981. If they can beat the Panthers, it’d mark the first back-to-back perfect conference seasons in program history.
“We have to take it one week at a time,” Hoops said. “The one word I’ve used a lot is mature. I’ve asked the guys, ‘Are you going to be mature enough to handle it? Are you mature enough to handle success or adversity?’ They’ve really kind of stepped up and have been more mature. When you’re playing against good teams, in the playoffs, you’re not going to win every single battle. So how are you going to handle that? We have to be mature enough to bounce back.”
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