OHIO — In an OHSAA Division III state championship rematch between top-seeded regional champions, Columbus Bishop Watterson found itself trailing 14-13 after a blocked extra point could’ve knotted the game with 10:28 left to play against two-time defending titleholder Toledo Central Catholic.
Senior Zack Weber and the Eagles (16-0) forced Toledo Central Catholic to punt on the next possession, and Bishop Watterson took over possession with less than eight minutes to go.
Weber and Bishop Watterson converted five first downs during a 15-play, 80-yard drive and arrived inside the red zone at the Fighting Irish 9-yard line with about two minutes left to play thanks to Eagles junior quarterback Drew Bellisari connecting with senior wide receiver Tommy Haley on a 20-yard throw.
Bellisari kept the football and ran nine yards into the end zone on the next play, giving Bishop Watterson a 19-14 lead, its first of the game. Only 1:29 stood in the way of the Eagles’ state championship.
Toledo Central Catholic (14-2) got as close as its own 48-yard line before it was backed up to the 34 due to a false start and sack. On 4th and 24 with less than 40 seconds left, Fighting Irish senior quarterback Isaiah Fox passed to junior wide receiver Preston Fryzel who lateraled to junior running back Jerome Davis, and Bishop Watterson’s defense swarmed Davis and sealed their first state championship since 2010 and first 16-0 season in school history.
“We talked to them at halftime, and really the mindset was we just got to be who we are,” Bishop Watterson head coach Brian Kennedy said. “I thought for the most part we played really well on defense. We just had to get the offense going, and I go back to the seniors and the leadership and believing, right? Just, just not giving up, not saying, 'Well, we can't,' or this won't happen or whatever. Just continuing to fight and obviously it paid off for them.”
Toledo Central Catholic led 7-0 at halftime after sophomore quarterback Ali Beydoun ran in a 4-yard score with 3:58 left in the first quarter. Bishop Watterson was held to 44 yards — all on the ground — through two quarters. It seemed as though Toledo Central Catholic would keep the Eagles at bay.
“Especially if you watch the game from last year, you know, not able to run the football, and we've kind of flipped the script this year,” Weber said. “And, I mean, I think that's a lot of credit to our O-line and our coaches. All of us come together and it is us playing as 11 guys.”
Bellisari finished 5-of-9 for 88 yards and a touchdown after going 0-for-3 through the first three quarters. Weber had a game-high 134 rushing yards on 28 carries. Beydoun totaled 158 passing yards on 68% completion. Toledo Central Catholic senior running back Tyler Morgan ran for a team-high 80 yards.
“It was a tough one,” Toledo Central Catholic head coach Greg Dempsey said. “Had the lead at half. They score to tie it up there in the third and they get the big kick return, and then just couldn't get that one extra score, that one extra stop. It was a defensive battle most of the night.”