North Union quarterback Preston Crabtree rambles for 31 yards against Liberty-Benton on Saturday. The Wildcats upset the No. 1-seeded Eagles to advance in the Division V playoffs. (Journal-Tribune photo by Sam Dillon)
North Union’s football team knew it had a big challenge on its hands Saturday. The Wildcats took to the road against top-seeded Liberty-Benton in the Division V, Region 18 playoffs.
The eighth-seeded Cats, however, relieved all doubt when they upset the Eagles 28-7 to keep their playoff drive alive.
Head coach Nick Hajjar said now the Wildcats are playing deeper than they ever have before in the post-season.
“This is uncharted territory right now,” he said. “We are excited to have another chance to play football.
“We went up against a really good football team, which was fourth ranked in the state,” he said. “We just did enough to win and I’m proud of that.”
North Union came out hard and fast.
The Wildcats have been a prominently running team for the majority of the season, but on their opening drive, they used the pass to move down deep into Liberty-Benton territory.
A 35-yard pass from Preston Crabtree to Owen Davis set NU up at the Eagles’ 12-yard line. Trevor Moran did the rest, scoring from five-yards out to give NU the opening score only three minutes into the contest.
Ricky Weigand added a PAT to give NU a 7-0 lead.
Hajjar said his team saw what the Liberty-Benton defense was giving it and decided to take some chances through the air.
“There is the ability to throw the ball if we desire,” Hajjar said. “Having the flexibility, we don’t use it all the time, it is really just a feel thing.
“They were packing the box, so we had to take what they were giving us.”
Although NU’s offense was able to tally 338 yards of total offense, it was the defense that kept the Eagles’ spread offense at bay.
Liberty Benton opened its first series with a pass, but their drive was short-lived as Tucker Wedding intercepted a pass two plays later to give NU the ball at midfield.
North Union couldn’t capitalize on the opportunity, but the Wildcats’ defense continued to hold the Eagles through the first quarter for a 7-0 lead.
NUs defense picked up all the points in the second quarter.
A Wildcat punt by Grayson Beeney pinned the Eagles inside their own 20-yard line.
Liberty Benton tried to run its way to a first down, using a pitch.
Trevyn Feasel got into the backfield and grabbed the ball. He took it to the end zone to give the Cats’ their second TD.
Weigand kicked a successful PAT for a 14-0 lead.
Hajjar said the TD was a real turning point of the game.
“They (the defense) continue to make plays,” he said. “They are opportunistic.
“Trevyn made a great play that set the stage,” said Hajjar. “It opened up the gap to a two-score game.
“We then bent a bit deep in our own territory, but we recovered some turnovers and stopped drives.”
The Wildcats made a late push in the half. They worked their way down to the Eagles’ five-yard line with only seconds left on the clock.
Crabtree dropped back to pass, but ended up throwing a ball to the waiting arms of an Eagles’ defensive back in the end zone to end the drive.
NU tooks its 14-0 lead into the locker rooms.
The Wildcat defense held Liberty-Benton to a three-and-out to start the second half.
The Eagles’ punt set up NU at the Liberty-Benton 40-yard line.
Crabtree got in on the ground game and helped move the Cats down to the three-yard line on a run up the middle.
Moran pounded his way into the end zone on the remaining yardage and Weigand sailed his kick through the uprights for a 21-0 margin.
Hajjar said his senior quarterback helped extend plays and kept the offense on the field.
“Preston did a really good job of keeping drives alive with his legs, turning the sticks and getting us another set of downs,” he said.
“These guys are seniors and they are battle-tested, so you have to be aggressive with them. This is there last go around. We’ve just got to trust them.”
Desperation started to creep in on the Eagles’ ensuing drive.
On their own 34-yard line, they decided to go for a first down on a fourth-and-four situation. The following pass play fell incomplete, setting NU up with a short field.
The Wildcats pounced on the opportunity when Moran took a handoff around the end and ran for 30 yards to the Eagles’ two-yard line.
He finished the remaining yardage for his third TD.
Weigand added the Cats’ final point of the night for a 28-0 lead.
The Eagles answered with points of their own.
Liberty-Union put together a sustained drive that ended with a one-yard run up the middle by Nathan DiRe for six points. Cason Doolittle added the PAT to put the score at 28-7.
The Wildcats held on through the fourth quarter to seal the upset.
North Union will move on the Division V regional semifinals at Pemberville Eastwood (7 p.m.) on Saturday.
Trevor Moran scores his first TD against Liberty-Benton on Saturday. NU advances in the D-III state playoffs. (Journal-Tribune photo by Sam Dillon)