Trevyn Feasel of North Union (left) avoids a tackler during Saturday evening’s playoff game. The Wildcats fell in overtime at Pemberville Eastwood. (Journal-Tribune photo by Sam Dillon)
North Union’s football has gone farther then ever before, but the season came to an end on Saturday.
Most coaches would say they hope it would be with a state championship in hand. Wildcat head coach Nick Hajjar would be one of those coaches, but the campaign ended just a few games short.
The Wildcats fell to Pemberville Eastwood, 20-14, in overtime on Saturday.
The game was the Division V, Region 19 semifinals.
Hajjar said the entire season has been surreal, from COVID-19 threatening the season, to everyone getting a shot at a state title to the Wildcats making school history.
“We didn’t now if any sports would get to this point and then we are in,” he said. “It is a special moment for our kids.
“I wish we could have come out on top, but give credit to Eastwood,” he said. “We both battled, but someone had to win and somebody had to lose.
“Unfortunately we came up on the short end of the stick.”
It wasn’t, though, for a lack of effort.
The Wildcats burst out of the gate on the opening kickoff.
They ran the ball Eagles territory to the six-yard line.
NU pummeled to the two-yard line before setting up the Wildcat with Trevyn Feasel. Feasel took the snap around the end to find the end zone.
Ricky Weigand kicked the ball through the upright to give NU a 7-0 lead in the first quarter.
Eastwood’s offense also went to work with its ground attack.
The Eagles picked their way through NU’s defensive line to work down the field to the one-yard line.
They looked to Bryce Koprowski-Kistner to finish off the drive.
Issac Badenhop kicked the PAT to tie the game at 7-7 with 9:50 left in the second quarter.
The two sides entered a defensive standoff through the majority of the second quarter.
It was the Wildcats’ offense that struck before the half.
North Union received a punt in Eagles territory.
The Cats used Trevor Moran to work to the 32-yard line.
On third-and-eight, NU decided to go for the TD.
Preston Crabtree threw up a long pass to Owen Davis in the end zone. Davis made a leaping one-handed grab to give NU the lead.
Weigand added a PAT to make it 14-7 with 1:14 left in the half.
NU held the upper hand at halftime.
Eastwood came out after the break, drove the field and scored after Emmet Getz ran down the sideline from 14-yards out.
Badenhop added the PAT, knotting the game at 14-14.
The two sides’ defense kept each other’s run games in check through the remainder of the third quarter and for the majority of the fourth.
With less than two minutes left in regulation, NU’s defense shut down a fourth-and- third run by the Eagles to take possession on their own 36-yard line.
North Union switched to a hurry-up offense that looked to Evan Hoffer on the screen multiple times.
The Cats moved down to the Eagles 16-yard line before taking their last timeout with three seconds left on the clock.
Weigand came on to attempt a 32-yard field goal to win the game.
The junior kicker had a stiff wind in his face.
On the snap, Weignad sent the ball on target, but the breeze was just too much to overcome as the ball fell a yard short of the crossbar.
With that, both teams headed to overtime.
Hajjar said his team played the best game they could have.
“We stood toe-to-toe with one of the best programs in the state on the road with the chance to go to the regional finals,” he said. “We were right there. We had our chances, it just didn’t happen for us.
“That’s sports,” he said. “I told the kids to keep their heads high because they’ve got a lot to be proud of.”
North Union opened the OT with the ball 20 yards out from the end zone.
The Cats struggled to move the ball on the ground, so a third down pass situation resulted in Crabtree getting sacked at the 26-yard line.
On fourth down, NU decided to go for the end zone on a long pass.
Davis drew a pass interference call that moved the Cats a little closer and gave them another fourth down attempt.
NU went for the end zone again on the pass, but Crabtree couldn’t find an open receiver.
Eastwood needed only four plays to find the end zone. The scoring play, a four-yard run by Gage Might, ended NU’s historic season.
Hajjar said it was his seniors who really pushed the team to this level.
“We have 13 seniors who we are going to miss dearly,” he said. “They are guys who have given a lot to the football program and North Union.
“They say you have to leave it better than you found it and these seniors they did that.”
The Wildcats ended their season with a 7-3 record.