Trevor Moran (10) of North Union looks for a hole in the River Valley defense as he rushes with the ball. Moran ran for 265 yards and four touchdowns during the Wildcats’ 38-6 win.
(Photo submitted)
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If you are a good high school football team that can get to 7-3 at the end of the regular season, you have a fairly good chance of making it to the post-season.
That, however, isn’t always the case.
The North Union Wildcats of North Union clobbered River Valley, 38-6, on Friday for their seventh win in 10 outings.
At the end of the game, NU was uncertain if it still had a chance at a Division V playoff berth.
The unofficial ratings, shortly after midnight, put NU in ninth place and out of the running for the post-season.
The official ratings will be announced on Sunday.
North Union head coach Nick Hajjar said the Cats put themselves in the best possible situation with the win.
“The only thing we could control in this scenario was try to get a win tonight,” he said. “We will see what happens after that and if it is the end, then it is unfortunate because we are a good football team.”
That good football team was in full swing against the Vikings as they tallied 395 total yards, while holding River Valley to only 76.
The bulk of the offense fell on the shoulders of Trevor Moran, who earned 265 yards on the ground.
It started on the Wildcats’ first offensive drive.
Moran drove the ball over, around and through the Vikings as NU pushed down the field for its opening score.
Moran scored on an eight-yard run in the first two minutes of the game. Anthony Padovano failed on the point after to keep it at 6-0.
The Wildcats did it again on their next possession when Moran took it in from two yard out for his second touchdown. The Wildcats attempted to go for two points, but River Valley was able to shut down the run attempt to keep it at 12-0.
NU found the end zone on their third possession after only five plays.
Moran made a solid cut from 20 yards out and sprinted into the end zone for his third TD. Padovano put the ball through the uprights to give the Wildcats a 19-0 lead early in the second quarter.
Hajjar said the Cats had something to prove after their loss to Buckeye Valley last week.
“I think the kids had some things to prove this week,” he said. “They wanted to end it right because we are a good football team. We wanted to go 5-0 at home and win seven games in this conference. That is a heck of a season.”
Moran also continued his outstanding season after North Union’s Preston Crabtree snagged a River Valley ball out of the air to give NU possession at their own 39-yard line.
Moran went back to work on his way to his 1,455-yard season.
As the Cats clawed their way closer and closer to another TD, Trevyn Feasel got in on the mix. He took a handoff up the middle from the 15-yard line to give NU a 25-0 lead, after a failed PAT.
The Wildcat defense, which had prevented the Vikings from converting a first down, kept their slate clean going into the locker room with a 25-0 lead.
After the turn, the Wildcats went back to business, marching for a TD to open the third quarter.
Padovano threw a pass near the back of the end zone to an open Feasel, who hauled it in with ease. Padovano came through on the kick to make it a 32-0 ball game.
The Vikings were able to make some head-way in the final seconds of the third quarter.
They coverted their first, first down of the contest on a pass in the Wildcat formation. That pass led to another from Jake Green to Trae Davis for six points.
RV failed to convert for two points as the score stood 32-6.
Moran and the Wildcats answered in a hurry on five plays to take a 38-6 lead. Moran scored his fourth touchdown on an 18-yard run around the edge.
River Valley had no answer as the Wildcats later ended the game with a victory formation to wrap up the regular season.
Hajjar said no matter what happens now, he wanted NU to end the season the right way.
“We weren’t able to take care of business in other games, but we were able to tonight and end it the right way,” he said.
The Wildcats now must wait for the official Ohio High School Athletic Association computer rankings as they sit on bubble for the playoffs.