CARLISLE — The end of the month brought the end of the season.
West Liberty-Salem ran into a troublesome group of Indians Friday, as they lost 35-0 to Carlisle in the first round of the Division V football playoffs.
Carlisle, the #5 seed, piled up 300 yards rushing on the night, most of it by sophomore Alex Collins, who collected 220 of it on 20 carries and scored three of the team’s five touchdowns.
West Liberty-Salem, which ends the season at 5-6, was unable to find momentum until late in the first half. They put together a solid drive and got very close to scoring in the final seconds, but were turned away.
A scoring drive by the Indians to begin the third quarter set the running clock in motion.
Quarterback Beckett Sullivan of WL-S completed 16 of 33 passes for 193 yards, with one being intercepted.
Carson Poppe was the leading receiver with five catches for 79 yards. Sam Kidd had three for 48, and Casey Boyer three for 22.
The Tigers were held to just 28 net yards rushing on 13 carries.
Coach Brad Jarzab declined to comment after the game.
Carlisle improves to 9-2 on the year. They advance to face #4 seed Graham in the quarterfinals next Friday.
Besides Collins, Trent Snodgrass had 11 carries for 62 yards and one touchdown rushing. Quarterback Kolby Morgerson attempted just three passes. One was a 9-yard touchdown to Clayton Jewell, the other a 2-yard toss to Collins.
West Liberty-Salem received the opening kickoff and returned it to the 30-yard line. They got three yards on a run and five yards on a catch, both by Corbin Wallace, but were stopped on third down and forced to punt.
The Indians set up at their own 37. Collins had big runs of 17 and then 11 yards to push the ball into Tigers’ territory. A series of shorter gains, mostly by Snodgrass, saw the Indians march down to the 5. An offsides call on the Tigers moved them a bit closer, and Collins punched it in from the left side with 5:31 to play in the first quarter. Alex Conger added the PAT to make it 7-0.
The Tigers again went three and out. The punt sailed the other way, giving Carlisle the ball at the 30.
It didn’t remain there long, however. Collins took the handoff from Morgerson, bulled through the line and then hit the afterburners, racing down the middle of the field for 70 yards and six points. The kick attempt was no good, leaving it 13-0 with 3:39 to go.
Silas Krabill got a burst for the Tigers’ first down of the night after the kickoff. He got another seven yards to reach the Carlisle 49. An incompletion and short gain brought up fourth down. Sullivan was unable to connect and the ball went over to Carlisle.
Collins had a short run, then a big 29-yard burst. Two plays later, he scored on a 9-yard run up the middle. Morgerson ran it for the two-point conversion, making it 21-0 with 30 seconds to go in the first quarter.
On the ensuing Tigers’ drive, Sullivan fired down the middle and hit Isaac Sertell for a 27-yard gain. The teams traded directions to start the second period, and Carlisle held WL-S to one completion in the next four snaps.
The Indians were at their own 36, but a penalty for a horse collar tackle by the Tigers got them to midfield.
This drive lasted six plays, with a 25-yard rumble by Collins the big play to move inside the 20. It ended with a fade from Morgerson to Jewell on the right edge of the end zone with 8:05 to go. The PAT was true, pumping it up to 28-0.
West Liberty-Salem converted on a third down, but was halted after that. The Tigers defense then got a stop.
A well-aimed punt by Carlisle saw the ball roll down to the Tigers’ 10-yard line, where it was touched by the Indians.
Sullivan got protection and fired a 16-yard completion to Poppe, then hit Casey Boyer for a 10-yard gain and another first down. Two incompletions followed, but Sullivan then went back to Poppe for 16 yards and a first down near midfield.
A short pass to Boyer picked up three. Sullivan then scrambled ahead for 13 yards to the 32.
A penalty on the Indians gave WL-S five yards. Sullivan went back to Poppe for nine yards and first down at the Indians’ 16.
Sullivan then ran for four yards, and timeout was called with 11 seconds left in the half.
Sullivan threw to the right on the next snap. Kidd was able to make the catch despite interference from Carlisle. The penalty was declined, leaving WL-S just a few seconds to try and get on the board.
The quick throw went incomplete, sending the teams to the half at 28-0.
Carlisle used a good return to begin the third quarter at the 46-yard line, and Collins quickly advanced it 14 yards on the first play from scrimmage. He was slightly shaken up as he tried to hurdle a couple of defenders, but would later return.
Snodgrass ran it on four of the next six plays, and after a reverse for nine yards by Collins to the doorstep, Snodgrass broke through with 8:03 to go. The PAT by Conger got it to 35 points and brought the running clock into effect.
West Liberty-Salem was able to drive using completions for 23 and 13 yards to Poppe and a big throw for 32 yards to Kidd on fourth down. They got to the Indians’ 3 before a throw to the left was intercepted by Jewell in the end zone.
Each team had the ball in the fourth quarter, with Carlisle punting and WL-S getting stopped on downs. Carlisle then ran a few plays to finish off the victory.
Playing their final game for the Tigers were seniors Corbin Wallace, Reese Oder, Cameron Pope, Isaac Sertell, Dustin Bolton, Bradley Petry, Naaman Stidham, Carson Poppe, Sam Strapp, Bryant Eaton, Wyatt Saxton, and Jake Lauck.
In the other Region 20 games, it was North Union over Greeneview 21-6; Preble Shawnee over Arcanum 54-26 and Mariemont over North College Hill 31-12.
Next week’s quarterfinal matchups will be: #8 North Union at #1 Williamsburg; #5 Carlisle at #4 Graham; #7 Preble Shawnee at #2 Indian Lake and #11 Mariemont at #3 Miami East.
