Rams use late surge to stun Mars, 42-31
MARS — Ringgold watched a seven-point lead turn into a seven-point deficit in matter of seconds late in the first half of its WPIAL Class 4-A playoff game at Mars.
Quick turnarounds are nothing new to the Rams, though.
“We’re used to that,” Ringgold coach Nick Milchovich said with a smile after the game. “If you’ve followed us all year, crazy things happen when we play.”
Ringgold refused to let the sudden change of momentum get it down and rallied in the second half, scoring the game’s final 21 points to upend the third-seeded Planets, 42-31, in their quarterfinal match-up.
Quarterback George Martin threw for 257 yards and three touchdowns and also ran for a pair of scores to help the Rams advance into next week’s semifinals where they will get a rematch with New Castle, which upset second-seeded South Fayette. Ringgold defeated the Hurricanes, 41-27, on the road two weeks ago.
It’s the second time in Milchovich’s three years that he’s guided the Rams into the semifinals, this time by defeating the team that eliminated Ringgold from the playoffs last year, 35-0, also in the quarterfinals.
“This group of seniors has taken me on a ride like you wouldn’t believe, from two years ago winning a double-overtime playoff game (21-20 over Hampton) to a few weeks ago scoring two touchdowns in eight seconds (to defeat West Mifflin, 29-26, on the game’s final play),” Milchovich said. “I told them I don’t want this ride to end. I’m so proud of them.”
Against the Titans, Ringgold trailed 26-14 when Martin scored a touchdown with eight seconds left. The Rams recovered an onside kick and Martin connected with Octavius Vassar on the game’s final play for a 17-yard TD pass to win in shocking fashion.
On Friday night, the shoe was on the other foot as the second quarter clock wound down.
Ringgold had just scored on an eight-play, 69-yard drive capped by Martin’s scrambling 13-yard touchdown pass to Maxon Maciejewski and Matthew Cannon booted the third of his six extra-point kicks to put the Rams up 21-14 with just 1:48 left in the half.
Mars came storming back, though, as consecutive completions by quarterback Noah Wright to Max Chizmar covered 47 yards and set up Isaish Johnson’s four-yard touchdown run with 46 seconds left to tie it.
After the kickoff, Ringgold fumbled on a straight-ahead running play with the Planets recovering, and Wright threw a 30-yard TD pass to Ben Perdziola on the next play to put the hosts up 28-21 with 33 seconds remaining until halftime, giving Mars two scores in 13 seconds.
The Rams almost pulled even on the final play of the half but Martin’s pass into the end zone just missed connecting.
While most teams might have been completely crushed by the sudden turn of events, the Rams were not.
“We’ve got tough kids that will keep fighting,” Milchovich said of his team’s mood at halftime. “We were ready to come back out and win.”
Ringgold moved the sticks twice to open the second half but Chizmar picked off a Martin pass and returned it to the Rams 46. Ringgold’s defense held but Caleb Brake’s punt pinned the Rams deep in their own territory, and a three-out-out gave the Planets the ball back at the Ringgold 18 after Johnson’s 15-yard punt return. The Rams’s defense stiffened but left-footed Brake, who made all four of his extra-point attempts, booted a 32-yard field goal with 3:52 left in the third quarter to put Mars up by 10, 31-21.
Badly needing a score to get back in the game and already without talented running back Brenden Small, who was injured in the second quarter, Ringgold suffered another blow when Martin was injured after throwing an incomplete pass on the Rams’ next possession.
“I just got hit in the stomach and lost some air,” Martin said.
The tough 6-foot-4 senior only missed one play, then finished off a 70-yard drive with an 11-yard TD pass to Dalton Holt to slice the margin to three, 31-28. Martin completed four passes in the drive for 58 yards, including three to Holt for 36 yards.
“I knew that’s where we needed to score and I needed to step up and that’s what I tried to do,” Martin said.
Ringgold’s defense stopped the Planets again when Justin Mayer flattened Garrett Reinke for a three-yard loss on third and three, forcing a punt that gave the Rams the ball at their own 35 with 10:29 left in the game.
Martin then came up with his best drive of the night, completing consecutive 16-yard throws to Maciejewski and Holt before lofting a perfect 33-yard pass to Easton Fine for the go-ahead touchdown.
“We made some adjustments in the second half defensively that I thought really helped us, and offensively, we were able to protect the passer a little bit better and we made the throws that we needed to,” Milchovich said.
Now with a 35-31 advantage, Ringgold’s defense continued to dominant and Holt intercepted a Wright third-down pass to give the Rams the ball at the Mars 38. Martin scored on a one-yard plunge soon after to put Ringgold it up by 11.
Any hope the Planets had of rallying disintegrated when Holt made his second interception, this one off of Tyler Kowalkowski, who had replaced an injured Wright during the series.
Holt ended up with seven receptions for 88 yards and the one TD to go along with his two interceptions.
“I know I’ve got to step up at certain times,” Holt said of his clutch performance. “I’m a senior. I’ve got to lead the team and that’s what I try to do. I’m just trying to make plays.”
Martin completed 19 of 31 passes, including nine to Maciejewski for 112 yards and a score.
“It’s been a pleasure to watch him emerge as a quarterback, a passer, a leader,” Milchovich said of Martin. “He’s the real deal. Any college should want that kid. He’s a scholarship quarterback, there’s no doubt about it.”
Tyrese Youngblood, stepping in for the injured Small, rushed for 96 yards on 12 carries.
Mars took a 7-0 lead on its opening drive, marching 76 yards in seven plays with Wright tossing a 23-yard touchdown pass to Johnson.
Wright, usually a running quarterback, completed eight of 11 passes in the game for 186 yards and two TDs.
A forced fumble and recovery by Mayer set up to first score in a wild second quarter that featured 42 points as Ringgold drove 35 yards with Martin’s two-yard sneak tying the game at 7-7.
The Planets went back ahead, 14-7, with a 67-yard drive capped by Johnson’s three-yard TD run, but Brian Vandusen electrified the Rams fans on hand with an 84-yard kickoff return for a touchdown to knot the score again, 14-14, setting up the wild final minutes of the first half.
“With the kids we have, any time they touch the ball it could be a touchdown,” Milchovich said. “Our kick return has been a pretty good weapon for us all year. Just a big play at the right time and that’s what you need at this time of the year.”
Ringgold got plenty of those on Friday night and now is one of only four teams left standing in Class 4-A.
“I’m really confident in this team,” Martin said. “I think we can do great things, honestly.”
Class 4-A Quarterfinals
Ringgold 0-21-7-14 — 42
Mars 7-21-3-0 — 31
First Quarter
M: Isaish Johnson 23 pass from Noah Wright (Caleb Brake kick), 8:32
Second Quarter
R: George Martin 2 run (Matthew Cannon kick), 11:49
M: Isaish Johnson 3 run (Caleb Brake kick), 8:06
R: Brian Vandusen 84 kickoff return (Matthew Cannon kick), 7:54
R: Mason Maciejewski 13 pass from George Martin (Matthew Cannon kick), 1:48
M: Isaish Johnson 4 run (Caleb Brake kick), 0:46
M: Ben Perdziola 30 pass from Noah Wright (Caleb Brake kick), 0:33
Third Quarter
M: Caleb Brake 32 field goal, 3:52
R: Dalton Holt 11 pass from George Martin (Matthew Cannon kick), 0:51
Fourth Quarter
R: Easton Fine 33 pass from George Martin (Matthew Cannon kick), 9:17
R: George Martin 1 run (Matthew Cannon kick), 5:27
Records: Ringgold (8-2), Mars (8-3)