Nick Henthorn goes back to passing — Toronto QB Zev Kinsey fires a pass during Friday night’s game against Wheeling Central at Clark Hinkle Stadium.
TORONTO — The Maroons and Red Knights faced off against visiting Wheeling Central, who earned a close 29-27 victory Friday at Red Knight Stadium.
Central quarterback Niko Kusic and an explosive cast of receivers pulled off a road win and pushed the Wild West well enough to move to 7-2 on the season for the sixth consecutive year. Toronto had a bittersweet senior night, finishing the season with a 7-3 record. They are now looking to their playoff future.
“It was a really good fight for our team tonight,” Toronto head coach Jarrett Orbiel said. “We fought hard and played well. Sometimes we fall short, but tonight was an example of that. We need to turn things around quickly because we have to prepare for Week 11 and the playoffs.” We don’t know who will come or where they will go, but a quick response will begin tomorrow morning.”
joeeitel.com’s unofficial playoff rankings have Toronto as the No. 7 seed in Division V, Region 21, hosting either Smithville or Leavittsburgh, both of which are 7-3.
Kusic scored four touchdowns for the Maroon Knights, recording a 46-yard touchdown run and throwing touchdown passes of 62, 39, and 33 yards. All three scores involved serious yards after the catch by the trio of Cade Coroneos, Braden McCreese, and Joey Hall.
Wheeling Central led 13-0 in the first quarter, but trailed 14-13 by halftime. They regained the lead on McCreese’s touchdown reception late in the third quarter and maintained their winning streak.
Central led 7-0 on the fourth play of the game when Kusic found Coroneos deep in the middle and Coroneos raced the rest of the way to the end zone after a key downfield block from Max Olejas.
Braden McCreath had a pass breakup on Toronto’s fourth-and-7 play, causing a turnover on downs. Central continued to score in the first quarter, with Kusic running for the read option on a 46-yard dash at 2:25. However, the extra point was blocked and Central led 13-0.
Toronto trailed for nearly six minutes after Central’s score, eventually forcing a fourth-and-goal from the 1-yard line with nine minutes left in the second quarter. The Red Knights opted for a QB sweep, and Wheeling Central’s Dustin Sanner took a shot into the backfield, grappling Toronto quarterback Zeb Kinsey behind the goal line and forcing Toronto into a turnover on downs. Ta.
Momentum quickly shifted back to the Red Knights, however, as they recovered a fumble at the Wheeling Central 32-yard line.
Toronto’s Aiden Philby made a 33-yard catch and Drake Boucher finished the drive with a 3-yard touchdown run.
The Red Knights resumed their offense with just a few minutes left in the first half, but Mason Marchbank capped off their final drive of the half with a 21-yard touchdown reception, reeling in a catch near the 10-yard line and going for a preliminary 2-yarder. The maroon tackler heads into the end zone.
With the extra point, Toronto jumped out to a 14-13 lead at halftime.
But Wheeling Central fought back first with defense and then with offense. The Maroon Knights forced an incompletion on fourth-and-goal from the 20-yard line, leading to another Toronto turnover on downs. Kusic followed with a 39-yard score from McCreese, and Kusic converted for a two-point conversion for a 21-14 lead at the 3:57 mark of the third quarter.
Marchbank scored his second touchdown of the game on a 15-yard slant with less than a minute left, but Wheeling Central blocked the extra point this time, giving the Maroon Knights a 21-20 lead. He went into the game keeping his guard up. Fourth quarter.
Central was able to keep the pressure on by scoring a touchdown in the fourth quarter in a high-pressure situation. Facing a 4-10 score, Kusic rolled out of the pocket and found a hole for an improbable 33-yard pitch-and-catch. Kusic passed to Wyatt Brady for the two-point conversion and the Maroons’ lead. It spread to 2 points. Possession, 29-20.
Toronto closed in with plenty of time to spare, and Kinsey threw a strike to Boucher that took him 61 yards to the Central 5-yard line. Boucher finished the drive with a run on the next play, but Toronto didn’t have the ball until 4 o’clock. I couldn’t get it back. There were seconds left on the clock.
Kinsey’s Hail Mary attempt fell incomplete to end the match. Toronto’s QB went 13-for-34 passing for 244 yards and two touchdowns. Boucher was the Red Knights’ leading rusher, gaining 90 yards and two touchdowns on 11 touchdowns.
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