PERRYSBURG — There was little to cheer about during most of Perrysburg’s Senior Night.
Trailing by two touchdowns to Springfield late in the fourth quarter with little to no offense to speak
of, the Yellow Jackets seemed to be heading to a devastating loss to their dwindling league and state
playoff hopes.
Then, Steve Slocum took over. CLICK
HERE FOR PHOTO GALLERY
The
freshman replaced his brother at quarterback early in the second half and led the ’Jackets to an
unlikely 15-14 comeback win over the Blue Devils.
Slocum threw for one touchdown and ran for another before tossing the game-clinching two-point conversion
with 3:11 left in the game.
“Steve Slocum made it happen,” said Perrysburg coach Matt Kregel. “He made it go. He made some great
throws, but his ability to run the ball put (Springfield) on the defensive and gave us a chance.”
Perrysburg improved to 6-2 overall and 3-2 in the NLL, a winner of two straight after last week’s shutout
of Anthony Wayne. Springfield dropped to 3-5, 2-3.
The ’Jackets were ninth in this week’s computer ratings in Division I, Region 2. The top eight teams in
each region qualify for the state playoffs. Perrysburg’s Week 10 opponent, Maumee, currently holds the
eighth and final spot in the region. Perrysburg is one game behind the Panthers and Southview in the
league race, as both are 4-1 in the NLL.
“A loss would have been absolutely tough to swallow at this point,” Kregel said. “Just the fact that they
fought through and won that game says a lot about our kids. They’re just tougher than nails.”
Slocum was a bit shaky when he first replaced his brother, Matt, early in the third quarter, throwing two
of Perrysburg’s three interceptions. But his ability to move the chains with his legs and make plays
through the airfinally got Perrysburg’s offense rolling.
“It was great. It was a rough time. It’s a lot different than junior high,” Steve Slocum said. “We just
kept fighting all the way.”
Steve Slocum led Perrysburg with 52 yards rushing on 18 carries and passed for 86 yards, including an
18-yard strike to Matt Marquette that cut Springfield’s lead to 14-7 with 4:52 left in the fourth
quarter.
“First of all they’re both great kids,” said Kregel of the Slocum brothers. “Steve is going to be a great
player some day. He’s just got that swagger to him that you can tell.”
The ’Jackets got the ball right back after their first score, as Alex Morse recovered a fumble at the
Springfield 40-yard line on the ensuing kickoff.
Steve Slocum then ran for 27 yards on the winning drive, including a 3-yard touchdown run that cut the
lead to 14-13 as the game appeared to be headed to overtime.
But after a Springfield off-sides penalty, with Perrysburg’s kicking team on for the point-after attempt,
the ball wasmovedto the 1-yard line. Kregel then called a timeout and decided to go for the 2-point
conversion and the win. Steve Slocum then hit Austin McKinley in the flat for the game-deciding
conversion.
“I was going to call it (the 2-point conversion) from the beginning and then the coaches kind of talked
me out it,” said Kregel. “We took a time out and discussed it and I rolled the dice.”
Springfield had one last chance with the ball, but a key tackle of Blue Devil quarterback LeRoy Alexander
in the open field by Cody Stemen and a sack by Micah Carter on the next play clinched the win for the
’Jackets.
The Perrysburg defense held Springfield to 177 yards of total offense and only eight first downs.
“Nothing stops us. Everybody in the locker room, we just keep fighting,” Steve Slocum said. “That first
half, we didn’t come out to play. We thought it was going to be an easier game. We just came out (in the
second half) and went for them.”
In the first half Perrysburg managed only four yards rushing and 69 yards of total offense and lost
starting running back Matt Kruzel to a concussion.
Springfield scored on its first drive of both halves, building its lead to 14-0 after running back Edwin
Huntley scored from a yard out with 8:50 left in the third quarter. Alexander scored Springfield’s first
touchdown on a one-yard run with 3:59 left in the first quarter.
“We were terrible,” said Kregel of Perrysburg’s first three-plus quarters. “(Springfield) did some really
good things offensively to put our guys in a bad position on defense and they took advantage of some
things. But we didn’t play inspired like we did a week ago.”
Perrysburg travels to NLL-foe Northview (3-5, 2-3) next week before facing Maumee in the annualBattle of
the Ding Dong Bellto close out the regular season.
PERRYSBURG 15, SPRINGFIELD 14
SPRINGFIELD 7 0 7 0 —14
PERRYSBURG 0 0 0 15 —15
S — Alexander, 1 run (Drake kick)
S — Huntley, 1 run (Drake kick)
P — Marquette, 18 pass from S. Slocum (Marquette kick)
P — S. Slocum, 3 run (McKinley pass from S. Slocum)
TEAM STATISTICS
Category S P
First downs 8 11
by rushing 4 5
by passing 4 6
by penalty 0 0
Total net yards 177 214
Rushing 87 63
Passing 90 151
Attempts 15 34
Completions 7 12
Interceptions 0 3
Punts/average 8/27.9 5/45.4
Penalties/yards 5/36 4/21
Fumbles/lost 2/2 4/1
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING: (S) Huntley, 11-42; Alexander, 13-41; Grogg, 7-9; Bombalicki, 1-0; Outly, 1-(minus-5); (P)
Kruzel, 8-22; S. Slocum, 18-52; Carter, 1-1; M. Slocum, 2-(minus 20); Logan, 1-5; Marquette, 1-3.
PASSING: (S) Alexander, 7-14-0—90; Outly, 0-1-0—0; (P) M. Slocum, 5-15-1—65; S. Slocum, 7-19-2—86.
RECEIVING: (S) Grogg, 3-46; Takats, 1-(minus 4); Hill, 2-44; Williams, 1-4; (P) Marquette, 6-77; Parrill,
1-20; Noland, 1-9; Logan, 2-12; Mantos, 1-22; Guy, 1-11.
