MEDINA COUNTY — Sophomore quarterback Colton Wadle threw a 6-yard touchdown pass to senior Jake Weber as time expired Friday night, Oct. 16, lifting Highland to a stunning 29-28 win over previously undefeated Wadsworth in the rain and completing a comeback from 18 points down.
The win clinched at least a share of the Suburban League National Conference championship for the Hornets (8-1, 6-0). Highland also moved to No. 1 in the Division II, Region 5 computer rankings, clinched a top-four playoff seed that comes with a first-round bye and a home game, and snapped Wadsworth’s 18-game regular-season winning streak.
Wadsworth (8-1, 5-1) appeared to be in control for most of the night. After Wadle and Weber connected on a 27-yard touchdown in the first quarter, the Grizzlies outscored Highland 21-3 in the second quarter on a 3-yard touchdown run by Jude Haller, a 21-yard touchdown pass from Brysen Hall to Jay’len King and a 15-yard touchdown run by Braydan Todd, then stretched the lead to 28-10 in the third quarter when Hall found Kolbey Ostervich for a 10-yard score.
Highland’s defense changed the game after halftime. Seniors Ben Radigan and Evan Foust and sophomore Isaac Demming each intercepted a pass in the second half, and the Hornets scored the game’s final 19 points, all in the fourth quarter, as Wadle ran for touchdowns of 1 and 12 yards to pull Highland within striking distance.
Demming’s interception, with 2:58 remaining, gave Highland the ball at the Wadsworth 40-yard line and set up the final drive. On fourth down with two seconds left, Wadle rolled to his right and threw to Weber, who dove to his left and caught the ball in the end zone, setting off a wild celebration on the home field.
Wadle finished 15-of-24 passing for 176 yards and two touchdowns and ran for 72 yards and two more scores on 13 carries. Weber caught eight passes for 106 yards and both touchdowns. Anthony DePompei added 83 rushing yards on 14 carries. For Wadsworth, Hall threw for 238 yards and ran for 72, and King caught eight passes for 113 yards.
“We just kept fighting,” Highland coach Mike Gibbons said, crediting his defense for dialing up pressure and forcing the second-half turnovers. Weber said he never doubted the final play: “I just knew that he was going to give me a shot and I was just trying to get open to make it happen.”
Highland closes the regular season at Hudson next week, while Wadsworth, which fell to No. 5 in Region 5, hosts Nordonia. The Grizzlies have clinched a top-eight playoff spot and can still earn a top-four seed and a bye with a win in Week 10.
