The Braves of Indian Hill played host to the Monroe Hornets Friday night at Kings High School for the Division III regional playoffs. The Hornets won the coin toss and as usual deferred selection until the second half. The opening kickoff was fielded by #12 Danny Gill of the Braves and moved out to the 27 yard line. Eight plays later their drive stalled under tremendous pressure from the Hornets and they were forced to punt. Their punt, fielded by number 12 Jared Ferguson started our first drive at our own 5 yard line. Four plays later Monroe found themselves punting placing Indian Hill back at the 26 yard line. With 4th and 9 to go Indian Hill fumbled the ball and was recovered by the Hornets. Seven plays later Monroe found pay dirt on a pass from #18 Tyler Osterman to #21 Taylor Simpson for the first score of the game. After the extra point kick by Scott Mann the score was 0-7 Monroe. On the next drive #18 Bo Cordell drove his Braves down the field only to have a scoring pass picked off in the end zone by #25 Danny Leahy. The Hornets drove back down the field from their own 20 yard line only to punt the ball back to Indian Hill.
Indian Hill working from the 50 yard line drove down the field to tie the score 7 all on an inside run from #26 Leonard Riston. The Hornets working from the 38 yard line after the kick put together their second score of the evening on a 3rd and 11 run by Jared Ferguson to bring the score to 7-14 Monroe after the extra point kick by Scott Mann.
Indian Hill put together what appeared to be there next scoring drive bringing the ball from the 30 yard line down to the 2 yard line in 8 plays only to be stuffed short of the score on the next 4 plays by the Monroe defense. Turning the ball over on downs the Hornets took a knee to end the first half still leading 7-14 Monroe.
The Hornets capitalized on a fumbled punt late in the 3rd quarter that was covered by #2 Jason Osterman to lead to the next score by #21 Taylor Simpson, on a pass from the elder, #18 Tyler Osterman to bring the score to 7-21 Monroe. Aided by 3 big passing plays #18 Bo Cordell connected with #33 Ted Bolser for the next Braves score.
The next score of the game came with 9:30 left in the 4th quarter as Scott Mann kicked if field goal to bring the score to 14-24 Monroe. Little did anyone know at the time but this became the game winning margin as the 4th quarter rolled down. Following the Scott Mann kickoff the Braves ran 9 plays ending with a run from #3 Jon Von Deylen from the 28 yard line to bring the score to 21-24 Monroe.
Facing 3rd and 17 late in the 4th quarter #18 Tyler Osterman found brother #2 Jason Osterman along the sideline with a pinpoint perfect pass to give the Hornets a first down and new life late in the 4th. Tyler Osterman used that new life to drive the Hornets down the field to score himself with 4:34 left in the forth bringing the score to 21-31 Monroe. In just 1:14 the Braves drove down the field to score their final points of the night.
With just over 3:00 left in the 4th the Hornets went back to work gaining 4 1st downs winding the clock down to .53 seconds left where the took a knee to end the game and win their second Regional Title in three years with a score of 28-31 Monroe.
The Hornets advance to the State semi finals to be played at Lima Senior Stadium in Lima, Ohio and will face the Big Walnut Golden Eagles.
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Photos by Mike Morris.