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End of the road for Salem

Morning Journal/Gary Leininger Salem's Niko Walter (1), Blaize Exline (24) and Joey Watson try to bring down CVCA quarterback Michael Bevington during Saturday's game.

CUYAHOGA FALLS — Some first-half miscues put Salem in a hole it couldn’t climb out of as the Quakers dropped a 40-8 decision to Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy in a Division IV first round game Saturday.

With the loss, the Quakers bowed out of the season with an 8-3 record and the school produced its third playoff team under head coach Ron Johnson who was very proud of all his team accomplished this season.

“The outcome of tonight’s game can do nothing to take away the impact these young men made on their community,” said Johnson afterward. “I’m disappointed, not in the outcome of the game or the performance but in that we don’t get to play football again next week or get a chance to practice together.”

CVCA head coach Dan Larlham felt his team put it all together in the win.

“We coach our players a certain way and it seemed like everything we wanted to get out of them happened tonight,” he said. “We played about perfect and the scoreboard doesn’t show it, but Salem’s really good.”

It marked CVCA’s first playoff win in school history.

“The community needed this and I’m really blessed to be part of this community,” said Larlham.

Salem dug itself a first-half hole, losing two fumbles and throwing an interception. Two of the miscues were turned into CVCA touchdowns as the Royals took a 28-0 lead at halftime.

“We did a lot of things well, but no question (the first-half turnovers hurt),” said Ron Johnson. “We’re driving the ball down the field, first and goal and we don’t get it in. There’s just some plays we’d like to have back, but I don’t want to change anything because these guys are great young men and I love them and the way they played and so proud of the way they handled themselves and represented Salem.”

Trailing 40-0 late, Salem never gave in and added a late touchdown when freshman quarterback Jackson Johnson hit receiver Jax Booth with a 14-yard scoring aerial over the middle with 40 seconds left in the game. The Quakers also added the two-point conversion when Jackson hit Niko Walter with a pass in the left corner of the end zone, cutting the final deficit to 40-8.

CVCA led in total offense, 447-236, led by the tandem of quarterback Michael Bevington and running back Shane Douglas. Bevington finished with 126 yards rushing and two touchdowns, while Douglas had 140 yards on the ground with a rushing touchdown.

“He (Bevington) is the toughest guy on the field, he’s going to win a foot race or a basketball game and I’m going to give him the ball when I can, and he put it together,” said Larlham.

Running back Cade Campolito led all Salem rushers with 48 yards on 14 carries and Jackson Johnson finished with 162 yards through the air.

The Quakers had their chances in the first half as they had marches stopped in the CVCA end zone on an interception by Austen Williams and on downs at the Royals’ 20 and 33-yard lines.

CVCA set the tone early, marching 52 yards to score on a one-yard keeper by Bevington. Kicker Bryce Kightlinger added the PAT and the Royals led 7-0 at the 7:23 mark of the first quarter.

The Royals made it 14-0 on their second offensive possession when running back Shane Douglas capped a 72-yard drive with a 34-yard scoring run. Kightlinger added the PAT kick and CVCA led 14-0 at the 5:13 mark of the first quarter.

CVCA added two second-quarter scores on a two-yard quarterback keeper up the middle by Bevington and a 13-yard scoring toss just before halftime from Bevington to receiver Andre’ Price, making it 28-0 with 43 seconds left before the break. CVCA led in total offense, 234-104 at halftime.

A running clock began late in the third quarter when Kightlinger booted a 20-yard field goal, making it 31-0 at the 4:06 mark. Kightlinger added a fourth-quarter 24-yard field goal and the Royals made it 40-0 at the 9:18 juncture of the final quarter when Kightlinger, the backup quarterback, raced around left end from 10 yards out to score. The PAT boot failed.

CVCA advances to next Saturday’s regional semifinal against Perry.

“Best of luck to them (the Royals), they treated us extremely well here, they have a great program,” said Johnson.

Game notes

¯ Salem was the last Eastern Buckeye Conference team left in the postseason.

League champion Alliance lost 69-6 to Akron Hoban on Friday night in a Division II playoff game.

“These guys did a great job,” said Johnson of his Quakers. “They represented themselves extremely well, we just ran into a good football team tonight, and we knew we had to play a really sharp, clean game. That’s a good football team we lost to.”

¯ Salem has six home games next season.

The Quakers will host Crestview in the Aug. 28 season opener at Sebo Stadium. Salem has added Akron Firestone to its schedule next fall. The Quakers will host the Falcons in Week 4.

“We have a lot of underclassmen (coming back),” closed Johnson.

SALEM: 0- 0-0-8– 8

CVCA: 14-14-3-9–40

SCORING

CVCA–Michael Bevington, 1 run, 7:23 1st (Bryce Kightlinger kick)

CVCA–Shane Douglas, 34 run, 5:13 1st (Bryce Kightlinger kick)

CVCA–Michael Bevington, 2 run, 5:51 2nd (Bryce Kightlinger kick)

CVCA–Andre Price, 13 pass from Michael Bevington, :43 2nd (Bryce Kightlinger kick)

CVCA –Bryce Kightlinger, 20 field goal, 4:06

CVCA–Bryce Kightlinger, 26 field goal, 9:14

CVCA–Bryce Kightlinger, 10 run, 4:17 4th (kick failed)

SALEM–Jax Booth, 14 pass from Jackson Johnson, 0:40 4th (Niko Walter pass from Jackson Johnson)

——

S CVCA

First downs 14 23

Total Yards 256 447

Rushes-yards 22-94 38-334

Passing 162 113

Comp-Att-Int 13-20-1 6-11-0

Punts 2-30 2-33

Fumbles-Lost 3-3 1-1

Penalties-Yards 3-30 3-25

——

INDIVIDUAL LEADERS

RUSHING–Salem, Cade Campolito, 14-48, Jackson Johnson, 2-5, Blaize Exline, 5-25; CVCA, Michael Bevington, 22-126, Shane Douglas, 12-140, Noah Atwood, 3-19.

PASSING–Salem, Jackson Johnson, 13-20-162-1-1; CVCA, Michael Bevington, 6-11-113-1-0.

RECEIVING–Salem, Niko Walter, 6-46, Anthony DiMuzio, 3-42, Jax Booth, 2-26, Blaize Exline, 2-2-24, Bradlee Kitts, 2-17; CVCA, Austen Williams, 2-12, Andre Price, 3-36, Lucas Nowosielski, 1-64.

INTERCEPTIONS–CVCA, Austen Williams.

FUMBLE RECOVERIES–Salem, Anthony DiMuzio.

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