All-time heartbreaking defeat your team suffered

[State2013]

You certainly made up for that loss with the shellacking in ‘17. We had it coming. Had to be one of the best all-around HSFB teams I’d seen in a LONG time.

In ‘15, everything went Kirtland’s way. A debatable fumble call, a botched snap, a 97 yard drive, key interception, two point conversion to go up 9 with two minutes left, etc.

Looking forward to seeing if you guys get title #12 this season.

There were things that went Kirtland's way, and the debateable fumble was probably the most remembered, but nonetheless Marion was undisciplined and Kirtland did what any great team would do which is make them pay.

The '17 Marion team was surprisingly still smaller than Kirtland's but still averaged probably 220 accross the board since Dirksen was almost 300 but the trenches for Marion had some of the strongest dudes I've ever seen and that is where I think the advantage was in that game.

Then you guys turned the tide back in '18 which was one of the most competitive football games I've ever seen. I was hoping Kirtland and Marion could make it a yearly occurrence, but sadly Marion jumped back to DVII and Kirtland jumped up to DV. Hopefully they'll meet again, because I've loved those meetings so far.

 

[Maple_City_Fan]

Lancaster vs. Lima Senior 1989 Regional Final. That Lancaster team was so talented. Lost to Fremont Ross in the Regular Season but two weeks later defeated them at Mansfield in the the 1st round. Lima QB single handedly out played our defense and still we had a chance I believe to tie and force OT in the end. We ended up missing a 50+ yd FG which was short. That Gale team had a real shot to beat Moeller and St. IGGY but never got the chance to prove it. It would interesting to compare 1989 Gales with the 10-0 2006 Gales. Both seasons ended in heartache.

Thanks for being humble by simply stating "defeated" Ross

I'll call it how it was. We had the snot beat out of us.

 

[BigK72]

For St. Marys (At least in my eyes and what I can remember)

1991-Lost 7-6 to Marysville in the Playoffs. I was just a little kid at the time, so I don't remember the game. I just know that we won State in 1990,1992,1993. I also know that we didn't lose too many games from 1990-1993, so this one just screams heart breaker

2001-Kenton 22 St. Marys 21- This was the first of 2 DIV State Titles for Ben Mauk and Co. However, this was our only regular season loss that year, and it kept us from a league title. St. Marys would go on to lose to Bellevue in the first round of the playoffs

2002- Regional Semifinals @ Piqua. Urbana-15 St. Marys-7. Urbana was always our Jamboree game, so playing them "for real" was special. Close game back and forth, and we had a chance in the end to win but couldn't get it done

2003- First round of the playoffs vs. Wyoming-16 St. Marys-14. Wyoming took a safety in the last seconds of the game. We returned the free kick back for a TD, but it was called back for an illegal forward pass. Looking at replay, it was a handoff, but it is what it is.

 

[Obie3621]

I’m sure there are more heartbreaking instances than this, but the one that comes to mind as a fan was Kirtland’s 18-17 loss vs. Ursuline in 2008.

For those that don’t know, Ursuline that season had defeated the likes of Lake Catholic, Massillon Washington, WGH, Mooney, & St. Vincent-St. Mary. Kirtland’s best win was a 14-7 battle in the trenches against rival Cuyahoga Heights. So this was David vs. Goliath if you will.

I don’t want to make this post too long, so I attached the article. Hopefully it’s a free link & there isn’t a paywall.

Again, this isn’t as heartbreaking because Kirtland has gone 158-10 since that game. But it certainly fits the bill.

Kirtland fails to close it out against Ursuline

WARREN - Pride and disappointment form a bittersweet cocktail, and Kirtland's football team swallowed hard following an 18-17 loss to Youngstown Ursuline in a heart- pounding Division V regional final Saturday night.

www.cleveland.com

Dale Peterman

 

[Bull GreenDog]

Last year's 30-27 playoff loss to Worthington Killbourne stings a lot. I drove 4 hours from West Virginia that afternoon to go to the game. Let's just say there were a LOT of questionable calls. Trey Martin's 4 touchdown catches weren't quite enough for Green, though he almost willed us into the next round.

In 2018 the Dawgs were down 28-20 in their season opener to Ashland with 2 minutes left. One of our receivers makes a fantastic TD catch in tight coverage on 4th and goal to make it 28-26. On the two point conversion the same receiver gets wide open but drops the ball. We lose by 2. The very next week Green was down 29-8 at halftime to Painesville Riverside. We cut it to 7 in the final minute. Down 29-22 star linebacker Matt Amison comes into the game at receiver and makes a one-handed catch on fourth down to keep the drive alive! Green would score a touchdown with one second left to make it 29-28, but decided to go for 2 instead of going to OT. We get stopped short, making this the second straight game we lost because of a failed 2 point conversion.

In 2016, a bad Green team played their last game of the season at Lake. There were two huge motivations for Green though, winning would end our biggest rival's playoff hopes on their field, and this was the last game for RB Jeremy McAlleese, who is probably the greatest back in Green history. Lake has a 35-14 lead, but Green comes back and makes it 35-34 in the last minute. We go for two and Jeremy gets stopped short of the goal line. Lake wins by 1.

 

[Gbigg]

2007 state final Licking Valley lost to Big Walnut 17-10 . Never seen a ball bounce the way it did. Licking Valley held Big Walnut to 109 yards and 3 first downs and lost from turnovers. Goes to show the best team doesn't always win.

 

[Toms0655]

Was at that game as was the entire village of Mogadore! The kid who kicked the winning field goal had never attempted one in a game!! The village celebrated seems like forever. Voted best high school game ever by Cleveland Plain Dealer! GO WILDCATS!!!!

Actually he made a FG on the first drive of the game and actually missed a FG vs Rootstown that season…we had actually missed an extra point or FG in every game that season except the state championship game ?? that game definitely took a few years off everyone in attendances lifes

 

[PeterDragon]

2007 state final Licking Valley lost to Big Walnut 17-10 . Never seen a ball bounce the way it did. Licking Valley held Big Walnut to 109 yards and 3 first downs and lost from turnovers. Go to show the best team doesn't always win.

I was at that game. Big Walnut scored on the one long pass play in the first half I believe. Storm Klein may have been injured by the 4th quarter too.

 

[topperbounce]

I know I'm biased, but I think the 1998 Division II State Championship Game between Chardon and Lebanon tops them all.

Chardon loses by a "hook 'n ladder" with 42 seconds remaining, with the game tied 21-21. Kelton Lindsay, an OSU Recruit (though he didn't last there), took the hook 'n ladder in for the TD.

What makes this even MORE heartbreaking is that Chardon outgained Lebanon by 150+ yards (to this day I believe it's ranked 3rd in OHSAA history for a team being outgained and still winning in a State Championship), and had 5 turnovers to Lebanon's 0 (though 2 of those turnovers don't really count - 1 on a Hail Mary at the end of the half, and another INT that was just as good as a punt on 4th and long).

To lose in heartbreaking fashion is one thing, but to lose in heartbreaking fashion after dominating 90% of the game makes it that much worse. As you can tell, it still hurts. Love reading everyone's stories......Keep them coming.

 

[Gbigg]

I was at that game. Big Walnut scored on the one long pass play in the first half I believe. Storm Klein may have been injured by the 4th quarter too.

They picked off a pass and ran it back , 2nd was a fumble by Valley they kicked a field goal they couldn't move the ball then the 3rd was another fumble ran back for a late TD

 

[PeterDragon]

They picked off a pass and ran it back , 2nd was a fumble by Valley they kicked a field goal they couldn't move the ball then there 3 was another fumble ran back for a late TD

Yes it was a pick six and a long scoop and score. That's what I was thinking of! Thanks for remembering. Big Walnuts QB was the Head coaches son if I remember that correctly.

 

[gostate03]

I think it was 1989 (or so), Badin lost to Ironton in the state Semis.
Badin scored late to tie it and then missed the extra point, from a very good kicker.

Dont remember alot of the details of the game (I was 9) but just remember the ride back to Hamilton, I dont think a word was said in the 2 hour ride.
The Rams did bounce back and won state the next year, but that was a tough one

 

[the123kidz]

It was I was on the O line

I believe I was at a Browns game when they announced that St. Ignatius had won the state championship and the stadium erupted.

 

[troyboy73]

Don’t know if this is all time heartbreak. But I remember being at Upper Arlington for a Troy vs UA game. Troy was clearly the better team as we outplayed them easily. Our freshman kicker was having a rough day to say the least. The game was in OT. We scored and instead of going for the tie with the XP we opted to go for 2 and win. We ran a run and got stopped at the goal line by the hair of his chinny chin chin and lost. I could he wrong but I think this was also the last game coached by the legendary Steve Nolan

That was a playoff game that season.

 

[Caleb]

I'm going to go way back in years. The 1969 McKinley-Steubenville game and the 1974 McKinley-Massillon game or was it the Massillon-McKinley game? Either way it was a lose.

 

[TroyTrojan05]

That was a playoff game that season.

Yep

 

[IndianaBanana]

Fort Recovery's 28-26 loss to Coldwater in the playoffs last year.

One of FR's most talented teams couldn't beat the Cavs. Indians have never beat Coldwater in Varsity action. That was one of their last chances for a while.

 

[garydaddy1]

They lost a barn burner the next week to Burrow. Athens lost in the title game to TCC 56-52.

THANKS......MY MEMORY ISN'T WHAT IT ONCE WAS.

 

[Bruce Monnin]

1991 Minster went 9-1 in the regular season, but lost 48-7 to a seemingly unstoppable Delphos St. John's squad.

Two weeks later, in the opening round of the playoffs, Minster pulls off the unexpected upset, beating DSJ 28-12 in the rematch.

The next week, Minster faced Bluffton in the regional finals. Minster had a 3 point lead with about 2 minutes remaining, and had the ball at the Bluffton 27 yard line on a third down and two. Minster ran a running play and picked up the game clinching first down, but fumbled the ball on the play. A Bluffton player picked it up and ran to the Minster 10 yard line on the return. Unfortunately, Minster's quarterback made hesavng tackle and broke a finger on his throwing hand on the play.

Bluffton would go on to make a game tying 23 yard field goal to send the game to overtime. BLuffton scored a touchdown on a fourth down play in overtime, and Minster could not respond, possibly because the QB did not know his finger was broken and two incomplete passes were attempted.

 

[garydaddy1]

Not to be picky. That would be 1969 not 1970. It was Bo's first OSU- Mich game. The Bucks won the 1970 game before losing to Jim Plunkett and Stanford in the 1971 Rose Bowl. My parents isn't trip to LA was for that Rose Bowl game and I still have the game program they purchased.

YOU'RE CORRECT. I WAS AT THE ROSE BOWL JAN. 1, 1969 TO SEE THE BUCKS BEAT USC. TICKET AND PLANE FARE A CHRISTMAS PRESENT FROM MY PARENTS. SO FALL OF '69 NOT '70 WAS WHEN THEY LOST. I CONFUSED MYSELF.

 

[Zunardo]

2002, week 10 - Hamilton Township at Fairfield Union. Final: 7-6, Fairfield Union

I had to check with green_n_gold76 on a few details. I think this was HT's first game on TV (can't remember which station), it was in a pouring rain, and the field was a sloppy mess. HT scored first, went for two, and converted - but a phantom holding call nullified the two points. We found out later that our coach asked who held, and the official gave him a jersey number that wasn't in the game. Even the TV announcers said they couldn't see a violation. FU finally found the endzone late in the game, and kicked the PAT for the win.

That drive home afterward was long, dark, dank, and dismal.

I still have that game on tape somewhere. If memory serves, HT was almost a lock for the playoffs and beating FU likely would have secured home field advantage for us in week 1. Instead we ended playing Bishop Watterson at their place on a frigid Saturday night, and got obliterated from the opening drive. Oh well.

On the lighter side, we got a chuckle from the announcing crew when Mrs. Z and watched the tape the next morning. After one vicious hit that wiped out the ballcarrier, the color guy said, "Man, Kraznowski really knocked him nekkid on that play!". My wife laughs about that to this day.

 

[falguin]

There are two that come to mind for me. In 1983 Fitch was rolling. We had a loaded team. We had won 18 games in a row and were poised to make our first playoffs. Back then only two teams made it. I know if we made it we had a great chance of winning it all. I just remember getting to YSU's stadium coming through one of the stadium tunnels and seeing a blizzard. The field was covered with snow, and it really hurt us. We moved the ball at will and couldn't score. We even fumbled inside the five yard line, which would have put us up. One player beat us: Sterling Hayden. I can still see him picking off a pass and taking it to the house. I can't remember the score exactly, but that inteerception was the difference. Another game that crushed me was the 2004 Glenville playoff game. Glenville was loaded with guys like Small and Lennix. We were killing them. Glenville was realing, and a couple of plays changed everything. We had just gone up 21-8 and kicked the extra point to make it 22-8 with a little over 30 seconds to go in the half. Glenville jumped, and Fitch's coach took the points off the board and went for two. I though this was dumb because we had a two score lead. Of course we were stopped. This gave Glenville some momentum. Then came the absolutley dumbest play I have ever seen. With a little over 30 seconds to play, instead of quibbing the kick or even kicking the ball out of bounds, Fitch kickes deep to Ray Small. I remember watching the ball fly through the air thinking please make it to the endzone. Nope, Ray Small takes it around the two or the one and takes it all the way back, and Fitch lost 29-21. That team was absolutely loaded and could have done a lot in the playoffs, but that stupid decision changed the whole complextion of the game.

 

[NWO-Fan]

2018 Division 5 regional final between #1 Genoa vs. Liberty Center. Several All-Ohio players on both teams. Most notably Genoa QB, Jacob Plantz, who had won the Toledo Blade Player of the Year. With under a minute left in the game, Genoa had the lead 40-35. After a LC unsportsmanlike penalty, they faced a 4th & 25 situation at their own 46 yard line. The Tigers sent two receivers deep, with a third cutting underneath after about 15 yards. The receiver caught the ball and was able to outrun the Genoa defense and LC took a 41-40 lead. The Tigers would then go for two to make the score 43-40. Genoa would have a few more chances, before throwing an interception and giving Liberty Center their first regional title in nearly 20 years. LC would loose the next week to eventual state champs, Orrville, 38-7. If Genoa had won, would they have matched against Orrville better?

Here if the full game. Check the 2:38:00 mark for the 4th & 25

 

[ELKSONE]

Centerville has so many that it's too depressing to re-live them all. For me...First, is that 2 of our best undefeated teams '76, '83, weren't invited to play. Second, is fumbling the ball for the go ahead touchdown on the Toledo St. Francis 2 yard line with 3 minutes to play in the '84 state semis.

Interesting, I don't remember that play and I was at the game. All I remember was TSF didn't cross the 50. Their defense scored their two touchdowns, a pick 6 and fumble for a score.

 

[ELKSONE]

1993 - Springfield South losing to Centerville 62-54. Centerville was unbeaten, had the #1 rated defense in the State and had only given up 7 points thru mid season. South had unbelievable passing yards by halftime, and led 48-30 in the 2d half. Ironically, I believe 54 points is the most Centerville ever gave up. Afterwards, Coach Gregg joked, "everyone got their money's worth tonite!"

Centerville called not one but two onside kicks to catch up from being down 18 at the half.

 

[ELKSONE]

#1: Elder vs Hilliard Davidson (2009 state-semi) Davidson drives length of field to score with seconds left to win the game. 20-24
#2: Elder vs Colerain (2012 playoffs 2nd rd) Elder scores on a 4th and 19 with no time left to send game to overtime then misses extra point in OT. 34-35
#3 Elder vs Pick Central (2019 state final) PC qb completes 4th down pass while being wrapped up by multiple Elder defenders leading to tying the game. 14-21
#4 Elder vs St. Edwards (2008 state final) Elder loses to Edwards. 28-20
#5 Elder vs St. X (2004 regular season) X wins a 3OT thriller at the Pit. 30-33

Thanks to the creator of this thread for these awful memories lol

I feel your pain, the Miracle in Middletown for Elder vs Centerville.

 

[OUcats82]

2016 Region 4 Final: St. X beat my Sycamore Aviators 35-28 in OT.

Sycamore was up on St. X 28-14 with 3:20 to play, with the ball, on the X 38.

Sycamore went for it on 4th and 3, botched the option pitch, and lost 15 yards and the downs. Sean Clifford led X for a quick score. On the ensuing onside kick, the Sycamore WR got lit up trying to field the onside kick short of 10 yards (X should have been called for a penalty), and X recovered. Clifford led another touchdown drive to send the game to OT. X scored first in OT. Sycamore’s 4th and goal throw was broken up in the end zone. X went on to win the state title.

Watched that game on TV and was pulling hard for the Aves as St. X shocked Colerain OT the week earlier.

That fumbled pitch was hard to watch as I knew what would inevitably come as a result.

Clifford, surrounded by a good supporting cast, basically willed his team to that state title.

 

[algernonsidney]

1994 loss to West Branch 31-28. I still remember that game vividly and I was 11 years old. Probably the best team Steubenville Big Red has ever had.

Obviously it wasn't the best team they ever had. The fantasy of what-might-have-been is often more powerful than reality. Big Red has four state titles, and it's insulting to all those teams to say that a team that choked in the playoffs was better.

 

[Ohioriverboy42]

I feel your pain, the Miracle in Middletown for Elder vs Centerville.

I think Centerville would have won state that year but for the last 2 minutes of that game

 

[OUcats82]

#1: Elder vs Hilliard Davidson (2009 state-semi) Davidson drives length of field to score with seconds left to win the game. 20-24
#2: Elder vs Colerain (2012 playoffs 2nd rd) Elder scores on a 4th and 19 with no time left to send game to overtime then misses extra point in OT. 34-35
#3 Elder vs Pick Central (2019 state final) PC qb completes 4th down pass while being wrapped up by multiple Elder defenders leading to tying the game. 14-21
#4 Elder vs St. Edwards (2008 state final) Elder loses to Edwards. 28-20
#5 Elder vs St. X (2004 regular season) X wins a 3OT thriller at the Pit. 30-33

Thanks to the creator of this thread for these awful memories lol

#2 was a crazy game. Was remodeling my bathroom at the time and had the game on Sacred Heart Radio. Needless to say I didn't get much tile set as I listened. Ramstetter for Elder caught anything and everything thrown his way. That missed extra point was sweet redemption for my most gut-wrenching game....

Elder vs. Colerain, 2003 D1 Region 4 Final.

Colerain loses on a missed extra point 28-27 I believe in what was a great high school football game. Elder went on to win the next two games in dominating fashion, making it hard not to think that the Cards could have had similar performances and back to back titles (along with the championship they would go on to win the following season).

Plenty of other late-game defeats at the hands of the GCL, including the 2005 Regional Semi against St. X at Paul Brown Stadium. That was an electric atmosphere full of defense. X went on to win 12-10 on a wheel route pass in OT.

2000 State Semi against Upper Arlington is up there, too as the Golden Bears were simply a team of destiny that season, winning 10-7 off a large TD run late in the game in what was otherwise a defensive struggle.

Colerain does have an impressive obscure stat of the number of playoff loses they have to the eventual state champion.