FINAL FOUR BOUND: Port Clinton defeats Van Wert 49-21 in regional final

FINDLAY — Port Clinton wasn't supposed to be here. This was a team picked to finish fourth in its own division in a preseason poll, a program that had never made it to this stage or won this many games in a season dating to its inception in 1925, a group lacking depth on its roster. "The doubt, we love that, we thrive off of that," PC senior receiver Tyler Webb said. "They can keep doubting us." There were a number of steps on this journey, then, that Port Clinton was never supposed to reach: outright conference champion, playoff winner, then playoff winner twice more, before meeting Van Wert in a regional final with a spot in the state final four on the line. But Port Clinton was there at each of those checkpoints, and on Friday night they were here, in Findlay, playing in the biggest game in the history of PC's football program. And the Redskins certainly showed up. "Nobody would've thought little Port Clinton would be here right now," PC's Cashes Jackson said. "We're here." Port Clinton's season will continue on to a state semifinal after a 49-21 win over defending Division IV state champion Van Wert (12-2) at Donnell Stadium. The Redskins (13-1) forced three turnovers, Garrett Cornell ran for 206 yards and two scores, Cam Gillum rushed for three touchdowns, Josh Hurst caught a pair of TDs and Port Clinton secured its first-ever regional football title. PC will take on Youngstown Ursuline, a 64-35 winner over Beloit West Branch on Friday night, in a state semifinal at a site to be announced. "I've never been in this situation before," Port Clinton coach Beau Carmon said. "None of us have. Just joy, pride, things that you would expect from this football team. These kids deserve it, and I'm just so happy for them." Earlier this week, Carmon said PC had "nothing to lose," and that mindset showed from the opening coin toss, when the Redskins won and elected to receive to start the game. Port Clinton couldn't cash in on its opening drive, but Webb forced and recovered a fumble on Van Wert's second play to get the ball right back. After Gillum threw to Adam Thorbahn for a first down, Gillum ran around left end behind blocks from receivers Webb and Hurst for an 8-yard TD. "(Gillum) running opens up stuff for me," Cornell said. "Us both running opens up the pass. I'm speechless right now." Port Clinton sniffed out a shovel pass on Van Wert's following drive to stuff the Panthers short on fourth down as Cornell led the tackling contingent. And on Van Wert's next drive, an offensive pass interference call negated an 18-yard touchdown catch, keeping Port Clinton in the lead. But a Cougars interception by Nate Jackson set up a high-tempo drive for Van Wert that culminated in a 1-yard TD run to tie the game at 7-7 early in the second quarter. Port Clinton had an answer, though. Twice. First, on a broken play that was meant to be a screen that wasn't open, Gillum found Webb over the top for 58 yards down to the 2-yard line. Gillum squirted out of a mob of players on the next snap to run for another touchdown. "Cam's shown he's a very valuable ball carrier," Carmon said. The Redskins' defense created more offense almost right away. Jackson forced a fumble that Hurst recovered, and Carmon broke out the bag of tricks. Gillum took a snap in shotgun formation and fired backward wide to the right, where Jackson caught the ball. But instead of running, Jackson immediately tossed a pass down the right sideline to Hurst, who won the race to the pylon for a 34-yard touchdown. "We ran that last year against Sandusky," Carmon said. "... It was right after a turnover. I said, let's do it. Football's like gambling. No risk, no reward. And so you've gotta take shots when people aren't expecting it." "I don't want to overthrow him," Jackson added. "I just want to get him the ball and let him do his thing." A couple Van Wert drops late in the half kept the margin 21-7 heading to halftime. "Momentum's the biggest thing in a game like this, and we took advantage of that tonight," senior Owen Auxter said. But then the Cougars took the second-half kickoff to the house, and for a few minutes, it was game on. Port Clinton answered quickly as Cornell rumbled and rumbled some more down to the 2-yard line before Cornell cashed in from the 1. Cornell's rushing didn't slow the entire game, despite dealing with a left knee injury that held him out of practice until Thursday and had him in a knee brace Friday night. PC gave Cornell the ball 30 times on the ground to total his 206 yards. "(Cornell is) just a special player, a special talent, a special athlete," Hurst said. "He breathes Port Clinton football." Van Wert went tempo right down the field and scored on a 37-yard touchdown pass by Pratt to get within 28-21 with 8:26 left in the third. But unbeknownst to everyone in the stadium, that would be the last time Van Wert scored. Port Clinton scored on the next drive, a 1-yard TD run by Gillum after Cornell did more power running through the Van Wert defense. Then early in the fourth, to end a 95-yard drive, Hurst ran a double move down the left sideline for a deep ball from Gillum and a 53-yard score. "It's crazy," Hurst said. "Stuff you dream about as a kid." Port Clinton iced the game for good with 4:58 to play on a 5-yard touchdown run from Cornell. The Redskins defense forced a turnover on downs just 43 seconds later, and the final four minutes and change were simply a formality. "We put up 49 points on a good defense," Webb said. "That just proves how powerful our offense is, and we've got a lot more in store." When Port Clinton took a knee on its final offensive snap, the party began. Hurst and Webb embraced near midfield. Coaches lifted players up on the sideline. Cornell hopped from place to place, looking like his knee was brand new. "This is 100 percent the best thing that's ever happened in my life," Webb said. The Port Clinton student section and families soon made their way onto the field, despite the public address announcement not to do so. There was no keeping them away from such an unprecedented celebration. No one wanted to give up the regional championship trophy. Hurst kept it held under his right arm, similar to the way he carried the football on his two touchdown catches. Carmon's family mobbed him with hugs and kisses. And most importantly for the Redskins, this wouldn't be their last time gathered together. They secured at least one more Friday night, a chance to prolong the best season Port Clinton has ever seen. And before that, Carmon will get his wish — a high school football practice on Thanksgiving. Only the best of the best get that. "We're gonna have to bump our Thanksgiving dinner back a little bit," Carmon said. "We're going. We're definitely gonna have practice." ----- Port Clinton 7 14 14 14 — 49Van Wert 0 7 14 0 — 21 PC — Cam Gillum 8 run (Andrew Hanson kick) VW — Aidan Pratt 1 run (Damon McCracken kick) PC — Gillum 2 run (Hanson kick) PC — Josh Hurst 34 pass from Cashes Jackson (Hanson kick) VW — Trey Laudick 85 kick return (McCracken kick) PC — Garrett Cornell 1 run (Hanson kick) VW — Laudick 37 pass from Pratt (McCracken kick) PC — Gillum 1 run (Hanson kick) PC — Hurst 53 pass from Gillum (Hanson kick) PC — Cornell 5 run (Hanson kick)