Onsted High School football receiver Tucker Bean (89) breaks a tackle during the Michigan High School Athletic Association Division 6 regional final at Hillsdale High School on Friday. Photo by Jeff Steers, JTV Sports.
By Jeff Steers
JTV Sports
Logan Robarge and the Onsted High School varsity football team’s defense received an early Christmas present last Friday during the Michigan High School Athletic Association Division 6 regional football final at Hillsdale.
Forty days early to be exact.
The Wildcats made all of the right moves in a 12-0 win over Hillsdale last week to advance to the D-6 state semifinals. It is the first semifinal appearance since advancing to the Class CC finals in 1993.
Hillsdale finishes the season with an 11-1 mark while Onsted improves to 10-2. The Wildcats are riding a nine-game winning streak heading into the semifinal matchup against the Montrose/Monroe St. Mary – to be played on Saturday.
It appeared as if the game would be scoreless in the first half until Robarge grabbed an interception and raced 60 yards for a score with 4 seconds remaining in the opening half.
On the play, OHS lineman Luke Lewin pressured Hillsdale’s quarterback causing the ball to fly out of his hand.
“Alex Lopez and I pressured him (the quarterback) on the play and Logan (Robarge) was there to make the play.
“We knew there would be some big play.”
Robarge said he was in the right place at the right time.
“We knew in that formation they were more than likely going to pass the ball and we were ready for it,” Robarge said of the play. My teammate made a great play and the ball just fell into my arms.
“I was just trying not to get caught (on the way to the end zone).”
The score gave Onsted a 6-0 lead after 24 minutes of grind-it-out action.
Onsted marched 61 yards late in the third quarter for a 12-0 lead. OHS quarterback Dylan Terryberry hit Tucker Bean with a 9-yard touchdown pass for the Wildcats’ second touchdown.
On the play, the whole line moved to the right and Bean went against the grain becoming wide open in the end zone.
The Wildcats stopped Hillsdale a yard short on fourth-and-three at the 5 yard line to begin the fourth quarter. It was the last time the Hornet would threaten to score.
Onsted shut Hillsdale out for the first time in 38 games for the Hornets. Hillsdale had been averaging more than 30 points per game this season.
“It was a great team effort by our kids,” Coach Dan Terryberry said. “Our scout team had a great week of practice to get us ready.”
Offensively, Bean finished with six catches for 96 yards and a touchdown for the Wildcats.
