BOARDMAN, Ohio – In a thrilling showdown on Friday night, the South Range Raiders continued their unbeaten streak, defeating the Poland Bulldogs 17-16 in the Division V Region 17 championship at Boardman High School. With this victory, South Range improved to 14-0 and will advance to face Liberty Center in the state semifinals next week.
The match was a nail-biter, with the Raiders trailing 16-10 in the final minutes. With just 2:16 remaining, South Range took control of the ball after a short punt from Poland, starting their drive at the 35-yard line. Quarterback Tristan Toy significantly impacted the game, leading his team downfield and reaching the Bulldogs’ 28-yard line. After an interference penalty against Poland placed the ball at the 13-yard line, Toy connected with Tommy Titus for the touchdown, tying the game at 16-16 with only 16 seconds left. A successful extra point from Luke Starkey gave the Raiders the edge.
Poland attempted a last-minute drive from their own 27-yard line but was unable to find the end zone, and their final pass fell incomplete.
The Bulldogs scored first, with Vito Komara sprinting 65 yards for a touchdown just two plays into the game, putting them ahead 7-0. South Range responded with a lengthy 13-play, 80-yard drive capped off by Toy’s 8-yard run to equalize.
Poland regained the lead in the second quarter when Ricky Madeline scored from 13 yards out, making it 13-7. Although the Bulldogs managed a 42-yard field goal before halftime, they were unable to convert more points as the game progressed.
In the fourth quarter, the Raiders managed to score a 34-yard field goal by Starkey, setting the stage for their dramatic late-game comeback.
This victory marks the second time this season that South Range has overcome Poland, having previously defeated them 38-30 in September.
Stay tuned for further updates on high school football in the area as the competition advances.
