Brown's four TDs leads Winton Woods to D-II title

Mike Parris, December 04, 2009 9:58 p.m.

Winton Woods quarterback Dominique Brown breaks free past Maple Heights' Ernest Trammell for a touchdown during the second quarter in the Ohio Division II state high school football championship at Paul Brown Tiger Stadium, Friday, Dec. 4, 2009, in Massillon, Ohio. - (AP Photo/Ron Schwane)

Cincinnati Winton Woods captured their first state title in school history in convincing fashion, using their powerful rushing attack to wear down Maple Heights 42-12 in the Division II state championship Saturday night at frigid Paul Brown Tiger Stadium.  

The Warriors (13-2) registered 376 rushing yards in the convincing victory. All-Ohio quarterback Dominique Brown finished with 20 carries for 173 yards and backfield mate Jeremiah Goins rushed 21 times for 153 yards.  Brown's four rushing touchdowns tied a Division II title game record, previously set in 2002 by current NFL running back Javon Ringer.

After a promising Maple Heights drive to open the contest was thwarted deep in the Winton Woods redzone, the Warriors embarked on an eight-play 88-yard drive featuring the bruising 225-pound Goins. The march was capped off by a 25-yard touchdown run by 5-foot-4, 150-pound running back Demond Hill, giving Winton Woods an early 7-0 advantage.

As expected, it was just the beginning of rushing extravaganza that saw the two teams combined for a whopping 412 rushing yards in the first half.

Maple Heights again drove into Winton Woods territory on the strength of several big pickups by quarterback Shaq Washington and running back Devonte Ransom. But on the first play of the second quarter, Ransom was stripped and the ball was recovered by Warriors' linebacker Antwan Poole at the the 37-yard line.

Three plays later Brown, the D-II Offensive Player of the Year, found daylight and outran pursuit, sprinting 50 yards for a touchdown and 14-0 lead.

The Mustangs were able to finish their next drive with Ransom making up for his earlier gaffe with a 3-yard touchdown jaunt with 4:53 left in the first half. The extra point failed, however, leaving the Maple Heights deficit at 14-6.

Less than two minutes later, it was deja vu all over again for Maple Heights on the Warriors ensuing possession. On the same option-read running play that he scored his first touchdown, Brown raced 58 yards untouched for a touchdown.

Maple Heights appeared to be in prime position to steal the momentum heading into halftime, but their drive in the final minute stalled out at the Winton Woods 16-yard line, marking the second time in the first half a Mustangs' drive fizzled in the red zone without scoring any points.

Winton Woods pushed their lead out to 28-6 with 6:30 left in the third, using an explosive 37-yard punt return from Juan Glover to provide great field position in Maple Heights territory. Dominique Brown finished the drive when he punched it in from 17 yards out.

Brown, who ran for 249 yards and seven touchdowns in the Warriors' semifinal win over Marion-Franklin, added his fourth rushing touchdown in the fourth quarter and tossed a 20-yard scoring strike to Juan Glover to close out his evening.

Maple Heights (12-3) got 178 passing yards from quarterback Shaq Washington and 127 rushing yards from Devonte Ransom.