St. Paul wins D-VI title with dramatic comeback

Mike Parris, December 05, 2009 7:04 p.m.

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St. Paul's Jim Roth (88) and Daren Smith celebrate after a 24-21 victory over St. John's in the Ohio Division VI state high school football championship at Paul Brown Tiger Stadium Saturday, Dec. 5, 2009, in Massillon, Ohio. - (AP Photo/Ron Schwane)

Eric Schwieterman's one-yard touchdown run with five seconds remaining capped a courageous fourth quarter comeback as Norwalk St. Paul defeated Delphos St. John's 24-21 in the Division VI state championship Saturday afternoon at Paul Brown Tiger Stadium.

The Flyers (15-0) drove 98 yards in the final three minutes to set up Schwieterman's game-winning plunge. Two Schwieterman to Justin Wilde completions covering 35 and 38 yards allowed St. Paul to move downfield furiously.

"We talked to the kids (during a timeout) and told them a state championship was on the line," said St. Paul head coach John Livengood. "They knew it came down to one play."

The St. Paul defense also played the role of hero. With the Flyers trailing 21-17 late in the fourth, Delphos St. John's appeared to be primed to score the game-clinching touchdown. But St. Paul slammed the door on four consecutive running plays inside their own five yard line, setting up the dramatic finish.

Building a 10-0 first half lead, Schwieterman posted an even 100 rushing yards by intermission, most of which came on a 73-yard touchdown run in the first quarter to open the scoring. St. Paul dominated the first 24 minutes of play, outgaining St. John's 207-46.

But the Blue Jays (14-1) fought back on the strength of two outstanding special teams plays.

St. John's sophomore Jordan Bergfeld cut the deficit to 10-7 on an 86-yard kickoff return for a score and junior Tyler Bergfeld's 89-yard punt return set up a two-yard Jordan Leininger touchdown run in the third that gave the Blue Jays a 21-10 lead.  

"Our special teams definitely kept us in the game," admitted Blue Jays' head coach Todd Schulte.

St. Paul cut into the deficit early in the fourth on a steady 12-play, 84-yard scoring drive. Schwieterman also finished off that one,  sneaking into the endzone with 10:19 remaining to cut the lead to 21-17.

Schwieterman finished with 147 rushing yards and three touchdowns, while adding 187 yards on 8-of-13 passing.

"Eric just had a great game," Livengood said. "We had to get both his running and passing tonight."

The championship was the first ever for St. Paul, who had three previous runner-up finishes. In defeating the St. John's, the Flyers become the first team in six tries to defeat the Blue Jays in a title game.

"It was just a great high school football game between two great teams,"  Livengood continued. "It couldn't get much better coming down to the wire like that."