It's full speed ahead for Maple Heights after victory over Toledo St. Francis de Sales

Tim Warsinskey / Plain Dealer Reporter, November 21, 2009 5:10 a.m.

Maple Heights quarterback Shaq Washington breaks free for a 44-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter against Toledo St. Francis on Friday in Fremont, Ohio. - (Chuck Crow / The Plain Dealer)

Maple Heights head coach Todd Filtz hugs linebacker Kavin Henry after the Mustangs defeated Toledo St. Francis de Sales in a Division II regional final. - (Chuck Crow / The Plain Dealer)

Maple Heights' Ian Hill (2) takes off with a 65-yard touchdown reception in the fourth quarter. - (Chuck Crow / The Plain Dealer)

FREMONT, Ohio -- Maple Heights has been talking all season about winning the Division II state championship.

No one has been listening, until now.

The Mustangs are in the final four, and they're not just talking about a state title any more.

"We can see it. We're close," Mustangs lineman Dominic Flewellyn said, reaching his left hand out into the chill of Don Paul Stadium. "We're in the final four, and we can touch it."

Sixth-seeded Maple Heights won its first regional championship Friday with its third straight upset of a Toledo team, beating No. 1 seed St. Francis de Sales, 34-21, with yet another breathtaking offensive performance.

"People were saying we're not for real and that all our wins were flukes and we can be stopped," quarterback Shaq Washington said. "We wanted to prove different tonight.

"We all believe we can win a state championship. Now is our time."

Maple Heights (11-2) plays Lake Catholic (12-1) in a state semifinal next Friday at a site to be determined. The Cougars beat Ashland, 45-42.

Maple Heights proved once again the tortoise-and-the-hare allegory was all lies. Paint a maroon number on that white rabbit and hand it a football, and you've got Maple Heights running circles around yet another overmatched Toledo defense.

Trailing, 7-0, with five minutes left in the second quarter, Maple Heights had 20 yards of offense and no first downs.

Then the hare awoke.

The Mustangs scored five unanswered touchdowns that covered 304 yards, a 61-yard average. They finished with 377 yards of offense against a team that had been allowing 197 yards and eight points per game.

"We have great athletes," said wideout Andre Stubbs. "It was just a matter of time. All we need is space. We've got speed."

Maple Heights scored three TDs in four touches late in the second quarter -- a 64-yard run Washington, an 83-yard punt return by Stubbs, and a 59-yard pass from Washington to Stubbs with three seconds left.

How well were things going for Maple Heights? Sophomore Chevan Trammell, a straight-on kicker, made two of three point-after attempts. The Mustangs made just three extra points the first 12 games.

In the fourth quarter, Washington and Ian Hill connected on a 64-yard touchdown, and Washington scored on a short run -- 34 yards -- for a 34-7 lead.

The long plays were appropriate for a team that logged long bus rides to bring home the walnut and gold hardware. The Mustangs also won at No. 3 seed Toledo Rogers and last week beat No. 2 Toledo Central Catholic in Huron.

St. Francis finished 11-2. After the game, Coach Dick Cromwell made a special trip to congratulate Washington and Maple Heights tailback DeVonte Ransom.

"Washington has a lot of composure and he doesn't get rattled back there. He makes a lot of big plays," Cromwell said.