Staff report

SIDNEY — Minster won’t get the chance to make it two straight state championships after falling to fellow Midwest Athletic Conference team Fort Recovery in Division 7 football playoff action Friday night at Sidney Memorial Stadium, 33-21.

The loss ended Minster’s season with a 10-3 record. Fort Recovery, now 11-2, advances to the state semifinals Friday night.

The Fort Recovery offense piled up huge yards against the Wildcats, finishing with 488 in total, including 292 on the ground. Backup Will Homan was a real workhorse for the Indians, carrying the ball 40 times and finishing with 236 yards rushing. And quarterback Caleb Martin completed just 9-of-21 passes, but they went for 196 yards and three touchdowns.

After falling behind 6-0, after Martin ran in from four yards out, Minster came right back and scored on its first two possessions of the game. The first came on a 2-yard run by Evan Huelsman with 6:04 left in the opening quarter and the second on a 14-yard pass from Josh Nixon to Jacob Dues with 2:51 left in the first period.

But after that, the Fort Recovery defense took over and Minster wasn’t able to find the endzone again until just 3:46 remained in the game and Fort Recovery leading 33-14.

Tanner Koch caught a 9-yard TD pass from Martin with 11:13 left in the second quarter to cut Minster’s lead to 14-12, then Wes Wenning caught a 54-yard touchdown pass with 7:36 left to make it 18-12, the Indians coming up empty on all three point-after attempts.

The Indians then drove to the Minster five with time running out in the first half, and Darien Sheffer kicked a 22-yard field goal to put the Wildcats down 21-14 at the break.

The third period looked like it would be scoreless, but with just 1:04 left, Homan broke loose for a crucial score, a 59-yard touchdown run. Then midway through the final period, he scored from the one to make it 33-14.

Minster drove right down the field and scored on a 7-yard run by Huelsman, but the Indians recovered the onside kick and closed out the win.

Huelsman led Minster on the ground with 50 yards, and Nixon was 17-for-33 for 182 yards, a touchdown and two interceptions. Dues had another good game, catching eight passes for 116 yards and one score.