Looks like A.J., err, I mean Ross had a special spectator in attendance last night...
http://www.daytondailynews.com/sport...coldwater.html
STATE FOOTBALL SEMIFINALS: COLDWATER 35, MONROE 0
Coldwater takes sting out of Hornets
By Greg Billing
Dayton Daily News
DAYTON | On the same field as last season's state semifinal loss, Coldwater made sure it didn't meet the same fate in the high school football playoffs.
Coldwater's team speed overwhelmed Monroe in the Division IV state semifinal, winning 35-0 in front of about 9,000 spectators at Welcome Stadium on Saturday night. The win puts Coldwater (14-0) one win away from its first football title. That chance comes at 11 a.m. Saturday at Canton's Fawcett Stadium against defending champ Youngstown Cardinal Mooney, which beat Bellaire, 20-13.
"Last year was a sick, sick feeling leaving this place with a loss," Coldwater receiver-defensive back Justin Kahlig said. "We had a talk last night and said refuse to lose. We're doing it for (our teammates) last year, too. We're not the only guys playing out there."
The Cavaliers looked as though they had a few extra defenders with them Saturday. The Hornets (12-2) finished with minus-30 yards rushing — thanks in part to four sacks — and just 71 yards in total offense. The shutout was the Cavs' fifth and third straight of the postseason.
"Fast and athletic," said Monroe coach Jason Krause. "They really surprised me. I didn't think they were that fast on film, but they really were."
Coldwater built a steady lead with touchdowns in the first and second quarters, both on Ross Homan runs of 1 and 4 yards. With a defense allowing just six points a game overall, Coldwater essentially put the game away with 5:53 left in the third quarter.
After Coldwater's Brady Geier intercepted a pass, Cavs' quarterback Steve Borger needed one pass to hit him in stride down the left sideline for the 43-yard score.
Borger completed 11-of-18 passes for 188 yards and a TD as the Cavs racked up 342 yards in total offense.
Monroe's best chance to score came just before the half. Consecutive personal fouls on Coldwater moved Monroe to the Cavs' 8-yard line with 9.5 seconds left. After an incomplete pass, Monroe missed a 26-yard field goal wide left. The Hornets never moved closer than the Cavs' 34 again.
"It added to our intensity. If anything it helped us out," said Homan, who rushed for 141 yards and 3 TDs on 24 carries and added a sack on defense — all in front of Jim Tressel, his future coach at Ohio State.
The Cavs, not wanting to let this one end like last season's 14-0 loss to Versailles in the semis, added a 23-yard Homan run and 11-yard run by Tyler Kunk to cap the scoring.
Monroe, which also lost to West Carrollton 28-10, averaged 32 points this season.
"I think it does somewhat demoralize you," Reed said of the defensive effort. "When you have been as successful as they have been scoring-wise, it takes a lot from you."
The state semifinal appearance capped an amazing turnaround for the Hornets, who had gone 3-27 in the three seasons prior, and recorded their first winning season since 1994.