KIRTLAND. Ohio - Fort Frye took it on the chin.
Trailing by three touchdowns at the end of the first quarter, the Eric Huck-coached Cadets never recovered and dropped a 49-7 decision to host and defending state champion Kirtland in an Ohio Division V playoff opener Saturday night.
No. 8 seed Fort Frye exits with an 8-3 overall record, while undefeated and top-seeded Kirtland (11-0) advances.
The Cadets averted a shutout in the fourth quarter when junior quarterback Chandler Lang hit senior tight end Tyser Schilling with a 63-yard scoring strike. Lang then kicked the extra point.
On Kirtland's first offensive possession of the game, Sam Kukura raced 50 yards to paydirt for a 6-0 Hornets' advantage.
Then a Lang throw was intercepted by Damon Washington and returned 32 yards to the end zone for a 13-0 Kirtland lead.
Fact Box
Ohio Division V Playoffs
at Kirtland High
Kirtland 49, Fort Frye 7
Fort Frye (8-3) 0 0 0 7 - 7
Kirtland (11-0) 21 14 14 0 - 49
1st quarter
K: Sam Kukura, 50 run (n/a kick), 9:17
K: Damon Washington, 32 interception (n/akick), 8:22
K: Washington, 58 run (n/a kick), 6:31
2nd quarter
K: Anthony Veneri, 5 pass from Scott Eilerman (Kyle Adams kick), 11:32
K: Joe Godec, 5 run (Adams kick), 4:10
3rd quarter
K: Kukura, 50 run (n/a kick),
K: Adam Hess, 2 run (n/a kick),
4th quarter
FF: Tyser Shilling, 63 pass from Chandler Lang (Chandler Lang kick), 11:48
The Hornets' advantage bulged to 21-0 when Washington scored again, this time on a 58-yard TD dash.
Early in the second quarter, Scott Eilerman connected with Anthony Veneri on a five-yard scoring strike and Kirtland owned a commanding 28-0 lead.
Later in the period, a fourth Hornet got into the scoring act when Joe Godec ran five yards into the end zone as the Cadets were down 35-0 at intermission.
The rout resumed in the third quarter when Kukura again raced 50 yards to paydirt to make it 42-0.
Late in the period, Fort Frye had its best scoring opportunity of the game up to that point when Chandler Lang completed a 53-yard pass to Shilling to the Kirtland 16. From there, the Cadets ran the ball to the 5, but on fourth-and-goal, they turned the ball over on downs when Lang was stopped just short of the goal line.
Capitalizing on its defensive stand, Kirtland, sparked by Washington's 88-yard run to the Fort Frye 2, stretched its lead to 49-0 on Adams' two-yard burst into the zone run.
On the first play of the fourth quarter, Lang hooked up with Schilling to get the Cadets on the scoreboard.
