LCC’s Ethan Frankhouser (10), Deangelo Russell (55), Matt Cira (22) and Matthew Quatman (4) combine to bring down New Bremen’s Hunter Schaefer during Saturday night’s Division VII state semifinal at Wapakoneta. See more high school football photos at LimaScores.com.
Don Speck | The Lima News
WAPAKONETA — New Bremen did what it does best.
It ran the ball. Then it ran some more.
New Bremen ran for 363 yards in a 42-34 victory over Lima Central Catholic in the Division VII football state semifinals Saturday at Wapakoneta.
New Bremen (12-3) advances to the state championship game at 3 p.m. Saturday against the Warren JFK/Newark Catholic winner.
LCC finished the year 10-5.
New Bremen pounded the ball on the ground with its 1-2 punch of quarterback David Homan and tailback Hunter Schaefer.
Homan ended up with 27 carries for 198 yards and one TD. In the air, Homan completed 14 of 18 for 213 yards and two TDs.
Schaefer had 18 carries for 144 yards and two TDs, including an 80-yard TD.
Ben Sailer had seven catches for 136 yards.
For LCC, Carson Parker had 15 carries for 107 yards and three TDs (31, 1, 4).
In the air, Parker completed 10 of 18 for 244 yards and one TD.
Matt Quatman had five receptions for 144 yards.
Gabe Cira had 10 carries for 61 yards.
New Bremen knocked off LCC in the 2020 state semifinals and went on to win the state title that year.
LCC led 21-16 at the half.
New Bremen took the lead to stay 29-28 on a 6-yard TD run by Homan with 4:11 to go.
The Cardinals made it 36-28 with 9:08 to go on a 4-yard TD pass from Homan to Aaron Thieman.
New Bremen’s Schaefer broke an 80-yard run around the right side on the first play of the drive and the Cardinals’ lead grew to 42-28 with 6:14 to go.
Parker came back with a 60-yard pass to Quatman to take the ball to the New Bremen 5. Parker ran it in from the 4 to cut the New Bremen lead to 42-34 with 4:38 to go.
But New Bremen ran out the final 4:38 on the ground.
With a 44-degree mild night, LCC was able to mix up its passing game with its running attack.
Meanwhile, New Bremen sprinkled in a few passes with its run-happy offense.
On LCC’s second drive, the T-Birds went 99 yards in 11 plays for a score.
Cira got loose off right tackle and went 27 yards for a TD.
That gave LCC a 7-0 lead with 3:54 left in the opening quarter.
LCC made it 14-0 on a 35-yard TD pass off a quick slant from Parker to Billy Bourk.
That came with 11:44 in the second and capped a six-play, 75-yard drive.
A key play was a 29-yard pass from Parker to Quatman.
New Bremen got within 14-6 on a 4-yard TD run by Schaefer.
The key to the drive was a 46-yard leaping grab by Ben Sailed from Homan.
That came with 8:54 left in the second.
LCC pushed its lead to 21-6 on a 31-yard TD run by Parker with 6:53 left in the second.
Back came New Bremen.
The Cardinals got the T-Birds lead to 21-13 on a 3-yard TD run by Schaefer.
Schaefer kicked a 20-yard field goal to cut the margin to 21-16 with 20 seconds left in the half.
At the half, Parker ran for 31 yards. In the air, he completed 8 of 13 for 168 yards and one TD.
New Bremen’s two-pronged running game of Homan and Schaefer was gobbling up yards.
Homan had 52 yards at the half, while Schaefer ran for 49.
This marked LCC’s fourth trip to the state semifinals (2022, 2020, 2010 and 1973).
Tom Usher wrote this story for LimaScores.com. Reach The Lima News sports department at 567-242-0451.
