Edison rallies past Vermilion for key win

VERMILION — For the Edison and Vermilion football teams, the playoffs started in Week 9. With both teams clinging to playoff positioning — Edison 7th in Division V, Region 18 and Vermilion 8th in Division IV, Region 14 — both teams realized this game had utmost importance. "This was a conference championship game tonight," Edison head coach Jim Hall said. "We both had one loss, as well as the whole division having one loss. I told the guys you win these next two games you set yourself up for a championship." Behind a second half that saw the visitors capitalize on Sailor mistakes, Edison came out victorious 27-24 behind a huge second half from quarterback Cole Leimeister. For Vermilion senior Brock Meyers, his last regular season home game could not have started better. After forcing an Edison three and out, Myers took a swing pass and dashed through Charger defenders en route to a 59-yard touchdown. In the first half alone, the senior had five catches for 105 yards. In the second quarter, running back Evan Kuhns ran in a 2-yard touchdown to make the score 13-0. Edison fought back, getting a Ryder Kramb 1-yard run to get the score to 13-6. The half ended with Vermilion's Micah Smith kicking a 19-yard field goal to make the score 16-6 at half. "We caught some breaks tonight," Hall said. "We got down 13-0, but I told the guys at halftime good teams do not quit down 10. These guys did not hang their heads and showed what good football teams do." After a drama-free first half, it was the complete opposite in the second half. Vermilion received the kickoff and marched down the field. Kuhns capped off the drive with a 15-yard touchdown to make it 22-6. Edison responded by scoring 21 of the next 23 points. The comeback started behind the arm of Leimeister, who hooked up with Andy Strecker on a 39-yard pass. He also hooked up with Brody McFadden to cut the Sailor lead to 22-14. "It was the idea of just never quitting," Leimeister said. "We made some mistakes, but we just made some adjustments and capitalized on theirs." The theme of the second half featured the Chargers capitalizing on turnovers. The first came when they recovered a muffed punt on the Sailor 8-yard line. After recovering, Kramb scored his second touchdown of the night from 4 yards to make it 22-20. "Our coach told us to worry about the next play," Ryder Kramb said. "We got down but never quit fighting." After forcing a Vermilion punt, it looked like the Chargers had to go 95 yards in 5:55, but a snap went through the end zone for a safety to make it 24-20. On the ensuing kickoff, Edison got their second huge turnover as they recovered a fumble, setting up the biggest drive of the game. Facing second-and-8, Leimeister hooked up with Coltyn Meagrow on a 21-yard touchdown pass to give Edison its only lead ol the game with 1:21 left in the ballgame. "It was a switch route that I knew I had to catch," Meagrow said. "Even in a game I only got a couple thrown my way, I had to step up and make a play." Not only were playoff implications on the line, the Sandusky Bay Conference Bay Division standings reached a crucial point as well with both teams coming in with a single loss. "Our guys believed that they could come back and win," Hall said. "When you believe that you can come back and win it is a powerful thing." The Sailors close out the regular season at Bellevue, which won a crucial game tonight at Port Clinton 12-3. "We want to come out with our best foot forward," Vermilion head coach Bill DiFucci said. "We started great, but a couple mistakes came back to hurt us. Bellevue is having a very good year and we got to get to work." The Chargers turn their focus to their Senior Night contest vs. Huron. That game most likely will be for a chance to play right back at Freedom Field in Week 11 as well as for a division championship. "If we win that game we win a championship," Hall said. "Take care of our business and do what we have to do then good things will happen." Vermilion 7 9 6 2 — 24Edison 0 6 8 13 — 27 VER — Brock Meyers 59 pass from Drake Hooks (Micah Smith kick)VER — Evan Kuhns 2 run (conversion failed)EDI — Ryder Kramb 1 run (conversion failed)VER — Smith 19 field goalVER — Kuhns 15 run (conversion failed)EDI — Andy Strecker 39 pass from Cole Leimeister (Brody McFadden pass from Leimeister)EDI — Kramb 4 run (conversion failed)VER — SafetyEDI — Coltyn Meagrow 21 pass from Leimeister (Alex Davidson kick)