'We finally got a payday': GlenOak football stuns Canton McKinley with 18-play drive

CANTON — On a night filled with yapping, chippy penalties, big hits and some not-so-pretty high school football, GlenOak's Adrion "Milk" Burt felt like Friday's final result came down to one key factor.

"We had to stay in the game and focus," the junior quarterback said. "Close our mouths and let our game speak."

This game has a chance to echo for a while in the Golden Eagles' program.

Burt's 3-yard touchdown pass to tight end Austin Morrison with 1:25 left capped an arduous 18-play scoring drive that gave GlenOak a 7-3 win against Canton McKinley at Benson Stadium.

McKinley failed to cover the ensuing pooch kick and GlenOak's Muhammad Malka recovered to seal the victory, snapping the Golden Eagles' seven-game losing streak to their backyard rival in stunning fashion.

Why so stunning?

Trailing 3-0, GlenOak had a total of seven first downs and 125 yards when it got the ball back with 9:55 left in the fourth quarter. The Golden Eagles then marched 82 yards in the 18 plays, picking up six first downs along the way, before Burt found Morrison on third-and-goal.

Morrison, an offensive lineman growing up and primarily a blocking tight end for GlenOak, had never scored a touchdown in his life.

The senior dedicated his touchdown to his friend Jacob Brown, a Central Catholic student-athlete who passed away a year ago this month in a car accident. Morrison used to attend Central with Brown.

"I want to make him a part of this right now," Morrison said.

The Golden Eagles' victory has several ramifications.

∎ McKinley (7-2, 5-1), which already had earned at least a share of the Federal League title, misses on a chance to clinch the outright championship and now goes into Massillon week on a stinging loss.

∎ It keeps Lake alive in the League race. The Blue Streaks (7-2, 4-1) can grab a share of the league title next week with a win against Green.

∎ For GlenOak (5-4, 3-2), it's a moment of glory and maybe a sign of things to come for a program that has wandered in the wilderness for years. Friday's victory gives the Golden Eagles their first three-game winning streak since 2016, which also is the last time they won more than four games in a season.

"This is a huge program win," GlenOak head coach Scott Garcia said. "Our kids have fought through a lot. We've taken our lumps. But they got that done in the weight room in the offseason and through the summer. We've done things the right way and we finally got a payday today."

McKinley gained one first down and 28 yards of offense in the second half as its six-game winning streak was snapped.

The Bulldogs were outgained 207-169 for the game, and that included only 67 yards on the ground in another sloppy performance by a team that entered the night leading the Division I, Region 1 playoff standings.

"I get they're frustrated, but we all have fault in this, myself included," McKinley head coach Antonio Hall said. "What we have to do is get better and hopefully — finally — fix the mistakes we've been making, clean up the penalties. Because we haven't and it finally caught up to us."

Junior linebacker David Potter and the GlenOak defense were outstanding.

McKinley had one play of more than 20 yards on the night — a 40-yard pass to Keith Quincy in the first quarter. That resulted in no points when the Bulldogs went backwards and ended up turning it over on downs (thanks mainly to Da'Codis Davis and Romeo Magueyal combining on a coverage sack of McKinley's Keaton Rode).

"They are explosive all over the field," Garcia said about the Bulldogs. "We kind of sat back. We didn't pressure them a whole lot because he can scramble and do some things. We tried to box him in and spy on the quarterback. So he didn't get loose on us tonight."

Rode was 5-of-9 passing for 102 yards and no interceptions. He rushed 11 times for 33 yards. The three points is McKinley's lowest output since being shutout 42-0 by St. Edward in a 2021 playoff game.

McKinley's three points came courtesy of Quincy's interception of Cole Anderson on the first play of the second quarter, and even that felt like a downer.

Quincy took the pick back for a 42-yard touchdown, but McKinley was whistled for an illegal block in the back on the return, negating the TD. The Bulldogs later settled for a 23-yard Rode field goal.

That looked like it might be enough with the way the McKinley defense was playing, led by the linebacking corps of Shaukeer Hatcher, Ja'Diss Jackson and Dante McClellan.

But GlenOak reached deep into its playbook to find a way on its scoring drive. That included senior Katour Ashcraft breaking several tackles to gain 11 yards on a wide receiver screen and convert third-and-9. Coming out of a timeout, GlenOak converted a third-and-8 with an inside trap play that went for 14 yards to sophomore fullback Matt Rekstis.

Later, on third-and-goal, Burt faked a handoff to Jamar Johnson, rolled right and jumped to get the pass over charging McKinley defender Alex Vazquez.

The ball nestled into the outstretched hands of Morrison, who had leaked out to an open spot in the McKinley defense.

"I've been blocking my ass off all year, so I was hoping to get one," a beaming Morrison said.

Burt, in a QB rotation with Anderson this season, was behind center most of the night and finished 5-of-7 passing for 44 yards. He also rushed 17 times for 59 yards.

"No one thought we would win, so this feels good," Burt said. "Knowing I had some part in it, it will make it feel even better."

Reach Josh at josh.weir@cantonrep.com 

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This article originally appeared on The Repository: Ohio high school football: GlenOak vs Canton McKinley | Federal League