Remembering last year, Walsh Jesuit football rolls past Hudson in OHSAA regional semifinal

RAVENNA — Walsh Jesuit and Hudson have become football rivals by battling each other in the postseason.

Friday's Division II, Region 5 regional semifinal was the third consecutive fall the Warriors and Explorers have clashed. Members of Walsh's Class of 20023 made sure the Warriors didn't forget last year's loss.

"Our starting quarterback last year, Ryan Kerscher, gave me a good little motivational text today," said Walsh quarterback Keller Moten. "I wanted to do it for him. The look on those senior faces last year, you don't want to relive it."

"I was talking to some seniors from last year. We just came out for them," said Walsh's Aiden Henry. "We talked about it all week; The score last year was 34-7. We came out swinging."

Motivated by their brothers and buoyed by Walsh winning the girls soccer state title just before kickoff, the Warriors avenged last year's defeat.

Walsh shut down Hudson's running game and earned a 35-14 win over Hudson at Portage Community Bank Stadium in Ravenna.

With the win, Walsh (12-1) earned another shot at redemption against Archbishop Hoban in the regional final.

"That one was really important to us," said Walsh coach Nick Alexander. "It's the same thing that happened last year. Our guys ended their season, and last year they came out with tenacity. This one means a lot."

Hudson coach Jeff Gough said he was pleased with his team, if not the result.

"Coach Alexander does a great job with Walsh," he said. "It was an outstanding season. To be into week 13, to fight all the fourth-quarter comebacks, all the injuries and adversity, I'm just proud of the way they battled."

While everyone at Walsh knows who's next, Alexander said he wanted to enjoy the win.

"It would be unfair of me to look ahead," he said. "With 12 wins and being in the elite eight, I'm just so proud of the way these guys played together."

Keller Moten scores five touchdowns to lead Walsh Jesuit football past Hudson

Moten chose a good time to have perhaps the best game of his career. The junior, who accounted for all five of Walsh's touchdowns, was 8-of-11 passing for 164 yards, two touchdowns and an interception, while leading the Warriors with 134 yards and three touchdowns rushing.

"It's really just a feel thing," Moten said. "Hudson's got a lot of great guys, but when they got aggressive and jumped No. 30 [Brock Sherman], I took my opportunities."

One telling statistic was Walsh out-rushed Hudson 241-77.

"The last couple of weeks, we've shown we've got depth in the run game," Gough said. "I wish we could have got it more established tonight, but when you get down you've got to throw the ball more."

Neither offense got going until it received a jolt from the defense.

Walsh got the game's first turnover when Dylan Hereford picked off Hudson's Peyton Neher in traffic late in the first quarter. That led to Moten's first touchdown, as Henry made a brilliant, one-handed catch to pull in a 21-yard score.

"I didn't even see the catch until I was in the tent," Moten said. "I got hit when I threw it, but heard everyone ... going crazy. I thought I overthrew it. I looked back at it, and that was the best catch I've ever seen."

Henry led Walsh with six catches for 140 yards and two touchdowns, as well as interception in the second half.

Hudson (10-3) returned the favor early in the second quarter, when Lucas Trautman jumped an out rout to pick of Moten.

Neher turned that turnover into an 18-yard touchdown to Trey Sharp. Called on more than usual to throw, Neher went 16-of-36 passing for 198 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions.

The drives before and after halftime proved crucial.

Up 14-7, Walsh managed the clock perfectly to end the first half, as Moten plunged in from 2 yards with 19 seconds left in the second quarter.

Hudson took the second half kickoff and drove into Walsh's red zone, but gave the ball over on downs. The Explorers had two turnovers on downs in the second half.

On the next play, Moten ran a perfect read-option and sprinted 80 yards for a touchdown, just beating his good friend Sharp to the end zone.

Walsh opened the fourth quarter with its final score, as Moten hit Henry on a 38-yard post route for his second touchdown catch.

"Keller Moten was throwing dimes to me all day," Henry said. "We couldn't have done it without the O-line. They did a great job giving him time."

Hudson got a late touchdown when Neher threw a 39-yard strike down the sideline to Nolan Tanner.

Cade Fontana led Hudson with eight catches for 81 yards.

Contact Michael Leonard at mleonard@recordpub.com and follow him on Twitter at @MLeonard_ABJ.

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Keller Moten leads Walsh Jesuit football past Hudson in OHSAA playoffs