With a little more than five minutes left in the first half of Friday’s Northern Ohio League game vs. Tiffin Columbian, the Truckers were in prime position to potentially put themselves in the Division II playoffs.
However, a big offensive line and the consistent running of Jack Jacoby eventually wore Norwalk down in a 28-6 win for the Tornadoes.
The No. 3-ranked team in the Associated Press poll finishes 10-0 overall for the first time since 1987. Norwalk coach Chris MacFarland, a Columbian graduate, was an assistant coach on that team.
Meanwhile, after a 7-0 start and a state ranking, the Truckers lost their final three games to finish the season 7-3 overall and 2-3 in the NOL. It’s the second straight 7-3 season for the Truckers after 34 consecutive losing seasons.
The Truckers surprised the Tornadoes early, getting a 23-yard pass from Jake Fetherolf to Michael Finch on the game’s second play to put the ball at the Tiffin 34. The very next play, Fetherolf found Jordan Johnson on a screen, and the shifty junior did the rest to cover the distance for a touchdown.
On the TD pass, Fetherolf broke both the single-season and career program records for passing yards.
Unofficially, the senior finishes with 2,153 yards for the season and 4,659 yards for his career. He also added the career touchdowns thrown, and single-game passing yards and TDs record this season.
However, Columbian rattled off 28 straight points in the second and third quarters.
Columbian picked up 384 net yards, led by Jacoby’s 229.
Fetherolf went 8-of-19 for 124 yards.
Columbian 0 15 13 0 — 28
Norwalk 6 0 0 0 — 6
Scoring
N — Jordan Johnson 34 pass from Jake Fetherolf (kick failed)
C — Ryan Lynch 32 run (Jack Jacoby run)
C — Jacoby 2 run (Derek Dryfuse kick)
C — Jacoby 48 run (Dryfuse kick)
C — Vince Anway 46 interceptin return (kick failed)
Read more in Saturday’s Norwalk Reflector and Sandusky Register
