Columbian (Tiffin, Ohio) tailback Cliff Miller had 10 touchdowns to lead his team to an 83-82 overtime defeat of Shelby on Friday. Photo by Pat Gaietto/The Advertiser-Tribune
With the game in the balance, there wasn’t a lot of mystery Friday who would be carrying the ball for Columbian (Tiffin, Ohio). Senior tailback Cliff Miller had just scored his 10th touchdown of the night, but Shelby led 82-81 in overtime and the Tornadoes needed a two-point conversion to put the game away. Miller delivered with a run, finishing the game with 517 yards.
“We ran the same play four times in overtime,” Columbian coach Brian Colatruglio said.”We scored a touchdown in three plays with it and used it for the conversion. With the way they were scoring, we weren’t going to let them touch the ball again.”
Miller had given his team a comfortable 75-54 with just under eight minutes to go, scoring on eight touchdown runs and a 70-yard kickoff return. But Shelby, buoyed by three successful onside kicks, got back into the game with three late touchdowns. In overtime, Shelby went ahead on a 5-yard run by quarterback Brennan Armstrong, but Miller responded with a 99-yard touchdown run to set up his winning two-point conversion and give the Tornadoes a 83-82 win.
It is Miller’s first season as a tailback for Columbian as he played defense last season.
“We’ve had a lot of good tailbacks lately,” Colatruglio said. “He’s waited his turn on offense.”
As glad as he was to get teh win, Colatruglio said giving up 82 points gave him fits.
“My brother is the defensive coordinator, so I can yell at him,” Colatruglio said. ‘I would rather not see anything like that again.”
Miller leads the American Family Insurance ALL-USA Performances of the Week. The rest of the top performances:
Jacob Basinger, running back, Pandora-Gilboa, Pandora, Ohio
Senior ran for 343 yards and had seven touchdowns (six rushing and one receiving) in a 52-13 defeat of North Baltimore on Friday. He also scooped up a fumble on defense.
Bree Bednarski, field hockey, Wyoming Center, Exeter, Pa.
Junior broke a school record with eight goals in an 11-0 defeat of Elk Lake on Oct. 16. She has 40 goals this season.
Alex Bertrand, running back and linebacker, Maine Central Institute, Pittsfield, Maine
Junior ran for 106 yards and three touchdowns and had an interception and 10 tackles, including a sack, in a 46-18 defeat of Orono on Friday.
Brea Dickey, softball, Collins Hill, Suwanee, Ga.
Senior outfielder went 9-for-9 with four runs and two RBI in an 11-3, 17-5 doubleheader sweep of Shiloh (Snellville) in the state playoffs on Oct. 15.
Cutrell Haywood, defensive back-wide receiver, Stagg, Stockton, Calif.
Sophomore had four intereceptions and caught three touchdown catches in a 55-20 defeat of McNair (Stockton) on Friday.
Bennie Higgins, defensive end, Greenwood, Miss.
Senior had 10 tackles, including five sacks in a 42-0 win Friday vs. Gentry (Indianola).
Tucker Israel, quarterback, Lake Nona, Orlando
Clemson commit completed 39 of 51 passes for 659 yards, a state single-game record, and eight touchdowns, in a 59-42 defeat of St. Cloud on Oct. 16.
Georgia Wicker, volleyball, Woodstock, Ill.
Sophomore libero had 33 digs in two games in a defeat of Woodstock North (Woodstock) on Oct. 16.
Dalton Wood, quarterback, McAlester, Okla.
Oklahoma commit ran for 195 yards and three touchdowns, passed three for three touchdowns and returned a kickoff for a touchdown in a 63-20 win on Oct. at Noble.