Sports

Struthers falls in regional final to Canton South, 35-13

By Mike Brown

November 18, 2023 1:32 AM

Struthers vs. Canton South Mike Brown/Mahoning Matters

TALLMADGE — Sixth-seeded Struthers saw its outstanding postseason football run come to an end as the Wildcats dropped a 35-13 decision to Canton South and its All-Ohio quarterback Poochie Snyder who finished with 402 total yards in a D4 regional championship game at Tallmadge’s Larry Bagnoli Stadium Friday night.

“I thought our kids played a heck of a football game,” said Struthers head coach John Bayuk. “It’s just hard not getting a stop against him (Snyder) and playing catch-up to these guys and we got in catch-up mode.”

Struthers finishes 10-4

The setback ended the season for regional runner-up Struthers at 10-4, while regional champ Canton South, which had defeated Northwest, Akron Buchtel and West Branch in its first three playoff games, is now 14-0 on the season.

The win sends South, averaging 42.8 points-per-game, into a D4 state semifinal matchup with Cleveland Glenville next Friday at 7 p.m. at Euclid Community Stadium. Glenville (11-3) advanced Friday night with a 36-26 win over formerly unbeaten Sandusky Perkins.

“It (advancing to the state Final 4) is awesome, we’re in uncharted water now,” said Canton South head coach Matt Dennison. “I told the kids one of our goals was to practice on Thanksgiving day and we get to practice on Thanksgiving day. I’m just so happy for our community. They’re proud and they did a great job again tonight coming out and cheering for us.”

Poochie Snyder shines for Canton South

For the second consecutive playoff game, South’s senior quarterback Poochie Snyder accounted for over 400 total yards himself in leading his team to the win. He completed 24-of-32 passes in the misty conditions for 295 yards and four touchdowns of eight yards to Tyler Pugh, two yards to tight end Luke Johnson, 44 yards off a scramble to wideout Tre Wilson and 19 yards to star receiver Tavon Castle, who led all receivers with 13 catches for 159 yards.

“He (Castle) is as sure-handed as they come,” said Snyder. “He makes big plays all the time — I don’t know how many third-down catches he had. He’s a great route runner and has sure hands.”

Meanwhile, Snyder, who finished with 402 total yards in the game, also rushed for 107 yards on 12 carries. Last week in a playoff win over West Branch, Snyder had 401 total yards.

“He (Snyder) is so special,” said Bayuk. “I’m telling you, that whole team is special. They have a really good football team and just having that kid leading the group makes it that much better.”

“He (Snyder) had a great game tonight and we played well in all phases of it,” said Dennison. “We ran when we had to and we kept them off-balance a little bit.”

South scored on five of its eight possessions in the game and jumped out to a 7-0 lead after one quarter, stretched it to 21-7 at halftime and 35-13 after three quarters.

“When you play a ball-control team like that (Struthers), to get a lead is paramount,” observed Dennison. “The first score and the last one right before half and then coming out (in the second half) to get up three scores was great.”

Anthony Carter led all rushers in the game with 156 yards on 14 carries

The loss spoiled an outstanding rushing effort by Struthers’ standout senior running back Anthony Carter who led all rushers in the game with 156 yards on 14 carries, including a 54-yard touchdown run in the third quarter. Quarterback Jason Dukes added 59 yards on eight carries.

“He (Carter) is a workhorse for us, a great kid and great football player on both sides of the ball,” lauded Bayuk. “His effort is there every week — that’s why we love him.”

Trailing 14-0, Struthers scored its first touchdown of the game when the Wildcats capped a sustained march with a one-yard run by running back Devin Braham. Noah Camahan added the PAT kick and Struthers trailed 14-7 with 5:26 left before halftime.

But Canton South’s offense answered with a key touchdown just before intermission when Snyder found tight end Luke Johnson in the back of the end zone on a two-yard scoring pass and the Stark County Wildcats took a 21-7 lead into the break, following the PAT boot by kicker Landon White.

Like it did on its opening series of the game, Canton South took the opening kickoff of the second half and made it 28-7 when Snyder escaped several defenders on a scramble and fired a 44-yard scoring aerial to wideout Tre Wilson at the 10:24 mark of the third period.

“You hold a team like that to a third and long and with that kid (Snyder) with the ball in his hands you don’t know what’s going to happen,” reflected Bayuk. “He makes plays and backbreaking is the word for it.”

“Our receivers do a great job knowing their routes and knowing when the ball’s got to get out and it was just a fantastic job all the way around tonight,” remarked Dennison.

Struthers came back to get within 28-13 when Carter raced through a hole in the South defense and sprinted 54 yards to the end zone at the 7:38 juncture of the third quarter. The PAT kick was wide left.

But South iced the game away when Snyder hit Castle with a 19-yard scoring pass with 2:12 showing on the third quarter clock.

Canton South led in total offense, 461-253.

“That team (Struthers) had run the ball on everybody and we did a nice job,” said Dennison.

Struthers loses just 10 players from this year’s regional runner-up team and should be a force in the Northeast 8 again next fall.

“I can’t be more proud of our kids, they fought their tails off all year,” praised Bayuk. “Getting to Week 14 is something special for us.”

CANTON SOUTH 35, STRUTHERS 13

STRUTHERS 0 7 6 0 — 13

CANTON SOUTH 7 14 14 0 — 35

SCORING

CS — Rome Cox, 1 run, 1:22 1st (Landon White kick)

CS — Tyler Pugh, 8 pass from Poochie Snyder, 6:34 2nd (Landon White kick)

STR — Devin Braham, 1 run, 5:26 2nd (Noah Camahan kick)