PAINESVILLE–Harvey walked off with a 41-34 win over visiting West Geauga in a Chagrin Valley Conference Chagrin Division shootout on Friday.
Tied 34-34 with nine seconds remaining in the game, Harvey quarterback Markese Wise connected with Chase Goines on the game-winning pass and catch.
“Coach Mohner told (Wise) to throw it to my side, so I knew it was coming to me,” said Harvey wideout Chase Goines about the decisive play. “I knew I was going to score the touchdown. I went out and did what I needed to do. After the catch, I thought, ‘I’m the man.’ I was excited.”
Harvey opened the scoring when Shahn Alston punched it in from the seven.
West Geauga quickly answered with Finn Keenan finding Vince Vecchio for a 56-yard touchdown, tying the game at 7-7.
Mickey Keenan picked off a Wise pass for a 51-yard pick-six in the second quarter to put the Wolverines ahead. The Red Raiders responded with an 11-yard pass from Wise to Chris Burt to tie it again.
Keenan had two strong read-option runs, setting up Adison Cook’s 26-yard field goal for a West Geauga lead.
Cooper Vosicky added a 21-yard touchdown reception, putting West Geauga up by 10 before Wise connected with Trent Hull for a 12-yard score just before halftime.
Cook led off the second half with a 22-yard field goal for a 27-21 advantage.
Hull then pulled in a 66-yard touchdown catch to tie the game before Dominic Paros’ third-down catch of five yards set up a Paul Flowers one-yard touchdown run, giving the Wolverines a 34-27 lead.
Subsequently, Wise found Burt for a 56-yard score, bringing the game to 34-34.
Both teams turned it over on downs before Wise connected with Burt again for a 47-yard gain, setting up the game-winning touchdown.
Harvey head coach Mick Mohner saw a favorable look from the Wolverine defense and knew exactly the right play-call was and who to go to.
“When we initially came out in an empty (formation), we felt that (West Geauga) was pressing us,” Mohner said. “We changed (the play call). I liked the matchups on the outside. If you watch Chase Goines play basketball, he plays above the rim. He’s ridiculously athletic, and we knew if it’s a jump ball, he’ll go get it. (Markese) put it where nobody could catch it but Chase.”
Goines caught it, securing a come-from-behind win for Harvey in a conference game with a playoff feel.
“We had 11 guys playing together in all three phases of the game,” Mohner said. “The guys played their butts off. This win is huge, we’re a young group, and sometimes doubt can creep in when you have so much youth. But, for us to kick the door down and get a W was huge.”
Harvey’s defense stepped up its play in the crucial moments, a difference from last week’s 42-38 loss to Orange.
“We were rough on our defense all week,” Mohner said. “We weren’t very good on defense against Orange, but for those guys to come out and make stops was huge. For us to kick the door down and to get a win, it’s great.”
Alston, averaging 202 rushing yards per game coming in, was held in check by the Wolverine defense, setting the stage for his teammates to shine.
Wise finished 15-of-23 passing for 260 yards and five touchdowns; Burt had nine touches for 217 scrimmage yards with two receiving touchdowns.
Hull made a pair of catches for 74 yards and two scores, and Alston had 19 rushes for 71 yards and a touchdown.
“To be able to execute in the passing game was huge for us,” Mohner said. “It helped us work around some of the exotic things West G did up front defensively.”
West Geauga fell to 2-5 overall and 0-2 in conference play.
Keenan led the Wolverines with 12-of-20 passing for 216 yards with two passing touchdowns. Flowers caught three passes for 33 yards with 26 rushing yards and a score.
Vecchio had three catches for 80 yards and a touchdown, Vosicky pulled in three passes for 48 yards and a touchdown, while Joseph Moore rushed seven times for 66 yards with one catch for 35 yards.
Harvey hosts Perry next week, while West Geauga will host Lutheran West.
OTHER CVC SCORES
- Lakeside 21, Jefferson 20
- Geneva 75, Conneaut 6
- Hawken 27, Lutheran West 21
- Madison 42, Edgewood 7
- Perry 62, Orange 0
- Kirtland 46, Berkshire 11
- Chagrin Falls 39, Fairview 22
- Crestwood 58, Cardinal 26
- Wickliffe 37, Cuyahoga Heights 18
- Independence 41, Brooklyn 6
- Beachwood vs. Trinity (canceled)
