CONNEAUT, Ohio — The first playoff victory in Conneaut Football history required a halftime wake-up call, a furious second-half comeback and one final connection between Wyant Dobran and Steven Kessler.
Kessler caught a 17-yard touchdown pass from Dobran in overtime Friday night to lift fifth-seeded Conneaut Football to an 18-12 victory over Chagrin Falls Football in a Division V, Region 17 first-round playoff game. The Spartans overcame a 12-0 halftime deficit to secure the program’s first postseason victory and improve to 10-1.
For Conneaut head coach Rocco Dobran, the comeback began with a simple halftime message: Forget the mistakes, enjoy the moment, and keep playing.
“I told them to let it go and keep playing. Last time, we didn’t have time to sit and dwell on it. They just kept playing, and good things happened. This time they were down on themselves at halftime, and I don’t want them to be down on themselves,” Dobran said. “Sometimes we don’t execute; that happens, and that’s okay. We wanted them to keep playing and have fun. This is your last time on this home field for the seniors, win or lose. Just go have a good time, and if you do, I knew they were going to play well.”
The Spartans responded by scoring 18 unanswered points, including the game-winner in overtime, to extend their season and give their community a victory it had never experienced.
The comeback carried a familiar storyline.
Two weeks earlier, Conneaut trailed Chagrin Falls in their Week 9 matchup before erupting for 46 unanswered points in a 46-16 victory.
Friday’s rematch was considerably more difficult.
The Tigers arrived determined to erase the memory of that regular-season collapse, and for two quarters, they appeared well on their way to doing just that.
Chagrin Falls quarterback Max Frankel struck first, connecting with Dylan Pribanic on a 39-yard touchdown pass that slipped just beyond a defender’s outstretched hand. The score gave the Tigers a 6-0 advantage.
Frankel then made his presence felt defensively with an interception before adding a 29-yard touchdown run in the second quarter to extend the lead to 12-0.
Conneaut had opportunities to answer, but the Tigers repeatedly came up with critical defensive stops.
The Spartans advanced into the red zone twice during the first half, only to leave both possessions without points.
Chagrin Falls stopped one drive on fourth down and ended another when Brady Kaas forced a fumble that Sam Butler recovered inside the five-yard line.
The Tigers carried their 12-0 advantage into halftime, leaving Conneaut’s seniors facing the possibility that their final game on their home field would end in disappointment.
Instead, the Spartans began writing a different ending.
Chagrin Falls opened the second half with a methodical possession that consumed approximately eight minutes, but Conneaut’s defense held firm and prevented the Tigers from extending their lead.
That stop gave the Spartans an opportunity to begin their comeback.
Late in the third quarter, Dobran broke free for a 33-yard run that flipped the field and gave Conneaut momentum heading into the final period.
He finished the possession with a three-yard touchdown run early in the fourth quarter, trimming the deficit to 12-6.
Suddenly, the Spartans were within striking distance.
After forcing a Chagrin Falls punt, Conneaut put together another scoring drive.
Isaiah Boles sparked the possession with a 15-yard run, and Kessler followed with an 11-yard gain.
Dobran then found Kessler on a screen pass, and the Spartans’ playmaker raced 32 yards into the end zone.
The touchdown tied the game at 12-12 and completed Conneaut’s second-half comeback.
Chagrin Falls still had an opportunity to reclaim the lead.
Frankel forced a fumble that Leo Calabrese recovered, giving the Tigers possession and a chance to win the game in regulation.
The ensuing field goal attempt missed, however, sending the contest into overtime.
There, Conneaut’s defense delivered another decisive play.
Chagrin Falls received the ball first, but on the second play of its possession, Alden Goudge intercepted Frankel to end the Tigers’ opportunity.
With the ball back in the Spartans’ hands, Dobran went to the connection that had already produced the tying touchdown.
He found Kessler on another backside screen pass, and Kessler sprinted 17 yards into the end zone for the walk-off winner.
The touchdown set off a celebration years in the making.
For a program that had never won a postseason game, the victory represented more than another step forward in the playoff bracket.
It gave Conneaut’s seniors a permanent place in school history.
“It’s so special for this community. These guys have worked really hard to get to this point. Really, it’s just great for the community to experience this. I tell these guys, that’s what they’re playing for each other, but they’re playing for their school and their community,” Dobran said. “To get that playoff win was huge, and it means a lot to these seniors. Their class got that first win. In 20 years, people will be talking about this class because of that win.”
Kessler finished with 98 yards on 12 offensive touches and scored both of his touchdowns on receptions in the fourth quarter and overtime.
Dobran accounted for 216 total yards and three touchdowns, including the three-yard scoring run that started the comeback and the two touchdown passes to Kessler.
Boles contributed 61 rushing yards on 14 carries as the Spartans found their offensive rhythm after halftime.
For Chagrin Falls, the defeat brought an end to a 7-4 season, but the Tigers produced a much different performance than they had in their first meeting with Conneaut.
The defense repeatedly turned away the Spartans in scoring territory, while Frankel accounted for both Chagrin Falls touchdowns.
Frankel completed 3-of-6 passes for 65 yards with one touchdown and an interception. He also rushed for 78 yards and a score on 13 carries.
Will Flannery added 58 yards on 16 touches.
Chagrin Falls head coach John Scott praised his team‘s determination to put the disappointing Week 9 performance behind it and challenge the Spartans from the opening snap.
“It just showed a lot of resolve from our kids. I’ve told everyone that we have a resilient bunch, and we gave up the momentum in week nine and never got it back,” Scott said. “It was one of those things that we preached when we got this draw. We had something to prove to ourselves; that game left a bad taste in our mouths, and that wasn’t Chagrin Falls football. And we were going to come out here in Week 11, and we were going to play Chagrin football.”
The Tigers accomplished much of what they set out to do, but Conneaut made the plays that mattered most when its season was on the line.
For the Spartans, Friday’s victory was both a historic breakthrough and an opportunity to continue a season that has already produced 10 wins.
They will travel to Garrettsville Garfield on Friday, Nov. 6, for a Division V, Region 17 second-round matchup.
Whatever happens next, this group of Conneaut seniors has already accomplished something no previous Spartans team had done.
They delivered the school’s first playoff victory, and they did it with a comeback their community won’t soon forget.
By the Numbers
| Category | Conneaut | Chagrin Falls |
|---|---|---|
| Final Score | 18 | 12 |
| Halftime Score | 0 | 12 |
| Record | 10-1 | 7-4 |
| Key Performer | Steven Kessler: 98 yards, 2 TD | Max Frankel: 143 total yards, 2 TD |
| Turning Point | Alden Goudge overtime INT | Missed FG in regulation |
Next Game: Conneaut at Garrettsville Garfield — Friday, Nov. 6, Division V, Region 17 second round.
No games scheduled for November 8, 2026.
