The Lucas football team is headed to the state Final Four with a thrilling 21-13 win over top-seeded Cuyahoga Heights (10-2) to win the Division 7 Region 25 championship at Canal Fulton Northwest High School.

 

Tommy Zirzow put the second-seeded Cubs on the board first with a 9-yard TD run near the end of the first quarter. Ethan Sauder then extended the Lucas advantage to 14-0 on a 31-yard scoring run, finishing with 99 yards on 19 carries in the game.

 

A bobbled punt by Lucas to start the second half set up the Redskins in scoring position, as they trimmed the lead to 14-7. Cuyahoga Heights then recovered a Lucas fumble on the following drive deep in Cubs territory which they cashed in for another touchdown to make it 14-13 midway through the third quarter.

 

Zirzow would rack up 165 yards on 27 carries for the Cubs, scoring his second rushing TD from 30 yards out to start the fourth quarter, pushing the Lucas advantage to 21-13. The Redskins would later drive down to the 1-yard-line in the closing seconds looking to force OT, but the Cubs would force a fumble with just 27 seconds to play, sealing their first-ever Regional title.

 

Lucas (11-2) now moves on to face Harvest Prep (12-1) in the State Semifinals at St. Francis DeSales High School.