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Alter beats Steubenville for state title

Saturday, 29 November 2008

CANTON, Ohio (AP) — Seniors Austin Boucher and Chris Borland combined to lead Kettering Archibishop Alter to its first Ohio high school football championship with a 21-6 win over Steubenville in the Division IV title game at Friday.

The Knights (13-2) capped what should have been an undefeated season with a dominating performance at Fawcett Stadium. Alter was forced to forfeit their first two wins of the season for using an ineligible player, but kept winning anyway.

Steubenville (14-1), was ranked No. 2 in the Associated Press final regular-season poll behind defending champion Coldwater, which lost in the regional finals two weeks ago to Kettering Alter. The Knights were ranked No. 5 despite having two lopsided wins turned into 1-0 forfeit losses.

It was a rematch of Steubenville’s wild 34-33 win for the Division III championship two years ago.

This time, Alter kept the Big Red’s big offense in check. Steubenville, in the playoffs for the 21st time, had averaged 41 points in four postseason wins, but was shut down until Dwight Macon passed 33 yards to Trey Wiggins to make it 21-6 with 9:43 to play.

The extra point was missed and Steubenville could not muster much more offense.

Boucher, a first team All-Ohio selection, completed 7 of 11 passes for 81 yards and one touchdown. He also gained 111 yards on 19 carries, scoring on a a 3-yard run in the third quarter.

Borland gained 130 yards on 15 rushes, including a 21-yard run around right end that made it 21-0 early in the fourth quarter.

Macon went 11-for-22 for 196 yards, but threw one interception. He gained 68 yards on 14 carries, but the rest of the Big Red offense managed only 20 yards on the ground.