By Tom Nader

Publisher and Editor

When a football team is trailing in the fourth quarter, with time ticking away and trying to rally for a game-winning drive, the margin for error is small.

Mogadore’s Maddox Smith hangs onto the game-sealing interception during the final seconds of Friday’s fourth quarter in Mogadore.
Paisley Nader/Portage Sports

In fact, the pressure can make it feel as if it is shrinking with each play.

That’s where Mogadore found itself on Friday night.

In one moment, everything inside the team’s comeback drive at home against Ellet was going fine.

After a couple other moments, it suddenly wasn’t, putting the game in jeopardy.

Set up with a first-and-goal from the 10-yard line, and trailing 18-13, Mogadore had momentum on its side after beginning the drive at its own 21 with about 4 minutes to play.

Enter a tackle for loss by Ellet’s defense.

Enter a 5-yard false-start penalty.

Enter a 10-yard holding penalty.

Suddenly, Mogadore was second-and-goal from the 27-yard line.

The Cats needed a big play.

Maddox Smith delivered three of them and with it, he delivered the Cats a comeback 21-18 victory over the Orangemen at Mogadore’s Memorial Stadium on Friday.

Smith, a junior quarterback, used his legs for the first play.

On a designed pass play, Smith tucked the ball after not finding an open target and raced 22 yards around the right edge and sideline to the 5-yard line.

Sophomore Collin Hendrickson keeps his eyes on the ball on a pass from Maddox Smith that became a second-quarter touchdown.
Mogadore’s Maddox Smith hangs onto the game-sealing interception during the final seconds of Friday’s fourth quarter in Mogadore.
Paisley Nader/Portage Sports

After an incomplete pass on third down, Smith used his arm for the second play.

On fourth down, with just under 2 minutes on the clock and the game on the line, Smith rolled right for a pass play, planted his right foot and threw back across the field to Collin Hendrickson, who was running along the back of the end zone on a designed misdirection route.

Smith lofted the pass, which covered approximately 20 yards in the air despite the play beginning on the 5, to where only Hendrickson could pull it in.

And he did for the go-ahead score, giving Mogadore a 19-18 lead.

“It really was an all or nothing type of play,” Adorni said. “We thought we could spring it open, especially if we lined up for the (fourth-down) play like we did on the third-down play that went for an incompletion. So we took a shot at it.”

Smith then ran in the 2-point conversion to make it 21-18.

On Ellet’s ensuing drive, which began at its own 35 after Mogadore’s kickoff went out of bounds, it quickly moved into a threatening position to score by taking underneath routes as Mogadore’s defensive backfield kept all receivers in front of them.

Wildcats running back Conner Lehner runs toward an open hole during the first half of Friday’s game in Mogadore.
Mogadore’s Maddox Smith hangs onto the game-sealing interception during the final seconds of Friday’s fourth quarter in Mogadore.
Paisley Nader/Portage Sports

Then, on first-and-10 from the Cats’ 36, Smith made his third play.

On a deep ball over the middle, Smith pulled down an interception at the 5-yard line and only 20 seconds remaining, to seal the three-point victory.

“Actually, where I intercepted the ball on that play, it was not really my zone to be in,” Smith said. “But when I saw the pass go up, I thought I could go get it. In that moment of the game, we just needed someone to make a play, so I wanted to try for it. Once I pulled it in, people were immediately in my face yelling in excitement.”

It was Mogadore’s third comeback win of the season (Crestwood in Week 1 and Malvern in Week 4).

“I am just so proud of the team tonight,” Mogadore head coach Matt Adorni said. “We knew that tonight was going to be a tough game. Ellet is well coached and play hard. I can’t say enough about Maddox’s growth as a player from game one to game five. He gives us an element that we have not had here for a long time, with the way he can run and throw, and he really grew up tonight.”

Smith’s night included 161 yards rushing on 17 carries on the ground, along with 8-of-13 passing for 155 yards and three touchdowns in the air.

“Maddox is a player who grew up playing running back,” Adorni said. “Last year, he played quarterback for us, but our offense was not like this last year so I would say that this is his first full year as a formal quarterback. We have a lot of confidence in him, and we give him the green light to make plays.”

Mogadore’s Kade Thomas (near) and Collin Hendrickson celebrate Hendrickson’s game-winning touchdown.
Mogadore’s Maddox Smith hangs onto the game-sealing interception during the final seconds of Friday’s fourth quarter in Mogadore.
Paisley Nader/Portage Sports

Smith did plenty of that on Friday, but Ellet had its share of playmakers, too, including senior wide receiver Trey Carter and senior quarterback Terrance Parker.

The two were a formidable duo.

Parker did some damage on the ground (16 attempts for 75 yards), but it was the gamebreaking plays the two made through the air that were most notable (Parker was 13-of-19 for 220 yards).

Carter, who caught six passes for a total of 176 yards, scored on second-quarter touchdown receptions from 54 and 48 yards out.

The first score put Ellet ahead 6-0 after the extra point was blocked.

In a recurring theme for the game, Mogadore answered when Smith found Hendrickson on a 12-yard catch along the back of the end zone at 6:28 before halftime. Tyler Pendergast booted the extra point and Mogadore led 7-6.

Carter’s second touchdown regained the lead for the Orangemen (1-4). Ellet’s 2-point conversion failed, but the lead shifted back to its favor at 12-7.

Mogadore’s answer was a 64-yard touchdown strike from Smith to Kade Thomas, who pulled in a reception near the left sideline, but had work to do to get to the end zone.

Thomas accelerated away from Ellet’s defensive backs, but needed to jump out of one diving attempt from behind him, then he stopped on a dime to allow the pursuit defender, who had a good angle, to miss around the 7-yard line and then Thomas crossed the goal line.

The point after was missed after a 5-yard fall start penalty moved the Cats back, but they regained the lead 13-12.

The only touchdown in the third quarter was Ellet’s and it put them ahead 18-13. Brandon Knowles, who had 50 yards rushing, scored on a barreling 9-yard run. Ellet’s 2-point conversion again failed, setting the stage for the Cats’ comeback drive.

Conner Lehner added 71 yards on the ground on 20 attempts for the Cats. He also had a 32-yard reception. Thomas finished with four catches for 89 yards.