Football: Dublin Coffman ‘Hyenas’ difference-makers in win over Olentangy Liberty
Friday, November 3, 2023
By Michael Rich
mrich@cbussports.com
Dublin Coffman’s Cameron Hairston runs after the catch while Olentangy Liberty’s Kaleb Schumate (5) helps make the tackle Nov. 3 at Coffman. Photo: John Hulkenberg
Hyenas are hunters and they’re opportunistic. So were Mason Parrill and Preston Phillips, who teamed up to make a difference-making play in the Dublin Coffman football team’s 17-14 win over Olentangy Liberty in a Division I, Region 2 quarterfinal on Nov. 3.
Sixth-seeded Coffman will play second-seeded Olentangy Berlin in a regional semifinal on Nov. 10 at a neutral site to be announced.
Parrill stripped Patriots receiver Christian Moulton on a short pass on the right sideline and Phillips was there to pounce on it.
“Our identity as a team is being hyenas,” Phillips said. “As soon as I saw it shoot out, the ‘Football Justice Department’ put it right in my lap and I was just there to fall on it. That’s all I did.”
Six players, quarterback Quinn Hart was in the end zone on a 13-yard draw play to give the sixth-seeded Shamrocks (9-3) a 17-point lead with 2 minutes, 40 seconds left in the third quarter.
Funny thing, nobody seemed to know of Parrill’s part of the big play.
Olentangy Liberty’s Jake Struck lunges with the ball while Dublin Coffman’s Nigel Allard makes the tackle Nov. 3. Photo: John Hulkenberg
“Honestly, I couldn’t tell (who stripped it),” Phillips said.
But the play was indicative of Coffman’s defense, which has held opponents to 28 points over the last three games. Frankie Wilkens had 4.5 tackles and Parrill and Charlie Mitchell each finished with a sack for the Rocks.
“Hyenas are very fierce animals,” Phillips said. “So, whenever we talk about perimeter game or (defensive backs) in general, we call ourselves ‘Hyenas’ because we’re ravenous and we go to the ball. We’re relentless – we rip and scratch at everything we can get to.”
Coffman coach Geron Stokes didn’t want to put any more weight on the play than any other play.
“Every play is big, man,” he said. “It’s November football. Dudes got to be dudes. They got to be special. Every play matters.”
Quinn Hart and the Coffman offense made big plays when it needed them. Hart completed an 18-yard slant pass to Cameron Hairston on fourth down. Two plays later he found Eli Losey on a 13-yard touchdown pass with 10:32 remaining in the first half to give the Rocks the lead for good.
Dublin Coffman’s Eli Losey (5) and Olentangy Liberty’s Antonio Kish go up for a ball Nov. 3 at Coffman. Photo: John Hulkenberg
Hart had eight carries for 29 yards on the final series to help Coffman bleed out the final 5:23 of the game after 14th-seeded Liberty scored to pull within a field goal.
He finished 14 of 22 passing for 131 yards and carried 21 times for 78 yards.
Daven White added 50 yards rushing on 13 carries, Cameron Hairston had five catches for 57 yards and Amari Valerio-Hudson had five receptions for 44 yards. But it was his 7-yard run on a reverse that converted a third down on the final drive.
“Our goal was to not give them a chance to get the ball back and that’s what we did,” Hart said. “Our offensive line just went crazy.”
Jake Struck came up clutch for the Patriots in big situations too. He hauled in a fourth-down pass over the middle, running over a defender at the 1 to get in the end zone on a 20-yard touchdown pass from Andrew Leonard. The play got the Patriots on the board with 46 seconds remaining in the third quarter.
Struck finished with 12 carries for 82 yards rushing and six receptions for 63 yards to lead the Patriots (4-8).
Leonard went 17 of 24 passing for 169 yards, adding a second touchdown pass in the fourth quarter to Wilson Roberts.
Charles Donehue led Liberty with seven tackles on defense.
“We just waited a little too long,” Liberty coach John Sansbury said. “We had a tough first half where we made too many mistakes. (Coffman) is a good football team and well-coached. You can’t give them points and you can’t give them too many opportunities because they’ll take advantage.”