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Celina's Zane Boley (37) tries to bring down Wapakoneta quarterback Darren Houser (5).
CELINA - Celina put together one of its best seasons of the century.
But Friday night, the Bulldogs ran into a Wapakoneta team playing its best football at the right time of the year.
The Redskins, who lost to Celina during the regular season, got their revenge with a 28-7 victory in the Division III, Region 10 semifinals at Bulldog Stadium.
Wapakoneta, winners of eight in a row, advances to play Ontario, a 38-21 victor over St. Marys, next Friday in the regional final. Celina, which earned the top seed in Region 10, finishes the season 10-2.
"Anytime you get double-digit wins, you're going to reflect back and say that's pretty dang good," Celina coach Brennen Bader said. "But if you don't win the last game, it always (stinks). But I'm definitely proud of all of our kids and all of our assistant coaches. They put a lot of work and time into this."
The Redskins wasted little time taking control Friday, and the Bulldogs could never seize any sort of momentum.
A group of Celina defenders bring down Wapakoneta quarterback Darren Houser.
Wapakoneta forced a three-and-out on Celina's first possession. A 15-yard punt gave the Redskins favorable field position at the Bulldog 34. Quarterback Darren Houser found Blake Rogers for a two-yard touchdown completion with 7:35 left in the first quarter.
That was the first of three trips to the end zone for Rogers.
With three minutes left in the frame, he caught a punt and maneuvered through the defense for a 57-yard touchdown and a 14-0 lead.
"Somehow, we only went into half down 14," Bader said. "You're thinking, as bad as that was, there's still a chance."
A 40-yard pass from Houser to Rogers made it 21-0 midway through the third quarter. Houser later extended the lead to 28-0 with a seven-yard run to start the fourth.
Celina's Jett Warner looks for the open receiver.
Jett Warner scored Celina's only touchdown with a one-yard run later in the fourth.
Houser accounted for 223 yards of total offense, throwing for 130 yards and rushing for another 93 as Wapakoneta finished with a 306-210 advantage in total yards.
"They were certainly much better this time around," Bader said. "They were ready right out of the gate, and we were not. That falls on me. … But they were playing faster and more physical than we were at the start. Once we got behind that eight-ball, it's hard to come back against a really good football team.
"One game doesn't define this team," he added. "They were a resilient group, a tough group. They were tough all year. Tonight wasn't our night, and I feel for the guys. They gave us everything they've got. "
