Rolling back to Canton! Another state title game awaits Hillsdale after convincing Final Four performance

NEW PHILADELPHIA − It happened again and again and again.

Three times to be exact.

What are we referring to?

That would be Hillsdale's screen game on the offensive end in the in the Falcons' 41-14 convincing Division VII state semifinal victory over undefeated 13-0 McDonald on a frigid Friday evening of football at Quaker Stadium.

More: Hillsdale vs McDonald Division VII Football State Semifinal preview

Three times in the first half in their RPO (run-pass option) offense, Hillsdale quarterback Kael Lewis threw an outside pass to a wide receiver and three times they skated up and near the sideline for a touchdown. The first one, Lewis found Ayden Salyer in the first quarter.

The second touchdown on the screen game came in the second quarter when Lewis found Hayden McFadden and he darted past defenders 89 yards for a score. The third touchdown took place on the next offensive series where Lewis tossed it to Davis Radcliffe and he raced up the sidelines for a lengthy score.

By halftime, Hillsdale led 27-7 and McDonald was on the backfoot.

Pitch and catch. Utilize the screen. Wideouts make a run after the catch, then dash down the sidelines to take it to the house for six, all while making McDonald defensive players miss tackles in the process. They were game breaking plays. It was working, so Hillsdale kept at it.

"Some stuff was worked more than we expected it to," said Hillsdale wide receiver/defensive back Brock Bower. "We were going with what was working and to put up 41 points in a state Final Four, something was working. We didn't wanna force anything that wasn't there. We were trusting our O-line and athletes in space to make moves."

(Story will be updated)

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This article originally appeared on The Daily Record: Hillsdale defeated McDonald in Div. VII state semifinal