Medina wanted revenge. But instead, the Mustangs were handed a long bus ride home with no games left look forward to this season.
Medina was appearing in the Class C semifinal for a fifth straight year, this time behind a six-game winning streak to take on a Salamanca team that denied them a third straight sectional title last year. But after averaging 33.3 points through their first nine games, the Mustangs were limited against the Warriors.
And then Medina had no answer for Salamanca quarterback Maddox Isaac, who scored five touchdowns, including four passes, to lead the second-seeded Warriors past No. 3 Medina, 50-7, Friday.
The loss not only ended Medina’s hopes at returning for a sectional final, but it was also their worst since a 51-12 loss to Burgard in 2013. It was also the first time the Mustangs allowed at least 50 points since a 51-22 loss to Albion in 2017.
With the victory, Salamanca advances to play Portville for the section’s Class C championship at 6 p.m. Nov. 14 at Highmark Stadium.
Medina offense bottled up, can’t convert
After averaging 384.1 yards per game heading into the Salamanca contest, Medina couldn’t get any opportunities going on the ground. And the team’s first touchdown didn’t come until a 23-yard pass from Preston Woodworth to Kolton Fletcher, cutting the deficit to 37-7 with 6 minutes, 38 seconds left in the third quarter.
Before the scoring play, Medina tries to give running back Christian Moss running holes, but the Salamanca defense, which allowed a season-worst 167 rushing yards against Cleveland Hill in the Class C quarterfinal, controlled the line of scrimmage. The defense held Moss to 21 yards in the first half.
The Mustangs also tried to go through the air, but with pressure coming from Salamanca’s defensive line, forcing a Preston Woodworth interception by Cory Holleran with 2:10 left in the third quarter.
Medina defense can’t stop Maddox Issac
After entering the contest leading an offense averaging 370.1 yards and 40.4 points per game, Issac found the right spaces for the Warriors, starting with the team’s opening drive.
Isaac threw a 9-yard touchdown pass to Cory Holleran and continued with two more touchdown passes in the first half, one to Holleran and one to Xavier Peters, by scanning and finding them both ahead of their defenders by two steps down the Salamanca sideline.
Issac later had a rushing score in the first half before throwing his fourth touchdown pass in the second half, again to Holleran.
Medina finished its season 8-2, while Salamanca improved to 10-0.