LISBON –Columbiana’s football didn’t look like playoff material after a 1-3 start to the campaign.

But after a wild 24 hours the Clippers are firmly in the playoffs.

Using an unrelenting rushing attack to eat clock and keep possession, the Clippers knocked off Lisbon 52-35 to qualify for the Div. VI, Region 21 playoffs.

Columbiana, which will be on the road in Week 11 against an opponent to be determined, ended the regular season campaign at 7-3 and 6-1 in the Eastern Ohio Athletic Conference to finish in second place behind United. The Clippers closed the season with six straight wins to match their longest winning streak since 2019.

“We had 10 turnovers in the first two games,” Columbiana coach Bob Spaite said. “You’re not going to win. I think we’ve had two since then. We’ve learned how to take care of the ball. Hayes McCoy has really grown as a quarterback. The coaches have all done a great job.”

On Thursday, the Ohio High School Athletic Association turned several ‘no contest’ games across the state into forfeits and Columbiana was one of the teams that earned an extra win after OHSSA called the Oct. 4 game against Valley Christian in favor of Columbiana. The Eagles had a incident with a gun at practice and school officials were uncomfortable holding the game due to a security risk.

“The state of Ohio makes you crazy,” Spaite said. “I don’t understand how they can do that at the 11th hour. They screwed Lisbon for sure and they hurt us. They put us in a position if we didn’t win we had a less than 20 percent chance. Before (because the rating was based off of nine games) we had a 60 percent chance if we didn’t win. There are at least seven other schools that have called me. Springfield was in a similar boat.”

Columbiana was made aware of the change by an e-mail to the athletic director from OHSAA, but in reality most people learned of the changes through unofficial sources as no official release was issued. No one is sure why OHSAA acted in such a manner.

“I got a sneaking suspicion that someone with connections somewhere made a call,” Spaite said.

On the field Friday, running back Danny Mangiarelli was part of a Clipper group that showed how far they had come this season. The junior rushed 31 times for 131 yards and three touchdowns in the win. As a team Columbiana rushed 48 times for 258 yards. The Clippers ran 60 offensive plays to Lisbon’s 32.

“I thought we were the better team,” Mangiarelli said. “I trusted my guys and I knew we’d come out with a win. We need this win to get in.”

It was the second celebration of a win over two days for the Clipper.

“We were super hyped (about getting the word about the win over Valley),” Mangiarelli said. “We knew we would beat them too.”

The game against Lisbon had a little bit of everything. The Devils did their best to throw the kitchen sink at the Clippers with several trick plays surfacing. Lisbon coach Bill Meek said they really had not used those plays this season because the Devil offense had been clicking but needed to do so against a Clipper team that was red hot.

One play in particular was an Ashton Hinchliffe 51-yard halfback pass to Marc Moore in the first quarter. It was one of many things Hinchliffe did on the day. The senior, in his final game at Memorial Stadium, caught six balls for 167 yards and three touchdowns. He also had a 6-yard touchdown run in the first quarter.

“He is the best player in Columbiana County,” Meek said. “There is no question. He was unbelievable tonight.”

Lisbon (6-4, 4-3 in the EOAC) had to wait until all the scores were in over the weekend to see if it qualified for the playoffs. Meek wasn’t too sure the Devils would get in due to OHSAA ruling on the Valley-Columbiana forfeit since that benefited teams that Lisbon was challenging for one of the last spots in Div. VII, Region 25.

As for Columbiana, a joyous Spaite relished a chance to play another game with a Clipper team that is making huge strides every week.

McCoy, for instance, orchestrated his role well as he completed 8 of 10 passes for 171 yards including a 63-yard touchdown pass to Drennen Bosela on the first play of the game. He also had 20-yard touchdown run.

Columbiana’s defense came up with a key interception of Lisbon’s Grant Minor in the second quarter courtesy of Lucas Barber. On special teams, Jordan Kucek recovered a kick off in the second half which was just about the final blow.

Game notes

¯ Freshman Baylen Jackson set a Lisbon record for extra points in a season beating the previous mark set in 1954.

C: 14-21-7-10–52

L: 13- 8-0-14–35

SCORING

C–Drennen Bosela 63 pass from Hayes McCoy (Geoffrey Malcolmson kick)

L–Ashton Hinchliffe 6 run (kick failed)

C–Danny Mangiarelli 1 run (Malcomson kick)

L–Marc Moore 51 pass from Hinchliffe (Baylen Jackson kick)

C–Jenson Nordquist 1 (Malcolmson kick)

C–McCoy 20 run (Malcolmson kick)

L–Hinchliffe 57 pass from Grant Minor (Brady Lively from Minor)

C–Mangiarelli 2 run (Malcolmson kick)

C–Mangiarelli 4 run (Malcolmson kick)

C–Nordquist 9 run (Malcolmson kick)

L–Hinchliffe 17 pass from Minor (Jackson kick)

C–Geoffrey Malcolmson 36 FG

L–Hinchliffe 21 pass from Minor (Jackson kick)

——

C L

First downs 28 13

Total Yards 441 306

Rushes-yards 48-258 15-35

Passing 183 271

Comp-Att-Int 9-12-0 13-17-1

Punts 0-0 0-0

Fumbles-Lost 0-0 1-2

Penalties-Yards 4-22 2-7

——

INDIVIDUAL LEADERS

RUSHING–Columbiana,Danny Mangiarelli 31-131, Jenson Nordquist 9-46, Lucas Barber 2-37, Hayes McCoy 6-43; Lisbon, Ashton Hinchliffe 7-27,

PASSING–Columbiana, Hayes McCoy 9-12-183-0; Lisbon, Grant Minor 11-15-193-1, Hinchcliffe 1-1-51-0, Cooper Terdina 1-1-27-0.

RECEIVING–Columbiana, Drennen Bosela 2-83, Senator Johnson 2-25, Cameron Conkle 3-42, Devin Brode 2-33; Lisbon, Ashton Hinchliffe 6-167, Marc Moore 1-51, Brady Lively 1-26, Wyatt Newbold 3-16, Devin Kelly 1-6, Cooper Terdina 1-5.

INTERCEPTIONS–Columbiana, Lucas Barber.

FUMBLE RECOVERIES–Columbiana, Jordan Kucek.