Maple Heights 44, Riverside 14: Devin Dial throws for 400 yards in Division II playoff win

MAYFIELD, Ohio -- The premier quarterbacks enjoy sharing the credit, just as Maple Heights' Devin Dial did after the Mustangs' 44-14 victory over Riverside in a Division II football regional semifinal on Friday night.

"The biggest thing is our offensive line, and they get a lot of credit, because they give me time to throw the ball," Dial, a 5-8, 160-pound senior, said after he completed 24 of 32 passes for 400 yards and four touchdowns.

"And my receivers catch everything I throw their way. I'm thankful for that."

Maple Heights (12-0) will play Ohio's first-ranked Division II team and defending state champion Archbishop Hoban (12-0) for the Region 5 championship and a state semifinal berth next Friday at a site to be determined. Riverside finished its season 9-3, including a 43-38 first-round win over Nordonia for its first-ever playoff victory.

The Mustangs, who are scoring 42.9 points per game, compiled 506 yards of offense. Dial also led Maple Heights with 52 rushing yards and a touchdown on 10 carries.

Bernard Bates caught nine of Dial's passes for 133 yards and three touchdowns, and De'Von Fox had 10 receptions for 197 yards. Antoine Holloway had 70 yards and a touchdown on his five receptions. Bates has passed for 3,365 yards and 46 touchdowns -- including 21 to Bates and 16 to Fox -- this season.

Center Daiquantee Glenn, guards Vince Jarrell and Jamel Ivory and tackles Charles Medley and Chrisean Merritt keyed the Mustangs' blocking.

"We have some great players, great senior leadership and guys who make big plays," Maple Heights first-year coach Shaq Washington said. "And I love that they come to compete in every game."

Washington led the Mustangs to a state championship in 2010 as a versatile quarterback and twice was named The Plain Dealer Offensive Player of the Year. He went on to become one of the greatest receivers in University of Cincinnati football history.

Riverside's Joseph Robinson had 150 rushing yards and a touchdown on 27 carries, and quarterback Andrew Keller completed 10 of 21 passes for 154 yards.

Maple Heights blanked the Beavers in the second half to break open the game. The Mustangs extended their four-point halftime lead to 24-14 when Dial escaped a pass rush and scampered six yards for a touchdown with 3:21 to go in the third quarter. They then failed on a two-point conversion try, as they did after six of their seven total touchdowns.

Bates caught a short Dial pass and eluded three would-be tackles for a 51-yard scoring play and a 30-14 Mustangs' lead late in the quarter.

Maple Heights linebacker Shamarr Simmons recovered a Beavers' fumble and ran 66 yards for a fourth-quarter touchdown, followed by Mike Pace's two-point conversion run. A few plays later, Simmons intercepted a pass and returned it 59 yards to set up a 2-yard touchdown toss from Dial to Bates that closed the scoring.

Dial completed 16 of 22 passes for 291 yards and two touchdowns in the first half, but the Mustangs led by just 18-14. They took the lead with 2:22 to go in the half when Dial passed to Holloway open in the end zone on a slant for an 8-yard touchdown.

The game's first four scores occurred within a span of 4:48, beginning with 7:04 left in the first quarter.

First, Riverside cornerback Bilal Abdussalar jumped a pass route along the left side to intercept a pass, and sprinted 26 yards for a touchdown. The first of Jayson Painter's two extra points gave the Beavers a 7-0 lead.

Next, Fox turned a short Dial pass into a 60-yard gain, setting up Manny Ramsey's 3-yard scoring run.

Riverside upped its lead to 14-6 when Robinson rambled through a big hole on the left side for a 31-yard touchdown, immediately after Keller connected with Michael Wojkowski on a 42-yard pass. Maple Heights cut its deficit to 14-12 on Dial's 26-yard touchdown pass to Bates.