Staff photo / Greg Macafee Canton South quarterback Poochie Snyder looks for room to run as Struthers’ Mason Cappelli (5) and another defender try to chase him down.

TALLMADGE — Senior quarterback Poochie Snyder and the top-seeded Canton South Wildcats ended Struthers’ magical season Friday night at Tallmadge’s Larry Bagnoli Stadium.

Snyder threw four touchdown passes, each to a different receiver, and the Canton South defense kept Struthers’ potent running game in check enough to earn a 35-13 victory and an OHSAA Division IV, Region 13 championship.

Struthers didn’t step off the field empty-handed though as its seniors set a standard for years to come.

It knocked off No. 3 Poland and No. 2 Mentor Lake Catholic in the regional quarterfinals and semifinals, respectively, and the combined record of the four teams it lost to this year — Geneva, South Range, Poland, and now Canton South — was 46-6.

Struthers was truly battle-tested from start to finish and along with going as far as any team in Struthers history, head coach John Bayuk was proud of what his team accomplished.

“Special is an understatement for this year. I wish I could find a better word, but it’s been magical,” Bayuk said. “Our kids come to work every day, and it’s so hard with kids nowadays because a lot of them don’t want to put in the work to get to Week 14, but our kids are the opposite. Our coaches worked their tails off, and our kids worked their tails off. For us to get here and make history in our town, it’s just been a magical experience, and I’m so proud of everyone that’s been involved.”

It doesn’t stop here though. This season was the true epitome of what Bayuk wants to see at Struthers, and he is planning to make sure that what his seniors established this season doesn’t get taken for granted.

“Our seniors this year set a standard, and that standard better get transitioned into next year,” Bayuk said. “We definitely took steps forward. Last year we were taking baby steps. This year, to get to Week 14, I’d say that’s a giant step. Our program is moving in the right direction and thanks to these seniors for continuing to move it that way.”

All good things must come to an end though, and Snyder and his Wildcats (14-0) made sure of it Friday night.

After senior defensive back Ma’Taeaun Frazier picked off Struthers’ Jason Dukes on the first drive of the game, Snyder marched Canton South down the field on a methodical 13-play drive. He almost capped it off with a 9-yard scamper before Rome Cox finished it off with a 1-yard plunge.

A Struthers punt gave the ball back to Canton South, and Snyder orchestrated an 11-play drive that concluded with an 8-yard touchdown pass to Tyler Pugh.

It put Struthers in a position it didn’t want to be in.

“Against this type of team it’s difficult,” Bayuk said about playing from behind. “We knew we could come in and battle against them, but when you’re trying to play catchup against that team it’s difficult.”

Struthers took advantage of a personal foul call after a big Anthony Carter run on the ensuing drive that put them on Canton South’s 12 yard line. Two straight Devin Braham runs made it 14-7 with 5:26 to go in the first half.

Snyder went back to work though and delivered once again. After a Struthers sack put Canton South in a second and 23 situation, Snyder found a hole for a 28-yard run before hitting Tavon Castle for a 26-yard gain. A play later he found Luke Johnson for a score from two yards out.

“They have a really good football team, but having that kid (Snyder) lead the group makes them that much better,” Bayuk said. “They played a heck of a football game, we played a heck of a football game, it’s just hard not getting a stop against him.”

Those backbreaking plays were a consistent theme for Snyder. On Canton South’s second touchdown drive, he converted a fourth and 10 situation with a pass to Pugh. Then on Canton South’s opening drive of the second half, he hit Tre Wilson for a 44-yard touchdown pass after scrambling away from a relentless Struthers pressure in a third and 10 situation.

He also converted a key fourth down late in the third quarter with a 7-yard scamper that set up Canton South’s final touchdown.

“You hold a team like that, with their offense to a third and long or a fourth and long, and with the ball in his (Snyder’s) hand’s every play, you don’t know what’s going to happen,” Bayuk said. “He makes plays. Backbreaking is the perfect word for it.”

Despite playing from behind, Struthers didn’t abandon what got it to the regional finals. It ran the ball consistently throughout the second half. Carter broke off a 56-yard touchdown run, with help from a massive block by Braham, to keep Canton South in reach, but it wasn’t quite enough as Struthers ran out of juice late.

“People want to yell ‘Throw the football’ but we were moving the ball,” Bayuk said. “We’re not going stop doing what we do best, especially when it’s working. We were able to move the ball, but it’s just when you get behind the sticks with penalties here and there, that kills you.”

Struthers’ magical season is over, but the standard has been set, and with several key players returning, including quarterback Jason Dukes and running back Devin Braham — two pieces of Struthers’ potent running game — Struthers looks to be in good hands after its best season in program history.

gmacafee@tribtoday.com