CUYAHOGA FALLS, Ohio — What a way to start the high school football season.
In a back and forth affair, Benedictine emerged victorious over Walsh Jesuit, 35-34 in double overtime. Quarterback Ceejay Yarboro threw four touchdown passes and Christian Cora's extra point in the second extra period provided the difference.
Benedictine jumped out to an early 13-0 lead thanks to two TD passes from Yarboro, but Walsh earned a 14-13 halftime advantage after a 95-yard kickoff return by Trey Bell and a 65-yard catch by Christian Ochei. A seesaw battle ensued with both teams scoring in the final five minutes, and at the end of regulation the game was tied at 28.
The Bengals and Warriors each failed to score in the first overtime, but Jack Romanini's second touchdown gave Walsh the lead in the second extra period, However, Ryan Demming's extra point was blocked, and the Warriors settled for only a 34-28 advantage.
Moments later, Yarboro found Brandon Boyd on a fade route from 15 yards away to tie it again, and Cora came out for the PAT. Incredibly, his kick was also blocked, but a false start by the Bengals blew the play dead. Cora they tried again and nailed it from 25 yards away to give Benedictine an emotional triumph.
The win is the eighth straight for Benedictine over Walsh dating back to 2014, including last year's second-round playoff matchup. That game also ended in overtime, with the 3-4 Bengals upsetting a 5-1 Warriors team 27-20.
Listen to Dave "Dino" DeNatale's audio play-by-play call of the game again in the player below, or keep scrolling for more scores from around Northeast Ohio:
(Note: Our play-by-play coverage is audio-only per OHSAA rules. Video shots of the field are provided for ambiance only.)
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