Mayfield got back to basics in the second half in a Western Reserve Conference regular season finale with neighboring South on Oct. 25. And because they did so, it’s a near certainty that the Wildcats’ season will continue into next week. Mayfield prevailed, 17-14, in a game that looked like it might be a shootout in the first half, only to morph into a defensive battle after halftime. The Wildcats focused on containing prolific South junior WR Marquez Lashley and were successful, only for the Rebels’ junior running back Jayden Hardy to run all over them for 190 yards and two touchdowns in the first half. But Mayfield adjusted, limiting Hardy to 26 yards and shutting out South (3-7, 1-4 WRC) in the second half, and as a result, the Wildcats are likely playing in Week 11 barring any unforeseen circumstances. @MayfieldSports senior defensive lineman Sincere Moore, who played a big part in helping slow down South’s offense after halftime, breaks down the Wildcats’ 17-14 WRC win over South pic.twitter.com/sEutFqVS6D — Jay Kron (@TownCenter2) October 26, 2024 “It makes us feel freaking awesome, man,” Mayfield senior defensive lineman Sincere Moore said of the chance to play in the postseason. “We’re ready to go out there and take on any team. Mayfield might be 5-5, but we’re no team to play with, at all.” Mayfield (5-5, 3-2 WRC) was in control early. The Wildcats took a 14-0 first-quarter lead on a 5-yard touchdown run by senior QB AJ Rogers and a 63-yard pass completion for a touchdown from Rogers to senior WR Lantz Reed. Following a fumble recovery on a kickoff by senior Kareem Carroll, the game’s only turnover, Mayfield was driving to extend its lead to 21-0, and faced a fourth and two at the South 18 early in the second quarter. But the Rebels’ defense rose up and threw a Mayfield runner for a two-yard loss. On the next play, Hardy broke a tackle and was off to the races for an 80-yard touchdown. Those two plays completely changed the trajectory of the game. Throughout the second quarter, Hardy and Cash McClendon gashed the Mayfield defense on the ground behind holes opened by South’s big offensive line. @southathletics Coach Matt Duffy discusses the Rebels’ 17-14 loss at Mayfield and the continuing pattern of his young team to play better in the first half of games than in the second pic.twitter.com/a08tzpn9FU — Jay Kron (@TownCenter2) October 26, 2024 “It really did,” South coach Matt Duffy said regarding the momentum swing. “The defense held us in there. They played well enough to get a ‘W’. We didn’t help them enough in the second half. In the first half we got smacked around a little bit, but we recovered, and that’s one of the first times we’ve done that this year.” The Wildcats advanced to a fourth-and-one at South’s 31 after Hardy’s score, but a bad snap led to a sack of Rogers by Rebel senior Landon Brown for a 13-yard loss. Hardy picked up 17 yards on first down at the Rebels’ 44, and four plays later scored on a 30-yard run to tie the game at 14-14. South’s defense forced a punt from its 39 on the next possession. Starting at its own 15, the Rebels drove to a first-and-goal at the Mayfield 10 thanks to runs of 18 and 16 yards by Hardy and a 38-yard burst by McClendon. McClendon’s next carry went for 9 yards to the 1, but a bad snap on the ensuing play pushed South back 11 yards, and a 28-yard field goal attempt was no good. The teams went into halftime knotted at 14-14. Mayfield went to an up-tempo, no-huddle approach on offense to start the third quarter, and moved the ball from its 43 to the South 10, but had to settle for a 27-yard field goal by senior Devan Calabrese for a 17-14 lead. The Wildcats had one more field goal attempt go awry later in the frame, and then had two three-and-outs in the fourth quarter, but if didn’t matter, because the defense made sure the Rebels would not threaten again. Mayfield’s defense swarmed Hardy whenever he touched the ball after halftime, and held South to just two pass completions in the game, one in each half. The Wildcats put the game away on its last possession with 2:47 to play, as sophomore Ben Koret picked up first downs on runs of 18 and 10 yards, allowing Rogers to kneel out the final two plays. @MayfieldSports sophomore RB/LB Ben Koret, who played a major role in the Wildcats’ strong defensive effort in the second half, talks about the Wildcats’ 17-14 WRC win over South and possible D2 playoff appearance next week pic.twitter.com/SNlfEBWBAP — Jay Kron (@TownCenter2) October 26, 2024 “We started off low, rock-bottom,” Koret said of Mayfield’s season. “We lost a lot of games. But we came back. Now we’re at 5-5, and let’s go.” Rogers passed for 139 yards for Mayfield, ran for a touchdown and threw for one. Senior Eddie Sanders ran for 66 yards. The Wildcats held South to 63 yards in the second half after giving up 238 in the first. South’s Jayden Hardy celebrates a touchdown Oct. 25 against Mayfield (Mark Podolski – The News-Herald) “That No. 9 was good,” Mayfield coach Ross Bandiera said of Hardy. “It took a little bit of us getting used to his physicality. In the first half, he ran through us and around us and past us. He’s a pretty good back, and their offensive line is big and physical. “We just had to get back to basics. Tackling, getting more hats to the ball. We did a few different things schematically, but nothing crazy.” Now both teams will await the official word on their postseason fate. South came into the game ranked No. 12 in Division II, Region 5, and Mayfield was No. 14 in the same region. Early indications are that both teams will finish in the top 16 of the region and play road playoff games on Nov. 1, but the OHSAA will release its official postseason pairings Oct. 27. THE SCORE Mayfield 17, South 14