The Oak Hill Oaks not only reached the OHSAA football playoffs for the first time this year. However, they looked comfortable under the bright postseason lights.
The host Oaks dominated Coal Grove 41-14 to win a first-round Division V, Region 19 playoff game Friday night at Davis Stadium before a capacity crowd. The Oaks, now 11-0, will play West Lafayette Ridgewood in a second-round game next Friday night. Ridgewood defeated Minford in its first-round game, 36-10. The location of next week's game will be announced on Sunday and will be at a neutral site.
The Oaks set the tone for the rout by stopping Coal Grove inside the Oaks' 5-yard line after Oak Hill fumbled away the opening kickoff. The Oaks then marched 96 yards for a touchdown on its first possession.
Coal Grove took the lead briefly at 8-7, but the Oaks quickly answered that score to retake the lead and never looked back. The Oaks scored 28 unanswered points to open up a commanding 28-8 in the third quarter.
Tailback Westen Hale ran for three first-half touchdowns for Oak Hill. In the second half, the Oaks padded their lead on a 37-yard TD run by Joey Maynard and two TD passes from quarterback Jesse Slone to split end Kyle Ondera and Maynard.