NEWTON TOWNSHIP — A strong running game and a stout defense — trademarks of Dirk Lincicome's tenure at Philo.
Both elements played vital roles in Friday's 27-13 win over Maysville, as the Electrics' head coach tied the legendary Sam Hatfield with 106 career wins on the Philo sidelines.
The Electrics earned a share of the Muskingum Valley League Big School Division title with Sheridan and Tri-Valley, as all three finished 4-1.
Lincicome will also have a chance to break the record in Week 11, as playoff pairings are announced on Sunday.
"Sam Hatfield is a legend and a man who I respect beyond words," Lincicome said. "This is something I never dreamed of. There's no comparison between me and him, including his years of service where he coached three teams and served as AD (athletic director) at the same time.
"I'm just fortunate to be here and lucky enough to have a lot of good players and coaches on my side. I'm just carrying the torch for the next coach."
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Slade Sprankle had another stellar night, running for 261 yards and four touchdowns on 45 carries, while the Philo defense forced three turnovers and made several key stops.
"We told our kids coming in that we still had a lot in front of us. I wanted to see how bad we wanted it and if we could finish strong," Lincicome said. "Maysville has a lot of weapons on offense, and we reminded our kids at halftime that they were going to fight until the end. We got a couple takeaways and some stops inside the 20. We limited their opportunities, and those moments turned the momentum our way."
The Electrics led 14-7 at the half, as Sprankle had scoring runs of 16 yards in the first quarter and a 1-yarder in the second.
Jayce Daniels' 12-yard TD burst in the second quarter was the Panthers' only touchdown in the first half. They appeared to have another, but Daniels' potential tying score was taken off the board due to a holding call before halftime took it off the board.
It was a theme that carried into the third. Sprankle capped Philo's opening drive of the quarter with a 1-yard TD dive for a 20-7 lead, while Maysville threw an interception on its ensuing drive.
The Panthers stopped the Electrics on a fourth down and used a trick play to reach the red zone on their next possession. Maysville reached the Philo 5, but a chop block penalty stymied it and led to a turnover on downs.
Maysville then lost a fumble on another drive in the fourth quarter, leading to Sprankle's final touchdown from 2 yards out.
Daniels capped the scoring with a 23-yard scamper late in the fourth. He finished with 111 yards on 18 carries, Sawyer Bailey was 14-of-26 for 129 yards and Keaton Bryan caught seven passes for 59 yards in the losing effort.
While it was a disappointing finish for the Panthers, second-year coach Chase Bowman praised his team's growth as they finished 5-5 after starting 1-3.
"Stopping their running attack was going to be tough, but we failed to execute in key situations," he said. "Our kids could have packed it in after the way we started, but they showed their character, and that will carry them long after football.
"The seniors wanted to end on a better note, and we appreciate their leadership," he added. "The way we ended the season gives our underclassmen a lot of momentum to build on this offseason."
As for the Electrics, the postseason awaits, but Lincicome and his players will enjoy a night of accomplishments.
"I'm happy for our kids, coaches and community. We've had plenty of support, and the community has never turned their backs on us through the ups and downs. I appreciate their loyalty and faith," Lincicome said. "The kids fought through a full MVL season, and this night is their payment for all the hard work they've put in since the offseason."
This article originally appeared on Zanesville Times Recorder: Philo tops Maysville, shares MVL title as Lincicome ties record