Muscle Connection High School Football Play of the Year

Each week of the regular season, the 21 Sports team picked one play each week as our Muscle Connection Play of the Week.  Now, we need you to pick one of those 10 as the Muscle Connection Play of the Year!

Below are the 10 nominees.  Voting ends at 11:59 pm on Sunday, November 19, 2017. 

Week #1 - Torey Calio, Beaver Local 

This week’s Muscle Connection High School Football Play of the Week comes from Beaver Local.  With the Beavers leading 27-0, the Wellsville Tigers punted and it looked like they had Beaver Local pinned deep in their own end.  But Torey Calio found room down the left side for an 82-yard touchdown return and our Muscle Connection High School Football Play of the Week. | Click here to watch the play.

Week #2 - Thomas Yanevich, Warren JFK

This week’s Muscle Connection High School Football Play of the Week happened in overtime of the Warren JFK-LaBrae game.  With the Eagles leading, 28-21, their defense pressured the Vikings’ QB and Thomas Yanovich came up with an interception to end the drive and clinch the win. | Click here to watch the play.

Week #3 - Jared Butler, T.J. DeShields and Hunter Makcen, West Branch

Week #3’s Muscle Connection High School Football Play of the Week was a wild one from the West Branch-Southeast game.  While attempting an extra point, Warriors’ kicker Jared Butler picked up a low snap, then gave the ball to holder T.J. DeShields.  About to be tackled, DeShields threw one up for Hunter Sayer-Makeen who made the catch and took it into the end zone, resulting in a two-point conversion for West Branch. | Click here to watch the play (amateur video)

Week #4 - Ziyon Strickland, Sharon

Hickory visited Sharon in Western PA on Friday night.  With the host team leading, 6-0, the Tigers’ Ziyon Strickland defended a Hornets’ pass, tipping it to himself for an interception.  His return put Sharon in position for its second TD, leading them to a win and capturing our Muscle Connection High School Football Play of the Week for Week #4. | Click here to watch the play.

Week #5 - Robbie Sullivan, Ursuline

On Friday night, Ursuline was leading Warren Harding, 14-10, in the third quarter.  The Raiders lined up to punt, but the snap sailed over the punter’s head and Irish player Robbie Sullivan recovered the ball in the end zone for a touchdown.   The alert special teams play sparked Ursuline to a 28-24 win and was our Muscle Connection High School Football Play of the Week for Week #5. | Click here to watch the play.

Week #6 - Vinny Fiorenza and Nick Crawford, Canfield

The Canfield Cardinals traveled to Boardman to take on the Spartans in Week #6 on Friday night.  With Canfield facing a 3rd and 15 from Boardman’s 18 in the 2nd quarter, QB Vinny Fiorenza scrambled right and fired a pass to the corner of the end zone for Nick Crawford, who made a diving catch.  The TD connection gave the Cardinals a 14-0 lead in a game they would go on to win and was our Muscle Connection High School Football Play of the Week. | Click here to watch the play.

Week #7 - Nate Marchand, Hickory

On Friday night, Sharpsville had just scored in the 4th quarter to cut Hickory’s lead to 16-14.  But the Hornets’ Nate Marchand returned the ensuing kickoff 72 yards for a touchdown.  Hickory went on to win the game, 30-14, and that game-changing return is our Muscle Connection High School Football Play of the Week for Week #7. | Click here to watch the play.

Week #8 - Michael O’Horo and Jujuan Forte, Boardman

On Friday night, the Boardman Spartans and Ursuline Irish were tied, 14-14, in double overtime.  On 3rd and 18, Spartans’ QB Michael O’Horo threw to a wide-open Jujuan Forte for the game-winning touchdown and our Muscle Connection High School Football Play of the Week for Week #8. | Click here to watch the play.

Week #9 - Todd Henning, Western Reserve

The “Battle of the Blue Devils” produced the Muscle Connection High School Football Play of the Week for Week #9.  With 25-seconds left in the game, McDonald scored to take an 8-7 lead.  Then, Western Reserve’s Todd Henning fielded the kickoff at his own 18 and took it back 82 yards for the go-ahead score.  Henning then intercepted a pass on the game’s final play to seal the comeback win. | Click here to watch the play.

Week #10 - Brian Maddox, Liberty

Friday night was “rivalry night” in Girard as Liberty came to town.  With the Indians leading, 15-14, and deep in Liberty territory, the Leopards’ Brian Maddox picked off a pass and returned it 96 yards for the go-ahead score.  That play helped Liberty hand Girard its first loss of the season and was our Muscle Connection High School Football Play of the Week for Week #10. | Click here to watch the play