Colerain quarterback Sean Jones had a great debut to lead the Cardinals over Elder in the season opener in August. He was even better Friday night in Colerain's 44-13 victory over Elder in the Division I regional championship before a crowd of 14,454 at Nippert Stadium.

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Colerain QB Sean Jones 800 | 1024

Colerain RB John Mohr. 800 | 1024

Adam Meier breaks up pass. 800 | 1024

Elder's Eric Renzenbrink catches a pass. 800 | 1024

        Colerain (13-0) advances to the state final four for the second time in school history. The opponent, time and site have not been set.

        The last time Colerain won the regional title, 1995, the Cardinals played their way into the state finals, only to have the victory wiped out after it was discovered they had used a ineligible player.

        The way Jones and company are clicking, Colerain may be able to erase some of that bad memory.

        Jones ran for two touchdowns and threw for another. He rushed 189 yards on 20 carries and hit three of seven passes for 101 yards.

        But the numbers don't tell the story. Jones, a 5-foot-10, 185-pound junior, had Elder's defense dazed and confused from the start. The Panthers bought Jones' fake on the first play of the game. While they were stacking up John Mohr at the line, Jones was sprinting around left end for 34 yards.

        “The game was ours right then,” Jones said.

        Jones rushed for only 11 yards in Colerain's 14-7 victory Aug.26. He was 9-for-11 passing that night. This time, he ran it so well Colerain didn't have to throw.

        “We knew he'd be better,” Elder coach Doug Ramsey said. “It's tough to simulate in practice what he does. He made some great plays.”

        Colerain would score on its first four possessions to go up 23-0. No one has scored four times on Elder (8-4) all year.

        The big lead took Elder's big weapon, 250-pound tailback Kyle Koester, out of the game. Koester was held to fewer than 100 yards (he had 81 yards on 16 carries) for the second time this year. Colerain did it both times.

        Forced to throw, Elder quarterback Matt Scholl spent the night running for his life against Colerain's fast defenders. He was 12-of-27 for 139 yards, but he was sacked eight times for minus-67.

        “They couldn't pound it at us with Koester after we took the big lead,” Colerain coach Kerry Coombs said. “That was key.”

        Colerain, behind Jones, needed only seven plays to go up 14-0.

        The key sequence of the game followed. Elder moved it to the Colerain 5 on a 26-yard reception by Eric Renzenbrink, a pass interference penalty and an 11-yard Koester run. But after Koester was stopped for no gain on first down, three Scholl passes into the end zone fell incomplete, and Elder came away with nothing.

        Colerain took over and began driving. It appeared Elder held on a third-and-1 at its own 41 when Mohr was stopped at the line. Colerain's punt team even came on the field. But the officials called for a measurement, and the Cardinals got the first down by inches. On the next play, Jones hit Doug Monaghan, who ran by two Elder defenders on the way to a 41-yard TD reception. Josh Crosby's kick missed, and it was 20-0 with 10:26 to play in the half.

        Elder's offense went three-and-out. Colerain, thanks to a 28-yard run by Jones, drove into position for Crosby's 30-yard field goal. It was 23-0.

        Elder then went on a 12-play, 71-yard drive that Scholl capped with a 1-yard sneak. Elder failed on the two-point conversion.

        But it was 23-6 with 2:21 left in the half, and the Panthers had life briefly. Elder forced its first three-and-out of the game.

        “We stood tall there,” Coombs said. “We could have buckled. We were punting in the wind. But the kids responded.”

        Elder got the ball back at its 49 but couldn't move it. The Panthers failed to convert after Colerain turned it over at its 29 early in the second half.

        Colerain took over on downs and marched for another TD. There was still a lot of time left, but the game was over.

        “A lot of people sell us short,” Coombs said. “But all we do is come out every week and play well.”

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        Colerain ....... 14  9  7 14-44

        Elder ....... 0  6  0  7-13

        C - Jones 25 run (Crosby kick)

        C - M. Johnson 2 (Crosby kick)

        C - Monoghan 41 pass from Jones (kick failed)

        C - Crosby 30 FG

        E - Scholl 1 run (run failed)

        C - Jones 5 (Crosby kick)

        C - Mohr 2 run (Crosby kick)

        C - J. Johnson 3 run (Crosby kick)

        E - Poland 9 pass from Scholl (Reega kick)

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