ATTICA — Ben Bogner wanted to surprise a few people around the league. The Warriors were coming off a 2-8 season and expectations might have been low — except among the coaching staff and a group of returning seniors.

“Nobody would have thought, especially after our season last year, that we would go 6-1 in N10 play,” Bogner said.

But after Friday night’s 21-13 win over rival Seneca East, the team celebrated with the Northern 10 Athletic Conference trophy and will host a Division VII playoff game in Week 11. The likely opponent is Edgerton (6-4).

Bogner, who threw for 168 yards and ran for 116 more, is a candidate for N10 Player of the Year. But what mattered most to him and his classmates was getting the program back on track.

“We haven’t had a lot of success as a class, so we aren’t satisfied and know we’ve got to keep going. After last season, we weren’t satisfied, and us as seniors haven’t had much success,” he said.

“We knew we were in charge of the team now. Some of us got up at 5 in the morning to go lift. We all play together and that’s how we’re winning games.”

It was Mohawk’s first league title since 2018 and is significant to head coach Eric Daniel.

“It’s very gratifying to see kids that put a lot of time-in get rewarded. They do things the right way, and I cannot say enough about this group of young men. They are leaving a lasting legacy, and they’ve totally turned around our program.”

Seneca East (6-4, 5-2) drove 80 yards in 11 plays on the opening drive to take a 6-0 lead when Ayden Zack caught a Nicholas Parks pass from two yards out.

But the Warriors (8-2, 6-1) answered back with 4:07 remaining in the first half when Kaleb Bish caught a 43-yard pass from Bogner. The score remained that way until Kaden Bish returned an interception 80 yards for a score in the third quarter.

The Tigers also will make the 16-team regional in Division VI and will be on the road, probably at Western Reserve (7-3).

Daniel praised his team’s resilience, as well as its commitment.

“It ended how we thought it would. Our backs were against the ropes and the defense stepped up. They’re not a team that goes away, ever. We had four endzone trips in the first half and came away with seven. I was like, guys, we’ve got to be a little more efficient,” he said.

“But our defense was making it hard. We gave up stuff underneath and in the rush game. They’ve got playmakers. (Taylor) Young and (Bryler) Beamer are unbelievable. We wanted to make them drive the length of the field.”

Jackson Gayheart caught a 5-yard touchdown pass from Parks in the fourth quarter that brought Seneca East to within 15-13 with 6:08 on the clock.

Then Bogner went to work, running off tackle, bouncing off his own lineman and going 63 yards for the winning score with 5:49 to play.

“That was the first time we ran that play tonight. At first, I saw a couple of black jerseys coming at me and a hole opened up to my right. Someone hit me and I spun off of it. I think my O-line clipped it a little bit and from there I knew I had to score.”

Tigers head coach Ed Phillips called it a tough loss.

“A great football game between two great teams. It’s what most people hoped for and expected. They made the plays they needed to make when it was time,” he said.

“I’m so proud of our kids and our coaches. It just got away from us. We’re not happy about it and we need to take that on in Week 11.”

Phillips thinks the loss can fuel his team’s motivation in the playoffs.

“I’m angry. I think our kids are angry and that’s how I want them to be. We’re at our best when we’re that way,” he said.

“We played against an outstanding Mohawk team. We have a really sharp edge right now. We have some really tough kids and that showed tonight. When you go through something like this, you just sharpen the edge of the sword and go on to the next one.”

Young had six catches for 50 yards and Beamer one for 35. Parks ran for 120 yards on 28 carries and threw for the same number.

Mohawk wanted to limit the N10’s leading passer in Parks.

“We tried to box him in and contain him. We tried to make him throw it over us and stay in our lanes. He’s an incredible athlete. He makes it happen,” Daniel said.

He also credited his playmakers and others.

“Kaleb, Kahne, Zack and all of our supporting cast. Mason Schimpf, we put him on Beamer all night and he was absolutely locked down. He was incredible,” he added.

“We had a lot of question marks at the beginning of the season and those guys have stepped up because of our leadership and how close-knit this team is.”

Daniel said the pick-6 by Bish turned the game.

“It got them off schedule a little bit and we told them before the game, if we get a pick-6 we’re going to win. It’s hard to recover from that. Our outside backers did a great job.”

Keeping the game tight was key to Mohawk winning.

“If we can keep it close and hold you to 3-4-5 yards a pop, it bodes really well for our defense. We tackle really well on the back end and make them put drives together,” Daniel said.

He credited Seneca East with a good season.

“Their losses (Gibsonburg, Monroeville, Colonel Crawford) are top teams. They haven’t lost to schlubs. They’re a fantastic football team.”

Playoff pairings will be announced by the OHSAA on Sunday.

Box score    

Score by quarters   

Mohawk            0             7            8           6   — 21

Seneca East      6             0            0           7   — 13

Scoring summary

First quarter

SE — Ayden Zack 2 pass from Nicholas Parks (kick failed), 5:51.

Second quarter

M —Kaleb Bish 43 pass from Ben Bogner (Brant Kirian kick), 4:07.

Third quarter

M — Kaden Bish 80 pass interception (Zack pass from Bogner), 3:54.

Fourth quarter

SE — Jackson Gayheart 5 pass from Park (Aiden Bame kick), 6:08.

M — Bogner 63 run (kick fails), 5:49.

Individual statistics

Passing

Mohawk: Ben Bogner 11-20-0 168; Seneca East: Nicholas Parks 10-29-5 120.

Rushing

Mohawk: Ben Bogner 14-116, Kahne Hayman 3-21, Kaden Bish 6-17; Seneca East: Nicholas Parks 28-120, Jackson Gayheart 15-62, Taylor Young 10-42, Bryler Beamer 1-5.

Receiving

Mohawk: Kaleb Bish 5-128, Hayman 4-14, Andrew Woodland 1-21, Andon Clouse 1-5; Seneca East: Taylor Young 6-50, Bryler Beamer 1-35, Gayheart 1-5, Ayden Zack 1-2, Branson Finnell 2-28.

Team statistics 

M               SE

First downs                       8                18

Rushing                        23-154         54-229

Passes                           11-20-0        10-29-5

Yards passing                 168               120

Total yards                      322               349

Fumbles-lost                   1-0              1-0

Penalties                         8-45            5-50