Top-seeded Gahanna Lincoln survived its toughest test of the season Friday night, holding off ninth-seeded Olentangy Orange 13-10 in a Division I, Region 3 regional quarterfinal in Gahanna. The final score was confirmed by The Columbus Dispatch, the Mansfield News Journal, High School On SI and the Zanesville Times Recorder scoreboards.
The rematch bore little resemblance to the teams’ first meeting. Gahanna rolled past Orange 34-9 in Week 4 of the regular season, according to The Columbus Dispatch’s playoff coverage, but the Pioneers who showed up Friday were a different team — one playing its best football at the end of the season.
Orange (6-6) arrived in Gahanna with real momentum. The Pioneers rallied from a 19-0 third-quarter deficit to stun St. Charles 29-26 in the first round on Oct. 30, winning on a 36-yard touchdown pass from Colby Luling to his brother Jake Luling with nine seconds left, The Columbus Dispatch reported. That comeback made Orange one of the most dangerous low seeds left in Region 3…