The Pacers finished 6-4 overall and tied for third at 4-2 in the OCC-Capital Division.

Orange shared the league title with New Albany, as both teams finished 5-1. The Pioneers also qualified for the Division II playoffs.

The Pacers won four in a row to put themselves into position to advance to the Region 3 playoffs before losing at New Albany 42-21 on Oct. 23 and to the Pioneers. They finished 14th in the final computer ratings, with the top eight in each region advancing to the postseason.

"If we had beaten Orange, we would've finished at least sixth and perhaps fifth," said second-year coach Mike LoParo, who last season guided the Pacers into the playoffs where they lost to Pickerington Central 38-21 in the first round to finish 7-4. "But we didn't get it done. They made more plays than we did."

After Delaware's defense stopped Orange on its first three possessions, the Pacers led 14-0. Vidal O'Connor scored on a 26-yard run with 4 minutes, 3 seconds remaining in the first quarter and Jamey Hackett added the extra point.

Orange then used its second long kickoff return for good field position, but the Pacers held. Michael Corbett raced 92 yards down the home sideline and received a great block from Troy Decker near midfield to make it 14-0.

"We couldn't have asked for a better start," LoParo said. "But I think the key portion of the game happened in the second quarter when we had a few chances to extend the lead and failed. After the second one, they drove and got a (27-yard) field goal (by Luke Rice) on the final play of the half to make it 14-3. That gave them some confidence."

The first failed chance to extend the lead happened right after Delaware forced another three-and-out by the Pioneers.

Delaware started at its 44-yard line and reached the Orange 29 where it had first down. O'Connor lost three yards on a run, Corbett gained three back and quarterback Kody Akers ran for seven yards to present a fourth-and-3 from the 23. Hackett was called upon for a 40-yard field-goal attempt.

"The snap was low, Jamey rushed it and kicked it directly into the line and (holder) Adam Rickard picked the ball up and nearly got a first down," LoParo said. "It was real close."

The Pacers forced another three-and-out and got the ball back on their own 42. They moved to the Orange 39 and had a first-and-5 but Akers threw an interception on a third-and-6 play.

Thirteen plays later, Rice's field goal made it 14-3.

"Basically, they had the momentum and our kids looked spent, tired at halftime," LoParo said. "They're usually talking and providing some input and they weren't saying much. They were getting iced and wrapped. It was a physical game.

"We lost (fullback) Jacob Naegele to an ACL tear, (linebacker) Ponchi Rivera got his second concussion in two weeks and (defensive end) Keith Butts also suffered a concussion and he was throwing up. There was some serious hitting, it was a physical game and we had to use some different personnel throughout the game."

The Pacers took the second-half kickoff and went three-and-out and Orange used another 13-play drive, as Brandon Schoen scored on a 1-yard run to make it 14-10. The drive consumed 6:39.

A holding penalty on Delaware's second drive led to a three-and-out and Orange scored the final points on a four-play 56-yard drive with 10:33 remaining, as Schoen went 23 yards with a pitch from Jared Leet.

The Pacers did produce three first downs on their final three possessions, but those drives began on their own 11, 15 and 21.

"We didn't respond well in the second half," LoParo said. "The enthusiasm and intensity dropped off in the second half when it should've picked up. I don't know if that was because of the injuries, or change in lineup or what. We used (Akers) on defense for the first time all season and he did well and gave us what we needed there. But the offense suffered some. It was just a rough way to finish."

Hayes running back Jacob Naegele lunges for a first down Oct. 30 during an OCC-Capital Division game against Olentangy Orange. The Pacers lost 17-14 to finish the season 6-4 overall and 4-2 in the OCC.

Pacers quarterback Kody Akers dives over the Pioneers' Brandon Schoen.