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ZANESVILLE - Following a 1-4 start, the idea of playing two weeks into November did not seem realistic for Mark Holenka and his Shadyside Tigers.

But the Tigers proved otherwise. Despite a 5-5 record, Shadyside qualified for postseason play.

As seventh seed in Division VI, Region 23, the Tigers made their 2009 playoff debut a memorable one, posting a last-minute come-from-behind triumph at Columbiana.

Unfortunately, the magic carpet ride came to a bitter end Saturday afternoon. Shadyside fell behind Grove City Christian by three touchdowns and eventually succumbed by a 27-14 count.

Make no mistake, the better team won. The same Eagles team that had been humbled by Shadyside 69-0 just three years ago.

Grove City Christian coach Clyde Lucas insisted earlier in the week his program had made remarkable progress in relatively short order.

The Eagles left no doubt under sunny skies Saturday.

"It's fairly simple,'' Holenka said. ''We got whipped at the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball. You win the battle (in the trenches), you usually win the game."

Such was the case on a day in which Grove City Christian piled up 263 rushing yards and totaled 364 overall.

"Our line did a fantastic job," Lucas said. "We ran very effectively. We didn't need to break off 40- or 50-yard runs. We were just fine getting five and six yards at a clip."

The Eagles did so behind adept blocking and senior tailback Jesse Barns who teamed with slick quarterback Luke Smurthwaite.

Barns, a 5,000-yard career runner, continually broke would-be tackles to finish with 138 yards on 25 carries. Smurthwaite, primarily Grove City Christian's back-up quarterback this season, contributed a 86 rushing yards while throwing for 101 more.

"(GCC) executed well and did a nice job taking time off the clock," Holenka said. "It seemed we were a step behind all day. We had to play from behind and this time, it caught up with us."

Shadyside was also without leading receiver Nick Schuetz, held out due to a knee injury. Senior quarterback Dylan Kimble totaled 203 passing yards, though a majority came with the issue no longer in doubt. Grove City Christian will play Malvern for the regional championship next week.

Holenka and the Orange were naturally disappointed with Saturday's outcome. "Of course we are," the Bengals' boss confessed. "We felt confident coming in here today. But credit Grove City. They made far more plays than us on both sides of the ball."

Barns turned a potential no-gainer into an 18-yard scoring run to account for the first half's lone points.

"We had him stuffed (up the middle) but he broke it outside," Holenka said.

Shadyside appeared to dodge a major third quarter bullet when Barns coughed up the football two yards short of the Tigers' end zone.

Kimble directed a drive past midfield before the Tigers were fored to punt.

Taking possession at its 26, Grove City Christian used nine snaps to travel 74 yards. The payoff came on a well-executed play fake by Smurthwaite, who unloaded for wideout Brice Bowman on a 27-yard aerial hookup.

"We were only down 13-0, but I thought our kids were a little deflated at that point," Holenka said.Moments later, on a fourth-and-3 call from the Eagles' 46, the Tigers gambled but came up empty on an incomplete pass.

Clearly with momentum, the winners needed only five plays to drive 46 yards which Smurthwaite capped on a five-yard option to the house.

Trailing 20-0, Shadyside fought back via Kimble's 35-yard scoring strike to Logan Hudson. But the Grovers answered following an unsuccessful onside kick attempt.

The coach's son, 5-foot-3 Connor Lucas, scored from a yard out and it was 27-6. Kimble's 15-yard fourth down TD connection to junior Ellis Brown capped the scoring.

"I'd like to thank our seniors and especially my coaching staff," Holenka said. "Obviously, this isn't how we wanted things to end, but we can be proud. We played into week 12 and that's not so bad."