Matt Lancaster watched the clock hit 0:00 before stepping on the field to take part in the traditional post-game handshake when he was suddenly drenched by a cooler of ice water. 

The celebration marked the 150th career win for the Indian Valley head football coach as his Braves had just finished off a 37-14 win over New Philadelphia at Woody Hayes Quaker Stadium. 

Now in his 20th year as the head coach, Lancaster’s teams have posted a record of 150-69, a run that includes an appearance in the state final four last year and a state championship in 2024. 

“It means a lot, personally, but it means a lot to the guys (assistant coaches) who have been with me for a long time,” Lancaster said of the 150-win mark. “It means a lot getting to share the sidelines with them … the coaches office and the camaraderie we have as a staff is so important and it’s been something that’s kept me around.” 

“It’s amazing,” Indian Valley senior Reese St. Clair said of the milestone. “Some coaches never get to achieve something like that and I’m so glad to be a part of a team and get to celebrate something that special.” 

The Braves, now 3-0, were in control of this game from early on, scoring touchdowns on their only two possessions of the first quarter. 

The Quakers answered when Parker Reiger capped a long drive with a 5-yard run, but Indian Valley took all the momentum right back with St. Clair went 92 yards on the Braves’ first play after New Philadelphia’s score. 

“Good players make good coaches and we’ve got good players,” Lancaster noted. “Our kids believe in us and they believe we’re going to put them in good positions and then they go out and execute.” 

St. Clair ran for 125 yards and the one score in the game to earn the Klar’s Excel Player of the Game title, as selected by the Big Time Sports broadcast team. 

Quarterback Ryker Williams had a big game for the Braves as well. He ran for a touchdown and a two-point conversion and passed for two scores, both to Colt James. 

On the defensive side, Williams had a sack and blocked a punt that rolled out of the end zone for a safety. 

This was the first meeting between the two schools in nearly two decades.

“This is a big win for us because they’re one of the big dogs in the county and we haven’t beaten them in a really long time,” St. Clair said of the Quakers. “They’re a great program and they’re well coached, but we were ready to play and we were hungry today.” 

Indian Valley’s biggest lead of the night was at 37-7 late in the third quarter, but New Philadelphia got the only score of the fourth quarter when Jaxson Rice returned a fumble 30 yards for a TD. 

“We wanted to come out and play physical football and we were able to put together that first drive and finish it, but New Philadelphia played hard,” Lancaster said. “Coach Johnson’s staff did a great job and they didn’t back down from us at all. 

“They were probably more physical than us in the first half, but our kids responded in the second half and got it done.” 

The Braves finished with 379 yards in total offense, while the Quakers had 121. 

“I thought we did a good job, especially in the first half,” Quaker coach Mike John said. “They’re a very good football team. We slowed them down at times, but they were able to come back and dig themselves out. 

“That long run right after we scored hurt us. We didn’t play complementary football and that’s hurt us.” 

The Quakers hit the road this week to play Ashland. 

Indian Valley has a bye week before hosting Steubenville in a Week 5 game.