Photos by Steven Wright | Greene County News

Xenia’s defense celebrates an interception returned for a touchdown by senior Ronnie Butler (10). The Buccaneers won its opening game of the OHSAA Division II playoffs on Friday with a 31-14 victory against Sidney at Doug Adams Stadium.

Senior Trimonde Henry (20) carries the ball for a big gain during Friday’s game.

Xenia players find head coach Maurice Harden at the end of the handshake line and give him an ice bath in celebration of his first playoff victory.

XENIA — The Xenia defense was being tasked with holding off Sidney during its most crucial possession of the year and needed someone to make a play.

Check out photos from the first round matchup in the D-II playoffs between Sidney and Xenia.

Ronnie Butler stepped up and made two of the biggest ones of the season for the Buccaneers.

Forcing two turnovers in the fourth quarter, Butler led the way for No. 3 Xenia to push past No. 14 Sidney 31-14 on Friday at Doug Adams Stadium and pick up its first ever home playoff win.

“Ronnie freaking Butler, our senior,” head coach Maurice Harden exclaimed. “I know it meant something to him being a senior to do that.”

With Xenia (10-1) up by three and nearing the goal line on offense, Sidney’s defense forced a fumble to get the ball back with just over 10 minutes remaining. A quick 18-yard pass got the Yellow Jackets moving and began putting momentum on their side.

Getting to third-and-nine, Sidney’s Ethan New tried to fire a slant to Julius Spradling. Butler crept over from the middle of the field and snagged the pass at the 35, returning down the visitor’s sideline and beating New to the pylon for the score.

“We were looking at their calls and I heard when they said ‘skinny’ I knew to drop back for the pass and he just threw it to me,” Butler said. “It was just all green in front after.”

The back breaking play hurt Sidney’s chances to pull off the upset, but they still had time and an opportunity to get the score back. Butler helped put an end to those chances after Sidney advanced to midfield, but a lengthy pile scrum allowed him to strip the ball away and return it to Sidney’s 22.

“There was probably five or six people on their guy and then all of a sudden I saw the ball go the other way with Ronnie running down the field,” Louis Freeman said.

White got redemption for his earlier fumble by finishing off the ensuing drive with four consecutive runs to secure the win with his second rushing touchdown of the game.

“It would be hard to have written a better script than what you got tonight,” Harden said. “I’m so proud of these kids. They had to fight for four quarters. It was not going our way in the first half and we made some mistakes but we just found a way to persevere.”

Sidney (5-6) outgained Xenia 272-247 and twice led during the first half, but was outscored 21-0 in the third and fourth quarters.

Xenia’s defense got off to a strong start by stopping Sidney on fourth down and Sean Leonard put the Bucs ahead with a 32-yard field goal on its opening possession. The Yellow Jackets then controlled field position afterward, pinning Xenia at its own one yard line and forcing a punt to get the ball back at its own 44. Several explosive plays got them in the red zone and New powered in a four-yard touchdown run to put Sidney ahead early in the second quarter.

White put Xenia back ahead with 2:05 left in the first half, but Sidney ran its two minute drill to perfection in going 80 yards to score on a short New pass to Spradling with 13 seconds remaining until the break to lead 14-10.

The Buccaneers recovered a short kickoff to open the second half and converted several third downs, including a 28-yard pass by Gavin McManus to Lucas Williams to Sidney’s two. McManus kept the ball himself to punch in a touchdown and put Xenia in the lead on the next play.

Sidney had four offensive possessions in the second half, but twice were stopped on fourth down in addition to Butler’s two forced turnovers as Xenia frustrated Sidney each time it had the ball.

“We just had to keep our heads in the right space and make sure there wasn’t anything holding us back,” Freeman said. “We were only losing by just one score at half. Just keeping our heads up and coming out to play hard and be physical is what we did and we ended up shutting them down.”

The win for Xenia put several bad memories from previous seasons behind the team. It was the first playoff win for Harden as head coach, as well as any member of the team after the Buccaneers lost in the first round of the postseason in each of the past three seasons.

“I sat in the end zone two years ago when we lost to Little Miami in double overtime, when people were here doing what we are now on the field after the game,” Harden said. “I remember how they felt and that thing hurt. And I said if we get another opportunity to have a home playoff game, we were going to make sure that we finished the job. And that’s what we did tonight.”

Xenia will be back at home in the regional quarterfinal round on Friday, hosting No. 6 Harrison at 7 p.m.

See all of the first round playoff scores for Greene County teams.