CALDWELL — Caldwell controlled visiting Notre Dame from start to finish on Friday night, advancing to the regional semifinals of the Division VII Region 27 playoffs — with a 50-0 shutout of the Titans at the Noble County Fairgrounds.

The Redskin defense pushed and shoved Notre Dame’s running attack to minus-40 yards on the night.

“Football is a physical game,” Titans head coach Buster Davis said. “We got out-physicalled.”

Caldwell running back Dylan Wheeler compiled 137 yards on the ground with two touchdowns and 37 yards receiving with a TD for the game.

The Redskins churned out 366 yards of total offense, and limited Notre Dame to only 51.

“We knew what we were doing,” Davis said. “But the thing about it is, in these moments and these games, you have to learn how to win them. You have to learn to execute. They (Caldwell) are always physical. And for us right now, we have to get stronger. We have to get more physical.”

The Redskins (9-3) got on the board with 7:49 to go in the first quarter — when Notre Dame snapped the ball intended for punter Bryce McGraw over his head and into the end zone.

McGraw fell on the ball to give the safety to the Redskins for the 2-0 lead.

Then Notre Dame tried an onside kick from its own 20-yard line, and the ball went out of bounds to give the Redskins possession at the ND 25.

Two plays later, quarterback Cale Bender connected with Alex Herlan for a 23-yard TD pass with 6:07 left in the quarter.

Chaz Pfeffer’s PAT put the lead at 9-0.

Caldwell added to the lead when Wheeler darted into the end zone on a three-yard run with 1:52 left in the first quarter.

From there, the Redskin defense dismantled Notre Dame’s offensive gameplan.

The Titans’ first positive gain for yards came at the 1:19 mark in the first quarter — when quarterback Ethan Kingrey connected with Eugene Collins on an 18-yard pass play.

But two plays later, Kingrey threw his first of three interceptions — with this one near the goal line.

Kingrey finished the game for Notre Dame (8-4) with 80 yards passing, completing eight of 22 attempts with three picks.

Luke Cassidy completed one of two passes for 11 yards and was intercepted once.

“I’m freaking super proud of these kids,” Davis added. “We got here June 5 and we took a team from nearly winning the conference with an 8-4 record with 21 kids. I could not be prouder of a team and to be their coach.”

Caldwell put up 25 points on the board in the second quarter — on two Bender TD passes (30 yards to Herlan and 11 yards to Wheeler) and a 15-yard Wheeler touchdown run.

Pfeffer’s 29-yard field goal at the end of the first half put the Caldwell lead at 41-0.

“(Caldwell) is a veteran ballclub,” Davis added. “They are coached hard and coach them tough and they are a very physical team. We had a couple of times in the red zone when we didn’t come through. Veteran teams are good for a reason. They take advantage of opportunities.”

With 11:58 to go in the game, Bender found Ethan Crock for a 15-yard TD strike for the 48-0 lead.

The Redskins ironically ended the game with another safety — when Titan running back Jordan Davis was tackled in the end zone by Crock.

“We are going to take a week off and then get right into the weight room,” Coach Davis said. “I told the kids that this offseason needs to be the best one of your lives because you don’t want to feel this way again. We have to create a mindset of physicality.”

Jordan Davis rushed for 33 yards on 10 carries.

Bender threw for 164 yards and four TDs with one pick.

Caldwell (third seed) will play Waterford (seventh seed) in the next round of the playoffs (Region 27 semifinals), as the Wildcats defeated Pike Eastern 26-21 for the Eagles’ only loss of their 12-game season.

* * *

Notre Dame 0 0 0 0 — 0

Caldwell 16 25 0 9— 50

C— Safety, ND tackled in end zone, 7:49, 1st (2-0 C)

C — Alex Herlan, 23-yard pass from Cale Bender (Chaz Pfeffer kick), 6:26, 1st (9-0 C)

C — Dylan Wheeler, 3-yard run (Chaz Pfeffer kick), 2:01, 1st (16-0 C)

C —Dylan Wheeler, 15-yard run (Dylan Wheeler run), 9:19, 2nd (24-0 C)

C — Alex Herlan, 30-yard pass from Cale Bender (Chaz Pfeffer kick), 6:03, 2nd (31-0 C)

C — Dylan Wheeler, 11-yard pass from Cale Bender (Chaz Pfeffer kick), 2:00, 2nd (38-0 C)

C — Chaz Pfeffer, 29-yard field goal, 1:11, 2nd (41-0 C)

C — Ethan Crock, 15-yard pass from Cale Bender (Chaz Pfeffer kick), 11:58, 4th (48-0 C)

C —Safety, ND tackled in end zone, 10:53, 4th (50-0 C)

Team Statistics

ND C

First downs 8 22

Scrimmage plays 45 48

Rushes-yards 21-(-40) 28-197

Passing yards 91 169

Total yards 51 366

Cmp-Att-Int. 9-24-4 12-20-1

Fumbles-lost 1-0 1-0

Penalties-yards 3-20 0-0

Punts-Ave. 3-33.7 3-37.3

Time of Possession 22:00 26:00

——

Individual Leaders

RUSHING —Notre Dame: Jordan Davis 10-33, Ethan Kingrey 6-(-45), Luke Cassidy 4-(-8), Team 1-(-20); Caldwell: Dylan Wheeler 17-137 2TD, Calen Bender 3-50, Izic Cool 2-11, Samuel Pierce 2-1, Ethan Crock 1-1, Alex Herlan 1-0, Team 2-(-3)

PASSING — Notre Dame: Ethan Kingrey 8-22-3-80, Luke Cassidy 1-2-1-11; Caldwell: Cale Bender 11-19-1-164 4TD, Izic Cool 1-1-0-5

RECEIVING— Notre Dame: Eugene Collins 2-36, Chris Piccolo 2-28, Jordan Davis 2-25, Bryce McGraw 2-7, Luke Cassidy 1-(-5); Caldwell: Hunter Petry 3-39, Dylan Wheeler 3-37 TD, Alex Herlan 2-53 2TD, Ethan Crock 2-30 TD, Gavin Leake 2-10