Tornadoes capture a victory in an emotional week

Tornadoes capture a victory in an emotional week 

By Keno Sultan

Stark County Prep Press writer

www.starkcountypreppress.blogspot.com

DOVER--It was a tumultuous week for the Dover High School family.

Thunderstorm clouds closed in on the Tornadoes family as they had to endure a very trying moment this school week.

It has been said that God walks into the thunderstorm with those in trial and those in the storm will come out of it victorious.

That couldn't be more fitting for the Tornadoes football team with everything that went on this week. Buoyed by quarterback Dieter Weber's three touchdowns, two of those through the air, Dover obtained an emotional 39-21 victory over a resilient Ashland team to win their second contest in a row and improve their record to 3-2 (2-0 Ohio Cardinal Conference) on the season at Crater Stadium.

Last season after scoring the first touchdown, Dover found themselves on the acrid end of a 42-7 loss to the same Arrows at Ashland Community Stadium. That was not the case this time around as the contest was played on Dover's terms.

It was a challenging week for second-year general Matt Rees, who put the win and life in perspective.

"We talk about that some things are bigger than football and we had to make some adjustments this week due to the circumstances and I was excited how our kids responded and the community," he said.

The Tornadoes punctured the scoreboard with a Dieter Weber quarterback keeper on an end around spanning four yards that was aided by a 36-yard completion to running back Cohen Murray to set up the early score and although the extra point was missed, the hosts assumed an early 6-0 lead.

The next drive was just as promising as an 11-play drive that was capped off by a Jacob Noretto 47-yard field goal and Dover led 9-0 to conclude the quarter. Noretto also added a second field goal from the same distance in the second half.

Those two drives pleased Tornadoes coach Rees.

"I thought our whole offense had energy. Our offensive line was blocking well and our backs were hitting the holes hard and that is what I was looking at. We had a lot of energy on the offensive side," he said.

It seemed that Ashland was headed for an early knockout defeat when Weber threw a touchdown pass to Rowdy Dailey in the back of the end zone to extend the Tornadoes bulge to 15-0 following an interception by the defense.

However, the Arrows showed a much needed dose of life as their third possession finally got them on the scoreboard with a diet of passes and runs, which led to running back Julian Cabrera taking a short pass from Carson Graber and finding the end zone for a 16-yard score that pulled the visitors to within eight points of the Tornadoes at 15-7 with half the second quarter to be played.

At the time, Ashland coach Scott Valentine had to be pleased with his team's response. It also helped that the Arrows Killian O'Brien blocked a Noretto field goal to keep Ashland within striking distance as the half ended with Dover up eight at the intermission.

Dover mounted a serious drive to start the third quarter and a deep pass from Weber to Dante Clark had them deep in Arrows territory but penalties continued to short circuit the hosts. 

But they found a way to overcome the trouble when Weber found Clark over the middle for a 17-yard touchdown to take back the momentum as Dover regained a 15-point advantage at 22-7 following their opening drive but could never really land a knockout punch as four straight penalties backed them up with one of them, a very late flag wiping out a touchdown much to Rees's chagrin.

Dover settled for a Noretto 47-yard field goal to take an 18-point cushion but the penalties are something that left Rees somewhat irritated at the failure to put a game away that was more difficult than it should have been.

"A lot of that has to do with what we go through in practice and how we practice. Most of those were mental errors that we have to correct this week," Rees attested.

Dover's defense did enough to keep Ashland from getting any closer on the evening. The Arrows now have lost two straight and will need help to stay afloat in the OCC standings as they have lost two straight after a 3-0 start.

For the Tornadoes, this win goes a long way into the process of returning to normalcy and they will look to utilize that as they move onto the second half of the season and also during the school year.

An OCC crown is somewhat within their reach but for now it's one game at a time as they turn their sights next week to a matchup with Millersburg West Holmes.

"They are a team that is big and they have skill players and from having coached against them, it is going to be a physical game," Rees said.

The victory capped off a tumultuous week for the Dover community in which storm clouds hovered over the community but the support from inside and outside has permeated through the area.

When asked how the community was able to traverse through the storm but come out victorious, Rees provided a life lesson on faith and being a Dover resident.

"I am someone who has channeled into faith and I have leaned on that, especially this week," he said. "We can't explain what happened and why but all we can do is trust in God to help us through this time."

It has been said that God walks into the thunderstorm with those in trial and those in the storm will come out of it victorious. And the Dover High School football team not only walked into the thunderstorm in the face of adversity but they came out of the storm victorious in front of a solid crowd at Crater Stadium.

DOMINANT DIETER. Dover quarterback Dieter Weber celebrates with his teammates after his four-yard touchdown on a quarterback keeper to lead the hosts to a - win over Ashland. (Keno Sultan/ Stark County Prep Press)

Keno Sultan is a writer for Stark County Prep Press. He can be reached at 330-445-4575 or email at KenoSultan@hotmail.com.

COMMENTARY: Standing strong in the face of adversity

COMMENTARY: Standing strong in the face of adversity 

By Keno Sultan

Stark County Prep Press writer 

www.starkcountypreppress.blogspot.com

DOVER--Sometimes things happen for a reason. We wonder why.

So many emotions engulf the human soul whether it is grief, sorrow, sadness, anger, confusion and so on. Those emotions can eventually lead to anyone having an arduous time in life before they get back on the track to normalcy.

This week, the cities of Dover and Minerva have had to endure unexpected adversities that have encompassed their respective areas. Not getting into specifics but the key here is that as human beings, courtesy and respect are to be displayed in a time that is needed most, not to mention thoughts, prayers, care, love, care and compassion for those affected.

Even the respective football opponents of the Tornadoes and Lions respectively, Ashland and Alliance have or will be paying their respects this week to the communities.

There comes a time when we are all excited for a football game. Yes, both Dover and Minerva will engage in competition with Ashland and Alliance this Friday night. But this week is not about football. This week is about honoring the communities and residents who are enduring the challenge of attempting to return to normalcy. 

Sons and daughters of mothers and fathers will need not just the support of their parents but also their aunts and uncles along with grandparents who will need to wrap their arms around them. Educators and administrators will need to be there to wrap their arms around their students while also being parents to their respective sons and daughters. Coaches will have to wrap their arms around their student-community-athletes while also being parents to their sons and daughters too.

If you are going to Crater Stadium or Hines Stadium, please have some compassion in your heart for the individuals who have been stricken with adversity. Think about what you can do to display your support. Think about a time where you faced adversity and how persons were there for you and let that be the vista for you to be there for a Dover or Minerva resident that is going through this very difficult moment.

Emotions are understandably high right now and raw. It's OK to be hurt. It's OK to cry. It's OK to be confused, upset, angry, and so on. That's OK and part of being a human being. But what is not OK is blaming the entire school district and going off of visceral emotion. That is not OK.

I urge those of the Dover and Minerva communities to take advantage of the resources available if they need to talk. There are educators, administrators, coaches, counselors, family, friends, and anyone willing to listen. I am doing my part to assist as well. If anyone from those communities need to talk, I too am here and don't hesitate to contact me anytime at 330-445-4575. I will be at Crater Stadium on the field Friday also if anyone wants to talk before I go up in the pressbox. 

I am here for both communities. Don't hesitate to contact me if needed.

Sometimes things happen for a reason. We wonder why. But to the residents of Dover and Minerva, we love you and we are here for you. We share in your adversity. We go into the thunderstorm with you And we will come out of the storm victorious, united as one heartbeat and love.

Keno Sultan is a writer for Stark County Prep Press. He can be reached at 330-445-4575 or email at KenoSultan@hotmail.com.

Bulldogs travel West in rout of GlenOak

 Bulldogs travel West in rout of GlenOak

By Keno Sultan

Stark County Prep Press writer

www.starkcountypreppress.blogspot.com

PLAIN TWP.--Canton McKinley doesn't have to travel west for another six weeks.

That's OK with them and junior back Kyelin West.

McKinley got off to an inspired start by scoring on their first three possessions, all by West and were never in any danger as they inflicted a - rout of the host GlenOak Eagles at Bob Commings Field in the Federal League opener for both squads.

Canton McKinley set the tone for the evening in just only seven plays. A clean and crisp drive ended with West, the multi-talented junior tailback scoring untouched for an early touchdown drive on their opening possession and an early 7-0 advantage midway through the opening quarter. It would be the first of four touchdowns on the evening for West.

The McKinley defense came up with a deflection for an interception by defensive back Chase Ivory to stifle a promising Eagles drive.

The Bulldogs needed just four plays to locate real estate again. West turned a short pass from quarterback Braylon Crook into a 51-yard scamper for a touchdown and a quick 14-0 lead. West added a two-yard touchdown run near the end of the quarter to extend the Bulldogs advantage to three touchdowns.

It was a portent of things for the defending league champion Bulldogs who wanted to set the tone early, much to the delight of second-year boss Renzy Parnell.

"We had energy all week. We are now in the second part of our season, the Federal League and we take that seriously. The energy is natural and we had that all week," Parnell said of West's energy he brought tonight.

GlenOak showed some fight on their fourth possession in the second quarter Buoyed by a McKinley personal foul, the Eagles were fueled by the situation and a big fourth down pass from Jamel Hall to Bradnce Saunders who turned it into a 37-yard completion to the McKinley 15 yard line. Two plays later, fullback Drew Delp got the hosts on the board with 8:14 left to truncate the McKinley lead to 21-7 with most of the quarter to be played before intermission.

Veteran head coach Matt Dennison liked where his team was at the time.

"We had the momentum at 21-7 and if we were able to get a stop......they just kept on scoring and that's hard to keep that momentum if you can't get off the field," he said. "Tonight we took a step back and we just didn't do anything good offensively."

But any momentum GlenOak had was squelched. After a timeout, Crook located a wide open Legacy Lee on the right sideline and Lee found the end zone and the visitors were back up three touchdowns.

A 74-yard punt return touchdown by Darius Hill punctuated a flawless first half for the 3-1 Bulldogs, who now have obtained their seventh straight Federal League triumph. Crook also added a 25-yard touchdown pass to Hill, which actuated the running clock to commence the second half.

It was more than what GlenOak could handle as they descended to 1-3 (0-1 league) on the season. But a win against Lake next week will keep them in the hunt for a league title.

"The big thing is that we have to beat Lake next week and hope McKinley stumbles once or twice. We just have to continue to work on us and get better as we are trying to build something here," Dennison commented.

Desmond Parnell, the son of the head coach recorded an interception on the evening as well. 

For the Bulldogs, they will return home for a Friday affair against Perry, who at press time lost at home to Lake in their league opener 15-9.

"Spencer Leno is a good coach and they have athletes all around who can play. We are going to get to work on them tonight," Parnell said.

Canton McKinley doesn't have to travel west for another six weeks. And that is just fine with them based on tonight's scintillating performance by Kyelin West and the rest of the Bulldogs at Bob Commings Field.

WESTWARD BOUND. McKinley junior running back Kyelin West scores the first of his three touchdowns in the first quarter against GlenOak Friday night at Bob Commings Field. (Keno Sultan/Stark County Prep Press)

Keno Sultan is a writer for Stark County Prep Press. He can be reached at 330-445-4575 or email at KenoSultan@hotmail.com.

Golden battle goes to Golden Bulls

Golden battle goes to Golden Bulls

By Keno Sultan 

Stark County Prep Press writer 

www.starkcountypreppress.blogspot.com

CANTON--Canton just wasn't big enough for two golden universities.

Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium was the place to settle the affair.

Powered by a big first half and two Fabian Duncan touchdown runs, the Johnson C. Smith Golden Bulls proved they were the golden team that belonged in a 27-7 dismantling of Albany State in the seventh annual Black College Hall of Fame Game.

It was a coming out party for Duncan, whose three rushing touchdowns on the afternoon were pivotal to the Golden Bulls evening their record to 1-1 on the season. Getting back to the standard of Golden Bulls football was the asset according to head coach Maurice Flowers.

"Johnson C. State University football is about discipline and playing up to the standard. We set out to control the game from offense, defense and special teams. We got that from everybody and I am proud of our team," he said.

Despite two long drives by JCSU early on they could only muster two field goals from Rosario Beltran and a 6-0 advantage, much to the relief of Albany State at the moment to cap the opening quarter.

It didn't last long as three deep passes by quarterback Damien Mazil spanning a combined 75 yards led to a four-yard touchdown run by Duncan and a 13-0 Golden Bulls lead with most of the second quarter to be played.

The Golden Bulls used a long drive and flexed their durability with Duncan doing the damage and scoring his second touchdown of the game and a 20-0 lead going into intermission.

Duncan added on a 39-yard touchdown on an end around midway through the third quarter to cap the scoring for JCSU as they moved to 1-1 on the season. Duncan rushed for 149 yards on the afternoon.

Golden Rams quarterback Javier Irizarry threw a 23-yard touchdown pass to JaQuan Graham for Albany State's lone score in the fourth quarter.

Second-year Golden Rams boss David Bowser, a former assistant coach under Flowers at JCSU rued his team being on the field too long in the decisive first half leading to his team's 0-2 start.

"We still had a lot of game left to be played and we were right there with them tit-for-tat but when you have a very good running back like Duncan who can put his shoes into the ground and run behind the line, they have a heck of a team and a back," Bowser lamented.

Canton wasn't big enough for two golden universities. But the Johnson C. Smith Golden Bulls ruled the city and with a dominant performance, departed the city with bragging rights over their Golden Rams competitors.

FANTASTIC LEADER. Fabian Duncan (#1) instructs a teammate after scoring his third touchdown of the afternoon against Albany State at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium. Johnson C. Smith took home a 27-7 victory.

Keno Sultan is a writer for Stark County Prep Press. He can be reached at 330-445-4575 or email at KenoSultan@hotmail.com.

Leopards display fierce grit in comeback victory

 Leopards display fierce grit in comeback victory 

By Keno Sultan 

Stark County Prep Press writer 

www.starkcountypreppress.blogspot.com

DOVER--Quit has never been allowed in the vocabulary of a Louisville Leopard. It also isn't allowed in the vocabulary of a Dover Tornado.

In a game that was dictated by the defenses, it was the hosts erecting an early 14-0 game and were able to control the game for the most part but it was Leopards kicker Parker Daum who made sure the visitors had the last word as his 26-yard field goal with ten seconds remaining vaulted Louisville to an enthralling 15-14 victory over a Dover team that presented every bit the challenge as expected at Crater Stadium.

The Leopards showed the fight that defined Leopards football under head coach Jake Adkins, who once bared his teeth as a Leopard player 19 years ago.

"First of all I want to say how hard both teams played and I have a lot of respect for Dover and coach Matt Rees and they are going to win a lot of games this year," he said. Defensively we made some adjustments, stayed the course and our kids continued to play one play at a time. I was proud of our players and their ability to handle adversity."

The game was promising for the visitors early on.

The Leopards defense made an early stand when they stifled Tornadoes back Cohen Murray for a two-yard loss on fourth down to assume possession of the ball.

Louisville rode running back Caden Kortis deep in Tornadoes territory but a fumble stalled their drive when Dover's defense came up with the ball to quash the Leopards threat and the opening quarter ended in a 0-0 deadlock.

Dover conjured up some answers. A 41-yard catch and run from receiver and human joystick Dante Clark had them deep in Leopards territory but two consecutive holding penalties backed up the hosts. But a series of pass completions from quarterback Dieter Weber to Cooper Connare and Jacob Noretto got them back in scoring range and Weber took care of the rest with a 16-yard scramble for a touchdown and Noretto's extra-point kick handed the Tornadoes a tone-setting 7-0 lead early in the second quarter.

It got troublesome for the Leopards when they fumble the ball away that resulted in a second turnover with most of the quarter to be played. 

Six plays after the fumble, Dover cashed in when Weber threw a pass over the middle to Clark, who turned on the jets for a 26-yard catch and run and a two-touchdown cushion at 14-0.

The Leopards were reeling. Dover's fifth possession was their most dominant. Spanning 13 plays, the Tornadoes were threatening to put a stranglehold on the game but Noretto misfired on a 26-yard field goal and that was a relief for the Leopards, who avoided going to the locker room down by 21 or worse.

The Leopards took advantage of their reprieve as they drove the field in 80 plays and quarterback Cody Zahler scored standing up on a five-yard quarterback run. The extra-point kick was missed by the Leopards were revived with a pulse going to the locker down 14-6.

Zahler's touchdown run was a portent of things to arrive for the Leopards in the crucial second half.

"Cody is a competitor and there is a reason why he was voted as a captain by his players. The poise he showed on that last drive and the awareness to use his legs was huge for us."

The game was every bit as a defensive stalemate as expected after the frenetic second quarter with multiple personal fouls from both sides resulting in warnings midway through the third quarter.

Louisville embarked on their longest drive of the game and Zahler appeared to be the hero as he scored on a hard 29-yard quarterback keeper but  a fumble on the two-point conversion via a muffed snap ended up the difference.

The Leopard defense relegated Dover to punt. That is where the offense mounted their decisive drive and Zahler's second 29-yard run allowed them to put the game in the hands of the trustworthy Daum, whose field goal lifted Louisville to victory.

This was the first road trip of the season for Louisville and what better way to depart with a victory and one that may spur them to greater successes down the road. They will have to find a way to generate some offense and not rely on their defense as much but on this night, there were no complaints from the victors, who are 2-1 on the season while Dover enters Ohio Cardinal Conference play with a 1-2 record.

Adkins will happily enjoy the win and then move to the next road test that will await them.

"We told our kids it's just one game. We can't get too high or too low. We will ride the moment from this game and we got two tough road games coming up. We want to have a balanced attack offensively and be equal in running and throwing and keeping it simple," he said.

Quit is a word never allowed in the Louisville Leopards or the Dover Tornadoes regimes as the Tornadoes controlled 47:50 of tonight's contest.

But the last 10 seconds belonged to the Leopards in a game which lived up to it's billing.

VICTORIOUS LEOPARDS. Louisville players listen to head coach Jake Adkins as they huddle in a post-game talk after their 15-14 win against Dover Friday night. (Keno Sultan/Stark County Prep Press)

Keno Sultan is a writer for Stark County Prep Press. He can be reached at 330-445-4575 or email at KenoSultan@hotmail.com.

Leopards in need of a bounce back against mirror image of themselves

 Leopards in need of a bounce back against mirror image of themselves

By Keno Sultan

Stark County Prep Press writer

www.starkcountypreppress.blogspot.com

LOUISVILLE--The heavyweight division has always been the glamour division of boxing.

But you can't forget about the smaller weight classes and some of the intriguing title fights that have been a part of the sport for many years.

They may not be as known as the bigger schools in the state but that is perfectly fine with the Louisville Leopards and their hosting opponent Friday night, Dover.

Both the Leopards and Tornadoes are coming off of unfortunate running clock setbacks with the Leopards on the wrong end of a 43-10 home loss to Youngstown Ursuline while Dover is returning to the confines of Crater Stadium after a 44-14 setback to a Steubenville team that many feels will be a state title contender in Division III with two-time champion Columbus Bishop Watterson ascending to Division II.

Both Dover and Louisville are known for breeding young boys to compete under the lights during Friday nights during the fall season and Friday night at Crater Stadium will not be any different as both teams look to notch their second victory of the season.

For first-year Louisville head coach and 2010 graduate Jake Adkins, he is familiar to the tradition of Louisville football having competed under the guidance of Paul Farrah and being a member of their 2007 Division II state title competing squad before embarking on a four-year career at Notre Dame College as a Falcons linebacker.

Adkins expects a competitive affair between his battalion of Leopards and Tornadoes.

"Louisville and Dover have great communities and great programs and the community support of both cities are great, rich with tradition and it's great for high school football. Both are small-town communities and they care very much about the kids and their education," he said. "We have to do our job on every play and play with passion and perseverance."

LEADER OF THE LEOPARDS. Louisville head coach Jake Adkins talks to an audience at the Stark County Coaches Dinner. Adkins and the Leopards will look to bounce back against Dover Friday night at Crater Stadium. (Keno Sultan/Stark County Prep Press)

The Leopards showed flashes of a team that they can be with a 20-10 victory over New Philadelphia as the defense showed a dominant form. They will need to rely on their defense to keep them in the game and get it into the fourth quarter with a chance to win it. This has the making of a game where defense may be the difference and offense may be scarce to come by.

Adkins sees a similarity to Dover from a defensive standpoint. Whoever can stay clear of turnovers will be the one departing Crater Stadium with a victory Friday night. Dover is a much better team than their 4-6 record last season and no one knows that better than Adkins.

"Dover is very similar to us and how they play. It is going to be tough going down there and we have to be ready to play four quarters of Louisville football," he said.

Like Adkins, second-year Dover field general Matt Rees is a graduate of his respective alma mater. A 2004 graduate, Rees was part of a team that finished off an undefeated regular season before traversing to Mount Union, where he won two national championships. Rees was the longtime defensive coordinator under retired general Dan Ifft before being selected as his successor last year. Even pleasing to those in Dover, Rees is a flawless 5-0 against the rival Quakers, winning four as a player and then last season's 35-28 thriller to conclude their season.

The Tornadoes are looking to get back on track after last week's game against the Big Red. Despite not getting off the way they wanted to, the competitiveness Dover showed was encouraging to Rees, who believes his team will learn from the setback and deliver a performance that Dover residents love to see in Crater Stadium.

"Last week was a game for us to learn from and those are the lessons that we will have to apply Friday night for four quarters," he said. "I have a lot of respect for Louisville as they are rich in tradition like we are and both of our communities are supportive."

Louisville split their first two games at home and now will assume the challenge of being road warriors. After Dover, they will challenge Youngstown Boardman and North Canton Hoover before returning home again to challenge Lake in four weeks.

Although it is still early, this stretch just may dictate how the season may unfold for Louisville. A loss wouldn't hurt the Leopards as much as the season is still in it's infancy but it may be a telling point of where the trajectory of their season may go. But at the same time, Adkins doesn't want his team to get too worked up about the stretch and to take the approach one game at a time.

"We don't want to put stress on one game. We do have an opportunity to make it right from last week and we have to do whatever it takes to win and make that happen," he said.

A segment of Friday's game just may come down to the special teams department, where the Tornadoes may have a distinct advantage. Last year, junior wide receiver and defensive back Dante Clark provided an electrifying 81-yard punt return score against New Philadelphia, which although it happened at the end of the first quarter, it proved advantageous for Dover. Without that score, their rivalry contest might have lasted into overtime and who knows what that may have parlayed into.

Clark has been a starter since his freshman year and he has only gotten better. The sky is the limit for him according to Rees and if he gets a return leading to a special teams score, it may be detrimental for the Leopards.

"Clark is one who really stands out and he has really developed into an excellent player. But he is not just the only one. We want to stand out in all three phases and it goes back to when I played at Mount Union, we were all 11 as one, whether it was offense, defense, or special teams and everyone was doing their jobs," Rees said.

"Dante is one who really stands out on film and we have to find a way to keep the ball out of his hands and know where he is at all times. He has a knack for the ball and he is fast," Adkins said.

TOUGH TORNADO. Matt Rees is in his second year at his alma mater. Rees, a 2004 Dover High School graduate will be on the sidelines as the Tornadoes battle the Leopards Friday night at Crater Stadium at 7:00 p.m. (Keno Sultan/Stark County Prep Press)

It doesn't seem like a long time ago that Adkins and Rees were both students growing up in their respective school systems and being raised in God-fearing and God-loving Christian communities and households. Each of them recalled the days where high school players would come to the elementary and middle schools at assemblies to speak to them about making the right decisions. Both head coaches ended up doing the same thing as seniors when they spoke to elementary and middle school students about making the right decisions at those same assemblies.

Now both gentlemen are head coaches and husbands raising excellent families. And their paths will cross at Crater Stadium where only one of the two teams will notch their fourth win in the series against the other.

Young kids from both communities will fill up Crater Stadium with the hopes of someday being under the same lights that the respective head coaches of their alma maters were under a long time ago.

Adkins and Rees both recalled the day they spoke to kids at assemblies as high school seniors.

"We talked to kids about what you can control on and off the field. We told them that you have to make the right decisions to be successful in life and you also have to represent your communities well," Adkins recalled.

"We talked to our players about overcoming adversity as we practiced on the grass field. We shared stories of our experiences and in those were lessons on what it took to play as a team. We all came from a caring community and we bore the responsibility of that," Rees said.

The heavyweight division has always been the glamour division of boxing. But you can't forget about the smaller weight classes as well. And in this case, you can't overlook what the Louisville Leopards and Dover Tornadoes will bring to Crater Stadium Friday night.

---PREP PRESS PIECES---

*Bulldogs as Leopards: Former Canton McKinley linebackers coach John Twinem, who was a part of the 1997 and 1998 Division I state title winning team served as Louisville's athletic director before transitioning into an assistant principal. Matt Kelly, a 2001 graduate of McKinley is also on the Leopards staff as well.

*Equality regardless of hire: Adkins was hired late after Matt Furino stepped down due to a personal matter. When asked if he would have an advantage in part to being chosen early as Ifft's successor, Rees downplayed the thought of that. "Adkins is very knowledgeable of the game and has been around the program through the lower levels. I have looked at Louisville on film and they are well coached so I don't look at that as him being hired late as an advantage," he said.

*Seismic quake: New Philadelphia is currently 0-2 on the season and have lost three straight dating back to a 35-28 loss to Dover that ended their season at 5-5. Mike Johnson, a 2001 graduate of New Philadelphia, who played for current GlenOak head coach and former Quakers boss Matt Dennison is in his sixth season as Quakers head coach. Dennison also coached Canton South for five seasons. The Quakers will try to avoid an 0-3 start as they will host 2025 Division IV state champion Indian Valley at Woody Hayes Quaker Staduim Friday night, a 7 p.m. kickoff.

Keno Sultan is a writer for Stark County Prep Press. He can be reached at 330-445-4575 or email at KenoSultan@hotmail.com.

Blue Streaks zap Spartans

Blue Streaks zap Spartans 

By Keno Sultan

Stark County Prep Press writer 

www.starkcountypreppress.blogspot.com

LAKE TWP.--By DeGeorge, Lake got it right!

It was a sterling night for Lake senior standout Ty DeGeorge. 

He may be the baby of the family but in Lake Blue Streak Stadium, he was the big brother and more. Paced by his three touchdown runs and a defensive effort that included three interceptions by the Blue Streaks defense, Lake rocked and rolled their way to a 27-0 zapping of Youngstown Boardman to cap a two-game home stand.

Lake set the tone on their opening possession and made it clear the game would be played on their terms as a seven play drive concluded with a 23-yard end around touchdown scamper by senior DeGeorge and despite the extra point kick that was blocked, the hosts assumed an early 6-0 advantage that went unchallenged.

Lake veteran boss Dan DeGeorge admired where his team stood on that decisive drive and marveled over the prowess of his quarterback and the defense, which intercepted three Spartans passes.

"We started off the game very strong offensively and give credit to our defense that played great all night in pitching a shutout and tackling very well and our defensive coordinator Ron Viscounte had a great game plan and we did just enough offensively to win but we have a lot of things we have to clean up," he said. "Ty had a great night and he will tell you the same that his offensive line had a lot to do with that and he wants to win. He doesn't care about touchdowns or yards or anything else like that. He's a very good player and we ask a lot of him and our players."

The Spartans just were unable to sustain any kind of offense against Lake's incarcerating defense, which perturbed veteran head coach D.J. Dota. It only added to the quagmire that his offense has scored just 10 points in two games and find themselves in the same position they were in last year, 0-2 and at a clear crossroads.

If the Spartans have any hope of turning around the season, it will have to commence next Friday against a Liberty team who would love nothing more to further decimate the Spartans season. The message according to Dota is clear. The defense cannot continue to be on the field for extended periods of time and the offense has to generate scores to end their offensive malady.

"I thought we played pretty well on defense, we were just on the field too long. We were down 13-0 at half and we have to come out and get some points on the board. We can't be on the field too long on defense, we're just going to continue to give up points," the former Warren G. Harding and West Branch general said. "We have to move the ball more on offense but again, we are playing two sophomores and a freshman up front. It's going to take some time, we played a really good football program tonight. It's going to be up to us how we respond this week."

Lake quarterback Wyatt Jones added a touchdown pass to Logan Miller to cap off the scoring for the night. The Blue Streaks will head on the road next week to challenge Rocky River with their sights firmly set on now looking to obtain a three-game winning streak.

Last year, the Blue Streaks downed the Pirates in a 34-28 tally. DeGeorge knows going on the road that he will have a strong feel of where his team will be at before Federal League competition commences.

"Rocky River is very good and one of the better teams we will play all year, they are very well coached and have a handful of Division I players and this will be a huge test for us and we'll find out what we're made of," he said.

By DeGeorge and a feral Lake defense, the Lake Blue Streaks indeed got it right.

DEGEORGE DELIGHT. Ty DeGeorge hands the ball to the referee after his third touchdown of the evening as the Blue Streaks dominated Youngstown Boardman 27-0 to move to 2-0 on the season. (Keno Sultan/Stark County Prep Press)

Keno Sultan is a writer for Stark County Prep Press. He can be reached at 330-445-4575 or email at KenoSultan@hotmail.com.