Aviators grounded in 34-6 setback to Padua Franciscan
By Keno Sultan
Stark County Prep Press writer
www.starkcountypreppress.blogspot.com
ALLIANCE--There was a lot of love dashing on the football field inside the confines of Kehres Stadium.
Unfortunately for the Alliance Aviators, it just was not for them.
With senior running back Roderick Love leading the way for Parma Padua Franciscan, the three-year starter accounted for two touchdown runs spanning 35 and 33 yards and also caught one of two touchdown passes from quarterback Nick Barker with receiver Riley Cervenka snagging the other in he first quarter as the Bruins raced out to an early 13-0 lead and eventually clawed their way to a 34-6 triumph over the host Aviators in the season opener for both squads.
Unlike the Aviators, Padua was left viewing the playoffs at home after the 10th week as they missed qualiying with a 4-6 record. Last season it was the Bruins defense that anchored them and they showed why they were an attacking squad as they held Alliance to just one touchdown. But the offense showed fervent life and Love will have a humongous hand in that as they look to play beyond the 10th week of the season.
"Rod is a three-year starter at running back. He's a natural leader for us and he's also a three-year captain. As he goes, the Bruins go," second-year boss Kevin Kubit said.
The Bruins second possession was a portent of things to arrive on the evening. Love took a handoff and with adept blocking from their heavy offensive line, he scored on a tone-setting 35-yard scamper and from there on they controlled the evening.
The Aviators were unable to generate any scoring opportunities with the exception of their sixth possession when Brady White returned a short kickoff deep into Bruins territory. Three plays after the spectacular return, Davis threw a 14-yard scoring strike to junior receiver Ravhan Hawkins to provide albeit a faint pulse for the Aviators that pulled them to within 20-6, the score at intermission.
But their inability to contain Love, who went over the 100 yard rushing mark is something that Aviators head coach Tim Goodman lamented in a solemn postgame meeting with his comrades.
"We know that he was a heck of a back for them. We knew that coming in and you can't duplicate what he does in practice. So we knew we had our work cut out for us. It only takes one guy not to be in the right spot and he will make you pay and he did that and that is demoralizing for a defense," he said. "But credit to our kids they played their tails off to the end and we're going to keep getting better. We lost a lot of seniors from last year and several underclassmen were getting their first start this week. It's a long season I thought it was a good experience for our kids and our kids are ready to get back to work and get after it next week."
Padua had multiple chances to actuate a state mandated running clock in the fourth quarter but the Alliance defense made sure to not let that happen and it is something they can take away into the second week of the season.
"The kids are resilient and they are going to keep fighting, competing and playing football and no matter what the score is, we're going to continue to play our brand of football," Goodman said.
The Bruins on the other hand will move toward a second week battle against Sandusky Perkins, a regional runner-up in Division IV last season to eventual back-to-back state champion Cleveland Glenville. It is just another step for a team who wants to keep the momentum arcing as they attempt to return to the postseason.
According to Kubit, if the Bruins show that same finishing instinct against Alliance and carry it over next week, the Bruins just may be playoff competitors very soon.
"Last year it's no secret we lost week 10 and our motto since then has been to finish and at halftime we were up two touchdowns, we wanted to finish the game off and not let them back in it," he said. "We have a formidable opponent next week against Sandusky Perkins and we have to correct our mistakes. It wasn't a perfect game and we're going to correct those in practice."
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