Eagles look to keep up winning ways
Sep. 13—The opportunity to play in big games is the goal for coaches and players in any sport.
At the halfway mark, the situation is starting to sort itself out a little bit.
Teams are not only jockeying for conference titles, but computer points as well.
Geneva and Conneaut are just two teams with key games on Friday.
Both lost close openers. The Eagles fell to Madison 13-7, while the Spartans dropped a 15-14 decision to Edgewood.
Since then, both the Eagles and Spartans have each won three straight.
The Eagles are at perennial state power Kirtland, while the Spartans host undefeated Rootstown.
"Kirtland is one of the best programs in the state of Ohio for a reason," Geneva coach Don Shymske said. "They're well-coached, fast, physical and aggressive.
"They execute their offensive and defensive schemes with amazing efficiency."
Here's a look at Friday's games:
—Geneva (3-1) at Kirtland (4-0)
The Eagles have racheted up their running game during a three-game winning streak. Geneva has four runners with more than 100 yards, led by Luke Smith's 395. Jacob Wilson has gained 301 yards and scored the game-winning touchdown against Lakeside last Friday. The Hornets continue to do what the Hornets do. Kirtland has outscored its four opponents 149-14. The Hornets, who had their 55-game winning streak end against Versailles in the Division V state final last season, have won six state titles since 2011.
—Rootstown (4-0) at Conneaut (3-1)
Speaking of rushing the ball, both the Rovers and Spartans have done that well lately. Rootstown rushed for 329 yards in a 48-6 win over Pymatuning Valley last Friday. Running back Cody Coontz surpassed the 1,000-yard mark (1,005) with 261 vs. the Lakers, and has scored 14 TDs. Conneaut has piled up 1,083 yards on the ground. Zack Rice leads the way with 516 yards and eight touchdowns. Max Gleason and Wyatt Payne have chipped in with 273 and 227 yards, respectively. Ty Covill and Jaydon Anderson each have three sacks defensively.
—Perry (3-1) at Lakeside (3-1)
The Pirates have shaken off a 35-7 loss to Riverside with three straight wins. They've tallied 37 or more points in the three victories. Perry posted 398 total yards in a 43-0 win over Chagrin Falls last Friday. The Dragons fell for the first time, losing to Geneva 20-13 last Friday. Quarterback Alex DiSalvatore threw for 133 yards and one TD. Jimmy Timonere hauled in five receptions and one score.
—Edgewood (3-1) at West Geauga (1-3)
The Warriors rebounded in a big way with a 56-21 win over Orange last Friday. Edgewood, which lost to Jefferson 56-14 the week before, picked up the passing game as Tony Hall threw for 258 yards. Christian Cunningham had 96 yards receiving, while Jacob Ernst checked in with 95. The Warriors also received an interception from Seth Enos, and blocked punt two punts, including returning one for a score. The Wolverines' lone was win was over Parma 20-6 in Week 3. Former Perry coach Matt Rosati is now leading the WG program.
—Jefferson (3-1) at Niles (2-2)
The Falcons couldn't generate much of an offense against Girard. Trent Hodge tallied Jefferson's lone score on a 52-yard run. The Red Dragons dropped a 21-13 decision to Lakeview last Friday. Niles QB Anthony Budak has passed for 603 yards. Running back Joseph Smith has gained 280 yards with four scores.
—Pymatuning Valley (0-4) at Saint John (2-2)
The Lakers have scored just 26 points so far in the season. Devin Sharpe's 83-yard kickoff return for a TD highlighted PV's game against Rootstown. The Heralds' modest two-game winning streak ended with a 50-12 loss to Windham last Saturday. Vin Narducci's passing to Matt Miller provided the Heralds with both TDs. Narducci threw for 167 yards and Miller caught five passes for 152.
—Grand Valley (1-3) at Hawken (3-1)
The Mustangs' offense came alive in a 49-36 loss to Berkshire last Friday. Through four games, quarterback Nathan Boiarski has thrown for 602 yards and nine TDs. Robert Rogers has made 25 receptions with eight scores. The Hawks' lone setback was 41-34 to undefeated Gilmour Academy in Week 2. Dominic Johnson has compiled 828 yards rushing and receiving with 12 TDs for Hawken.
—Madison (1-3) at Riverside (3-1)
The Blue Streaks have managed just 18 points in their last three games. Quarterback Carson Alley and running back Sammy Salajcik have rushed for 233 and 205 yards, respectively. The Beavers' loss was 7-6 to Mentor in Week 3. Riverside ended Chardon's 31-game winning streak 21-7 last Friday. For the Beavers, quarterback Mikey Maloney has passed for 686 yards with six TDs and no interceptions. He's also tallied four rushing TDs. Jake Elly leads the receiving unit with 17 catches for 361 yards and three scores.
