Six turnovers lead Woodridge football to rout Ravenna

When a defense forces six turnovers, it’s obvious that there are some playmakers on that side of the football, but typically there is a reason why a team committed that many miscues.

In the case of Woodridge, there’s no big mystery. The Bulldogs’ potent defensive front usually has its fingerprints all over any the situation.

Woodridge (6-3) has clinched a state playoff berth in Division IV in region 13.

Through nine weeks of Metro Athletic Conference play, Woodridge, Cloverleaf and Norton all had a 5-1 record in the balanced league. Woodridge was set host Field (4-5, 3-3) Friday in the regular season finale.

Those six turnovers and the chaos created on defense came as the host Bulldogs had a convincing 42-6 MAC victory over Ravenna. Woodridge led 35-0 with a running clock as head coach Jeff Decker emptied his bench.

With a season high four interceptions, the Bulldogs also fared well against the run and had two fumble recoveries.

“Our line did a great job in both stuffing the run and really hitting the runners hard,” pointed out Decker. “This forced Ravenna into a pass only game plan. The D-line then got heat on the quarterback nearly every play.”

Junior outside linebacker Evan Duve had an interception, a caused fumble and one tackle for a loss.

David Hitchings, a senior safety, had a pick on a deep pass while junior Johnny Howard had one, plus senior Dino Campisi picked off a Raven pass on a post route as the clock was winding down.

“Our defensive backs and linebackers did a tremendous job in dropping to their zones and playing the ball well,” emphasized Decker.

Senior lineman Gavin Nesbitt and sophomore safety Gavin Lynch also had fumble recoveries.

For the second straight game, junior quarterback Charlie Lambes did not play with a shoulder injury. Lambes is doing physical therapy and is hungry to play again.

“Charlie is getting better range of motion and it is a week-to-week thing,” explained Decker. “I know he is anxious to return.”

Speedy junior Johnny Howard has started those games and excelled as a dual threat while Hitchings has also played.

“Johnny is doing a great job for us at the QB spot, giving us an additional run threat so that the defense can’t focus on just the tailbacks,” stressed Decker. “He is very efficient in his passing. He was three-for-three passing with two touchdowns and the third pass was a first down.”

“He does a nice job of throwing the ball to where the receiver can run to it away from any defender,” explained Decker. “It makes it hard on a defense to simply just try to stop the run.”

Howard was 3-3 passing for 93 yards and had touchdown passes of 48 yards to junior Artrell Wallace as well as a 40-yard toss to Duve. Howard also had four rushes for 52 yards and had a one-yard TD run.

Hitchings has had QB starts in his career and is more of a pocket passer, but has really improved his running skills. He had five rushes for 52 yards.

“Duve is a very good outside linebacker and really makes it hard for teams to run outside, and he has great hands as a receiver and it was great to see that long TD,” said Decker.

“Hitchings will come in during certain situations as a quarterback and he is showing that he has legs to run the ball, just like Johnny Howard,” said Decker. “David’s pass defense has improved a lot over the last few weeks. He is typically in the right place at the right time.”

Decker loves what he sees from his club now.

“We have a lot of momentum,” he said. “When you combine our wins at Streetsboro, against Ravenna and the way we did it, and then add to it, the loss by Cloverleaf, we have all of our end of season goals attainable. Win the MAC, earn a home playoff game or two, and then being able to compete deep into the playoffs.”

Winning five of the last six going into the regular season finale has been big and the loss to a very dangerous Cloverleaf team has almost served as a learning tool, which is a great sign.

“We are playing very aggressive right now,” Decker said. “I think the Cloverleaf game was a great wake-up call. I told the kids our schemes (on both sides) on the white board are important, and whoever has the marker last will win on the whiteboard, but real football is played on the field and the major difference is who gets off of blocks and makes tackles and who stays with their blocks and prevents tackles.”

“Just because you are designed to be blocked doesn’t mean you have to be blockable,” pointed out Decker. “Our kids have really taken on that mentality these last two weeks. We have been nearly unblockable, and we are keeping our blocks longer. Our skill guys have and always will then make plays.”

Junior Robert Dixie has led a slew of backs and athletes in the backfield. He had 27 yards rushing and had touchdowns of 3 and 11 yards, plus had an explosive 82-yard TD run called back due to a block in the back.

“Robert has above average straight-out speed, but in terms of football speed, making cuts, seeing the openings, setting up blocks, he has a natural gift,” stressed Decker.

In the first stanza, junior receiver Jack Novak scored on a 39-yard jet sweep run. Junior Taysear Williams also had a good game on both sides and added 30 yards rushing, senior Terrance Wray had two runs for 15 yards, and junior back Mitchell Pulling added two totes for 11 yards.

Senior Grant Kever booted one extra point while senior Logan Feisthamel was a perfect five-for-five.

Thurman Treadwell returned a fumble in the Bulldog backfield for a 28-yard TD in the third period for Ravenna (3-6, 1-5).

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Woodridge football rolls past Ravenna to clinch playoffs berth