Streetsboro turns in complete performance to top Ravenna

STREETSBORO — When the Rockets' offense is on, it's beautiful to watch.

Endless weapons shuffle through the backfield.

On Friday, those weapons included Colby Benjamin, Cohen Klimak, Preston Hopperton and Jermaine Price.

The Rockets' versatile attack worked to perfection Friday as Streetsboro scored on its first seven possessions en route to a 45-7 Metro Athletic Conference victory over visiting Ravenna.

"It feels great," senior quarterback Colby Benjamin said. "We've had a lot of close games this year and it's good to finally get a big win."

Seemingly everything the Rockets (3-2, 1-1 MAC) did on offense Friday worked, especially in a high-octane first half.

Sweeps to junior Preston Hopperton.

Fake sweeps to Hopperton with inside runs instead to sophomore Cohen Klimak and senior Jermaine Price.

Colby Benjamin keepers.

"It's not a one-man show or nothing," Benjamin said. "Everyone's carrying the ball, getting different looks for the defense."

The run-heavy Rockets even unfurled a few passes as Benjamin had a pair of touchdown throws in the first quarter, including a 41-yard deep ball over the middle off play-action to a leaping Hopperton to take a 7-0 lead.

"They had an outside linebacker playing on me," Hopperton said. "So I was like, alright, I can just go past this guy and the safety bit down and came on the outside seam, so I knew Colby was going to see me and he was going to put me deep and I just went up for it."

Hopperton was just getting started as he added three rushing scores before the intermission, turning 11 carries into 55 yards, all in the first half.

Benjamin, for his part, handled the Rockets' offense like a grizzled veteran rather than the first-year starting quarterback that he is.

The senior completed 7-of-11 passes, all in the first half, for 133 yards, and also turned 10 carries into 63 yards.

Of course, Benjamin and Hopperton were quick to turn their attention to a line that gave Streetsboro room to run whenever necessary, which played a big part in the Rockets converting their first 10 third-down chances Friday.

"It's not me on the goal line," Hopperton said. "I just follow my backs. They do all the work. And the line. I don't do anything. I just follow them."

But while scoring on all six of their first-half possessions was hard to ignore, the Rockets also delivered a wonderfully complete performance.

A defense that gave up too many big plays in last week's MAC-opening loss at Norton came up with key stops Friday, including a third-down pass deflection by sophomore Trace Herman and fourth-down tackle by Klimak to stuff the Ravens' promising opening drive into Rockets' territory.

A little later, with Streetsboro leading 14-7, Klimak was once again in on a pivotal third-down stop, to force a punt that the Rockets proceeded to block (and turn into a short-field touchdown drive).

"Ravenna, on film and out here tonight, they've got some offensive weapons," Streetsboro coach Pete Thompson said. "It's scary when they have some of those guys back there and I thought our kids stepped up to that challenge a little bit and I'm very pleased with our defensive effort."

And on special teams, the Rockets recovered an onside kick, blocked (or heavily altered) two punts and added a 33-yard field goal by Dom Incorvati.

The Ravens (2-3, 0-2), for their part, punched back early.

With Ravenna tailing 14-0, junior Austin Marshall gave the visiting sideline a massive lift with a 38-yard return into Streetsboro territory.

Ravens seniors M'Kell Williams and Pavel Henderson provided a further boost when Williams rolled right on play-action and found Henderson curling toward the sideline for a 28-yard gain to the Rockets' three-yard line. Henderson, who turned 12 carries into 40 yards and also had three catches for 90 yards, punched it in on the very next play to draw within a score.

But Streetsboro, its lead down to a single score (14-7), bounced back from a holding call in the red zone on its subsequent drive, with Benjamin turning a first-and-20 keeper into 12 yards, then converting third-and-four with a quick-fire pass to Jackson Gula on the sideline for a 13-yard touchdown.

The Rockets' defense then came up with a three-and-out, capped by junior Carter Baab blocking a punt to set Streetsboro up at the Ravenna 27.

The Rockets immediately capitalized as Klimak found tons of running room around the left end for a 23-yard carry to the Ravens' four-yard line, with Hopperton finishing the drive with a one-yard plunge for a 28-7 lead.

Streetsboro completed its dominant first half with a 14-play, 51-yard touchdown drive, capped by yet another Hopperton plunge from a yard out; followed by another big stop with the Ravens in Rockets' territory; and finally Incorvati's 33-yard field goal as time ran out for a 38-7 halftime lead.

From there, Streetsboro's high-flying attack morphed into a methodical machine, as it killed much of the second half with a couple of long drives.

And those bevy of backs cycling through the backfield turned into a lethal I-formation that ensured the Rockets would land their first MAC win without much further stress.

This article originally appeared on Record-Courier: Streetsboro turns in complete performance to top Ravenna