Hoban-SVSM week unlike any others - Football insider

Bob Fortuna, Tim Rogers and Tim Warsinskey, Plain Dealer Reporters, September 18, 2009 3:49 p.m.

It was early Saturday evening when the phone rang in the fieldhouse adjacent to Green Street Stadium at St. Vincent-St. Mary.

"Either you are there awfully early or have stayed awfully late," the caller said to SVSM coach Dan Boarman, whose team had beaten Akron Garfield on Friday.

Boarman's three-word answer spoke volumes.

"It's Hoban week," Boarman said.

Any more questions?

Archbishop Hoban and SVSM, the only two football-playing private schools in Akron, will play their storied rivalry for the 33rd time tonight. The game will be the first high school game played in the University of Akron's InfoCision Stadium. Hoban leads the series, 17-15, but SVSM has won the previous two meetings, meaning Boarman has not lost to Hoban in his two seasons coaching at his alma mater.

The game has attracted an average crowd of about 10,000 fans since the rivalry was renewed in 1996. Both athletic directors, Hoban's Sean Quinn and SVSM's Andy Jarwal, expressed optimism that this year's game will attract more. It is Hoban's home game.

Not how it was planned:

Green coach Tom Stacy and Cloverleaf coach Doug Haas will coach against one another for the first time tonight but the two men are not strangers. When Stacy was Massillon's coach he tried for several years to hire Haas, then at Wooster Triway, as an assistant.

Changes pay off:

It's often said change is good.

Lutheran East made various changes last week and it proved prosperous in a 30-13 win over Fairfield Christian. It not only broke an 18-game losing streak but it was also the first career win for Falcons coach Donald Dawson.

"We moved Daysean Scott from tackle to center and Isaiah Caffee from center to tackle," said Dawson.

Former quarterback Courtney Kidd is now playing wide receiver while Brian Berdine has taken over under center. Levert Cox, who had visions of being a quarterback, is now the team's premier tailback.

"At 5-7, 160 pounds, Levert's one of the smallest players on the field but is the hardest worker because he has such a great passion for the game," said Dawson.

However, Cox isn't the only bright spot in the program.

"We started out with 13 players but we're now up to 26," Dawson said.

Karma weekend:

Lake Catholic running back Richie Sanders says his favorite athlete is Minnesota Vikings back Adrian Peterson, so Sanders took great joy when last week they had almost identical rushing stats in winning efforts. Peterson rushed for 180 yards and three touchdowns against the Browns. Sanders had 182 yards and three touchdowns against Youngstown Ursuline.

Arcs of triumph:

Brush entered Thursday's game against visiting Cuyahoga Falls with a 3-0 record, the first time that's happened since 1984.

"You'd think the players would be hyped up but to be honest with you, I think I'm more excited than them," said Arcs second-year coach Rob Atwood. "With all the work we did in the weight room during the off-season, I really think the players expected this to happen."

What's happening is Jake Turner is turning into a versatile quarterback.

"Jake is completing passes over the top of opposing defenses and he's an effective runner," said Atwood.

Brush's biggest surprise has been 6-0, 190-pound freshman fullback Patric Hannon.

"He certainly doesn't run like a 9th-grader," said Atwood, referring to Hannon's 146-yard, four-touchdown effort last week in a 48-0 win over Toledo Scott. "Patric's awfully fast and he has a good mixture of power and speed."

Wynn-win situation:

In a must-win situation, Glenville junior Shane Wynn busted open for a 99-yard kickoff return for a touchdown, a 68-yard touchdown run from scrimmage and caught a 29-yard scoring pass from Christian Bryant in Friday's 57-28 victory at Huber Heights Wayne.

"When Shane is relaxed and not feeling any pressure, he's a game-breaker," said Tarblooders offensive coordinator Tony Overton. "He didn't play well against St. Ignatius [in a 14-13 season-opening loss] because he was too tight and wanted to do too much.

"We told everyone to forget about the Ignatius game because you can't change the past and we've played well since then. We controlled the line in our win at Reynoldsburg and played with a sense of urgency last week. We knew if we lost to Wayne, our chances of making the playoffs wouldn't be good."

Stat fix:

Twinsburg coach Mark Solis took exception to the report that his team turned the ball over seven times in its stunning 28-21 loss to Aurora last week.

"It was 10 turnovers," said Solis, still fuming on Tuesday. "Want me to count 'em for you? Three fumbles, three interceptions, one failed onsides kick and we were 0 for 3 on fourth down attempts. If you don't make a first on a fourth down attempt, you turn the ball over."

Solis, whose team fell from sixth to 16th in The Plain Dealer Top 25 poll, wasn't all doom and gloom.

"Yes, we turned the ball over 10 times but we still only lost by seven," he said. "Hopefully, our kids learned a lot from that game and will be able to put it to good use the rest of the season. But, I was embarrassed on how we played and how we coached."

Record setter:

When Kent Roosevelt's Denerio Bryant intercepted a pass late in the Rough Riders' 28-7 victory over Barberton last week it was the 14th of his career. Bryant sets a school record with every interception.

Line it is:

When asked what's been the biggest factor to his team's fast start, Garfield Heights coach Chuck Reisland didn't have to think long.

"Our offensive line," said Reisland, whose Bulldogs are unbeaten. "It's a veteran line and everyone's healthy. We were without Brian Hasinski and Brad Dopson most of last season because of injuries but they're back. And they've teamed up well with Marcus Mlakar, Fred Lockwood, Branden Kravec and Chris Zajac."

Going Longo:

Mayfield's offense used to be built around a potent running game and it appeared to be going that way again after its season-opening, 34-0 win over Bedford as the Wildcats rushed for 253 yards and passed for 25 yards.

However, that's changed since then. In a 40-18 victory over Willoughby South, quarterback Lee Longo passed for 227 yards and a touchdown, and the 6-1, 205-pound senior threw for 121 yards and two touchdowns in last Friday's 31-6 win over Olmsted Falls.

Mayfield's ground game has still accumulated a total of 887 yards in the three games but a more balanced offense has given opposing defenses fits.

Bengals break through:

A 28-0 blanking over Chardon gave Benedictine its first win of the season and Tim Kendig had a big hand in it. The senior wide receiver/cornerback caught five passes for 70 yards and touchdown, had a 31-yard interception return, a solo tackle and five assists.

To reach these Plain Dealer reporters:

bfortuna@plaind.com, 216-999-4665

trogers@plaind.com, 330-376-7309

twarsinskey@plaind.com, 216-999-6177