Chagrin Falls offense is red hot in regional final victory over Woodridge

Brian Lavrich/Sun News, November 26, 2009 11:01 a.m.

Chagrin Falls fits that category perfectly as the Tigers, led by a seemingly unstoppable offense, beat Woodridge, 58-28, in a Division IV regional final Saturday at Twinsburg High School.

The victory puts the undefeated Tigers (13-0) into their first state semifinal, which will be against Ottawa-Glandorf (11-2) at 7 p.m. Saturday at Harmon Stadium at Ross High School in Fremont. The winner of that game will take on the winner of Kettering Archbishop Alter (13-0) and Coshocton (11-2). Alter won the Division IV state championship last year with a 21-6 victory over Steubenville.

Woodridge was playing in the playoffs for the first time and ended the season at 10-3. The Tigers defeated the Bulldogs, 32-26, earlier in the regular season.

The Tigers ran up 618 total yards of total offense led by quarterback ChrisTrinetti, who is leading one of the most potent and diverse offenses in the state.

"We've just come together so nicely," Trinetti said. "We've come together as a team."

Trinetti completed 9 of 11 passes for 198 yards and two touchdowns. He also rushed for 130 yards and four touchdowns on 15 attempts. This came one week after throwing for more than 300 yards and five touchdowns along with 90 yards rushing in a regional semifinal victory over Cortland Lakeview.

"We executed really well tonight," Trinetti said.

Chagrin Falls coach Mark Iammarino said Trinetti has never played better than in this playoff run.

"He's at the peak of his game," Iammarino said. "He can run and he can throw as well as anybody. He's a special quarterback."

Connor Clegg of Chagrin Falls said the Tigers' diversity gives other teams nightmares.

"Our offense has so many weapons," Clegg said. "If you stop Geraci, you have (Chris) Gorman. If you stop Chris, then you have Bobby Winkelman.

"Coach I (Iammarino) can pick a defense apart. He's a mastermind."

Things didn't start out so great for Chagrin Falls, however. The Tigers moved into Bulldog territory when Spencer Diedrich of Chagrin Falls was stripped of the ball. It was recovered by Dan Pennino, who raced all the way down to the Chagrin Falls' 1 before being taken down. Woodridge's Anthony Westren scored on a quarterback sneak play for a 7-0 lead 1 minute, 9 seconds into the game.

But that was simply a minor inconvenience to the Tigers as they moved 60 yards in six plays taking just 2:28 of the clock to tie the game at 7 when Trinetti scored on a 14-yard touchdown run. Chagrin Falls didn't mess around when it had the ball, as the Tigers' eight scoring drives all took 2:49 or less.

Woodridge came back and took its last lead of the game when Anthony Kelly scored on a 6-yard touchdown run for a 14-7 lead with 5:45 left in the first quarter. Kelly was a one-man team for the Bulldogs as he rushed for 182 yards on 24 attempts with two touchdowns. The last touchdown came in the fourth quarter with the game out of reach.

It took less than 2 minutes for the Tigers to answer as Trinetti scored on a 4-yard touchdown run. Winkelman rushed for a two-point conversion for a 15-14 lead.

Chagrin Falls took control in the second quarter. The Bulldogs were backed up and had a short punt as the Tigers took over on the Woodridge 27. It took the Tigers just four plays to extend their lead as Trinetti scored again, this time on a 12-yard run for a 22-14 lead with 8:57 left in the second quarter.

Trinetti finished off a fantastic first-half as he led another long drive, this time moving 67 yards in six plays as he scored his fourth rushing touchdown of the first half, this time from 13 yards out. He also completed a two-point conversion pass to David Powers for a 30-14 halftime lead.

The Tigers never slowed down, as Marc Geraci scored on a 31-yard touchdown pass from Trinetti for a 37-14 lead with 6:50 left in the third quarter. Geraci, a receiver, actually rushed for 101 yards on six attempts. He was one of three Tigers to reach the century mark before the end of the third quarter, along with Trinetti and Winkelman, who rushed for 103 yards on 11 attempts. Geraci also caught three passes for 77 yards and two touchdowns.

Cam Turner also caught three passes for 83 yards.

Woodridge tried to come back as Westren threw a 32-yard touchdown pass to Brandyn Peters to pull within 37-21.

But Geraci came back with a 49-yard touchdown run with 2:35 left in the third quarter for a 44-21 lead. He scored again, with 10:41 left in the game on a 35-yard pass from Trinetti for a 51-21 lead that really put the game away for the Tigers.

Last year, the Tigers held a second-half lead against Walsh Jesuit before falling in a Division III regional semifinal. The coaches and players both talked about how much that loss motivated them coming into this season.

"We had a dirty taste in our mouth last year," Clegg said. "Now, everyone's enjoying it."

Iammarino said that wasn't a loss the Tigers soon forgot.

"The kids set their sights and made a goal," Iammarino said. "I'm really proud of the coaching staff who have done a good job of preparing and for the kids, who are very coachable."

But that loss to Walsh is paying dividends this year.

"I think so, to an extent," Iammarino said. "That was a disappointment. We exercised a lot of demons this year. We won the CVC (Chagrin Valley Conference). We beat Aurora and we beat Perry."