Shelby will use time off to heal up
With their next game not scheduled until Saturday, October 17, Shelby will use that time to heal up and get some people back from injury for the start of the football postseason.
Following Friday night’s 45-21 victory against River Valley, the Whippets improved to 6-0 overall and moved to 5-0 in the Mid Ohio Athletic Conference. With the playoff pairings being released a day earlier, SHS earned the No. 2 seed in Division IV, Region 14 and more importantly a firstround bye.
When asked if he liked having week off, Shelby coach Rob Mahaney said “with this team right now — yes. We’re so banged up and have guys gutting it out. The week off for us is going to be really helpful. We’ll get a lot of guys to heal and rest up and get better.”
When the playoffs roll around, the Whippets are expected to have senior Allohio defensive end Marek Albert back in the lineup. He broke his collarbone in the season-opening 28-14 win against Ontario.
Although he hasn’t missed the starting bell in any of the first six games, SHS senior running back Owen Fisher will get a chance to heal up from what has been a rigorous, punishing season. Despite bruises and being a bit sore, Fisher went over the 1,000yard plateau against RV by grinding out 176 yards on 33 carries and currently sits at 1,018 on the year.
Junior quarterback Marshall Shepherd is knocking on the 1,000yard passing door. He completed 9 of 15 throws for 152 yards that pushed his season total to 988. DEFENSIVE STATS For the second straight week junior linebacker Logan Green was Shelby’s leading tackler. Against River Valley he had six stops after recording a careerbest 17 a week earlier versus Lucas. Caleb Baker was next with five stops while Carson Ingram and David Ray each had four.
“Greenie’s really come on for us at linebacker and doing a great job,” noted Mahaney.
Andre Hill and Blaine Bowman intercepted passes while Baker was credited with a sack. Nathan Zehner and Luke Shepherd each had half a sack.
Recording hits for loss were Brinson Delauder, Green, Zehner and Baker.
The defense yielded 147 yards to Vikings and 78 of that came on a long, late pass play. TITLE NO. 27
At 5-0 in the MOAC, the Whippets are guaranteed their 27th conference title.
The red and gray can do no worse than tie for the crown and plans are calling for the red and gray to complete the regular season with a game against MOAC school Clear Fork after their participation in the playoffs.
“I talked to Pat (Lewis, Shelby High athletic director) and there was an AD meeting and Clear Fork said they would wait to play us. They didn’t care if they had to wait until November 14, they would wait to play us,” said Mahaney.
“That would be the only game after the playoffs,” said Mahaney. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, schools across had to adjust their 2020 schedules. SHS lost regular season games against Madison, Lexington, Big Walnut and West Holmes in the process.
With at least a share of the title, Shelby has won back-to-back conference titles for the first time in more than five decades. The last time was at the end of the 1960’s when the red and gray captured three straight Northern Ohio League championships.
Besides back-toback crowns in the MOAC, the Whippets have one league title in the Sandusky Bay Conference Bay Division, 20 in the now defunct NOL and four in the North Central Ohio League which was the predecessor to the NOL.
When asked how it felt to win back-toback titles, the second-year SHS coach said “it’s special to be part of the tradition of Shelby football. It’s special to me and I’m lucky to be here. The community, the tradition and the kids we have here, it’s great to be a part of.
“It starts with those kids over there winning back to back championships. Our seniors last year did a great job and this years senior answered the bell and did a great job with all the hoops they had to jump through this summer with COVID19 and all that stuff. We got better week to week and it’s something we’re proud of.” NEXT UP
The Whippets await the winner of this Saturday’s game between Rossford and Wooster Triway. Both teams stand at 3-3 on the season. The survivor comes to W.W. Skiles Field at William J. Wilkins Stadium to meet the Whippets at 7 p.m. on Saturday, October 17.