The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
Rangers get first win, Midview, Keystone roll
North Ridgeville got its first win, 42-35, over North Olmsted and Midview routed Westlake while Keystone did the same to Brookside.
It took seven weeks, and it took overtime, but North Ridgeville finally got its first win of the season.
Shomari Williams ran for 168 yards and two touchdowns, including the gamewinner on the first possession in overtime, and the Rangers picked off a pass in the end zone that culminated the 42-35 seesaw game against North Olmsted.
Williams scored with 2:32 left in the fourth quarter to tie the game, 35-35, as North Ridgeville overcame a 14-point deficit and scored five TDs after halftime to overcome a slow start.
“It’s something we know we could do. The biggest thing is we didn’t finish (games),” Williams said. “It’s a great satisfaction knowing we did what we
were supposed to tonight.”
He fumbled on his second carry of the game and carried the ball only three more times in the first half. But the Rangers coaches went back to him often in the third and fourth quarters, as Williams gained 157 combined yards in the second half and overtime.
Quarterback Matt Steinmetz threw for 233 yards (10 of 19 passing) and two long touchdowns in the third quarter to Cannon Kerr (74 yards) and Chad Williams (56 yards). Steinmetz also ran for two more scores on short quarterback sneaks to keep the Rangers (1-6, 1-5 Southwest Conference) in it.
“I think our kids made the decision to buy in and give everything they had,” North Ridgeville coach Luke Durbin said. “That was maybe something that had been lacking and they got the job done. I am so proud of them. They played a great game.”
Running back Darren Anders (21 carries for 123 yards) and fullback Ryan Connolly (20 carries for 129 yards) both eclipsed the century mark on the ground for North Olmsted (4-3, 3-3), and each ran for two touchdowns.
“Anders is just a great football player, one of the best in the league and he gave us problems all night,” Durbin said.
Liam Fay threw for 184 yards and completed 18 of 26 passes, eight of which went to receiver Austin Murphy (103 yards). Fay also ran for a short TD in the third quarter.
North Ridgeville was sluggish to start the game. The Rangers turned the ball over twice on their first two series, had two first downs, and spent most of the quarter in their own half of the field on offense and defense.
Sean Conroy’s interception set up Connolly’s first scoring run from 4 yards out of the night putting the Eagles on the scoreboard in the first quarter.