The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
Rangers scare Avon, Bay pummels Panthers
North Ridgeville led in the fourth quarter against Avon before falling, 19-14, and Bay dominated Elyria Catholic from the opening kickoff, 42-7.
Bay took another step Oct. 13 toward accomplishing its season goals in a 42-7 win against Elyria Catholic. The unbeaten Rockets secured a share of the Great Lakes Conference title and are closer toward a home playoff game.
“Job No. 1 tonight was to get a win,” Bay coach Ron Rutt said after the road win. “The two goals this team set forth at the beginning of the year by our seniors were to do some things we hadn’t done in a long, long time — have an outright conference championship and a home playoff game. This was a step in the right direction, and hopefully we can keep that going the next two weeks.”
Senior Trey Posta ran for 170 yards on 13 carries and scored three of his team’s six rushing TDs, and the Rockets (8-0, 5-0) held a third straight opponent to seven points or less.
Posta scored on the game’s first play — a 10-yard run around the right edge
— set up by a fumble on the opening kickoff that McClain O’Donnell recovered. Posta added two 19-yard scores, one late in the second quarter and the other on the first drive of the second half that extended the Rockets’ lead to 28-0.
Posta came out of the game late in the third quarter, helped to the sidelines by the Bay staff and favoring his leg. Rutt said Posta has a nagging ankle injury that shouldn’t sideline him.
“Trey is a tremendous player for us on both sides of the ball, and he’s been dealing with a sore ankle for a couple weeks and just kind of tweaked it there,” Rutt said. “We think he’s going to be all right.”
Bay receiver Dillon Barry scored in the second quarter on a 13-yard jet sweep, and Mark Olson and Paul Boutros added 2- and 6-yard scoring runs in the third and fourth quarters. Andrew Veverka gained 68 yards on seven carries.
The Panthers (2-6, 1-3) got on the board in the third quarter after their defense forced a strip-sack, with Jack Decker falling on the loose ball at the Bay 28yard line. Seven plays later, Chris Jackson (79 yards on 16 carries) scored on a 20yard run to cut the lead to 28-7.
“We did a good job pressuring their quarterback tonight when they did decide to throw,” Elyria Catholic coach Dave Stupka said. “Most importantly our offense took advantage of it and grind it out and score. It was disappointing we didn’t cash in when we put a nice drive together (beginning at the end of the third quarter). We’ve got some time to work on that before Normandy.”
“Our defense has been tremendous. That was the first touchdown our defense has allowed in (a conference game) that wasn’t with a running clock,” Rutt said. “They’re a very fast defense and aggressive defense.”
The Panthers had to scratch seven players from their roster with a variety of injuries, and Stupka said the coaching staff had to play younger players. Elyria Catholic also moved Andre Rodriguez from lineman to fullback. He ran for 51 yards on 13 carries.