The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
Bulldogs defense stifles potent foe
Facing its toughest challenge of the season, Olmsted Falls’ defense rose to the occasion.
Taking a Wadsworth team, which came in averaging almost 50 points a game, the Bulldogs showed their defense was for real. Though Olmsted Falls gave up over 400 yards of total offense, it came up with big stops to capture a 21-20 Division II Region 6 semifinal win Nov. 10 at Brunswick. The Bulldogs get a rematch with Avon next Friday at a location to be determined.
“Before the game and up to the game, our defense was being questioned,” Olmsted Falls coach Tom DeLuca said. “I think we answered some questions. We’re playing pretty well and we’re getting better each week.”
The Grizzles’ offense should have known they were going to be in for a rough game as quarterback Joey Baughman was picked off on the game’s opening possession by senior linebacker Brian Eiseman. But, the Bulldogs couldn’t convert the opportunity.
Nevertheless, the Bulldogs continued to pressure Baughman and blanket Wadsworth’s receivers. Baughman (15-for-28, 235 yards) did hit Mitchell Blackburn (8-151) for a 45yard gain to set up the only points Wadsworth scored in the first half. It was first time all season they were held to just seven points in the first half.
Playing man-to-man, Bulldogs’ senior Josh Jaeckin had the enviable task of trying to stay with Blackburn. Jaeckin and the rest of the Bulldogs” secondary did a yeomen job of forcing Wadsworth into a short passing game and gang-tackling when a Grizzly receiver made a catch.
The quick-strike Wadsworth offense was forced to be methodical to pick up yardage in the dink-anddunk variety. Even when the Grizzles scored late in the third quarter, it took nine plays for the scoring drive.
“Even with mistakes people made, other people were there to pick them up,” Jaeckin said. “We put faith in our secondary to guard their receivers and we put six in the box to guard against their quarterback.”
With the secondary playing outstanding, Baughman was under pressure by a ferocious Olmsted Falls pass rush. Led by John McCabe (6-foot-5, 250-pounds), the Bulldogs forced Baughman to throw the ball away a handful of times in the first half.
“We just had to make moves, making the quick and fast,” McCabe said. “We had to keep them contained between the tackles.”
It was early in the fourth quarter when Baughman used his feet to get away from the Bulldogs’ rush, going 70 yards for a score on a quarterback draw. But with time winding down, Baughman tried to use his feet again, only this time Olmsted Falls was ready for him. They limited him to short gains and on fourth down, Jaeckin forced Blackburn out of bounds to seal the win.
“I knew the ball was going to him (Blackburn),” Jaeckin said. “So, I saw where he was going and saw the ball was going … so I decided to hit him out of bounds.”
With the win, the Bulldogs’ confidence is only growing.
“It helps us a lot and we can believe in each other now,” Jaeckin said. “That team averaged 50 points a game and we held them to 20. We know we that can (do) it.”