The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
Firelands, Vermilion honor late head coach
Prior to the Firelands at Vermilion game on Sept. 7, there was a moment both school districts will hold close as a reminder that there are bigger things in life than football.
The two rival schools came together a midfield to honor late Vermilion coach Matt Kobal, who unexpectedly passed away on Nov. 17, 2017 at age 38.
Kobal, who was the Sailors’ head coach last season, had spent a number of years as an assistant on the Firelands’ football staff.
Vermilion coach Brett Colahan said the fierce rivals coming together for a moment to honor their coach, mentor and friend was a moment he will not forget.
“It was extremely cool,” Colahan said. “I think it really shows the impact that he made on both programs. And I know that, if there weren’t other games going on, there probably would have been even more people who would have wanted to be there with us.”
The moment was enhanced by the presentation of Kobal’s retired white jersey — No. 72 from his playing days with the Sailors — to his family.
“His parents were there and so were his brother and sister and his daughter,” Colahan said. “It was a tough, but touching moment for everyone.”
Kobal’s family has requested that his jersey be hung in the school’s weight room, and Colahan believes having it there will be a great reminder for the players to prepare like Kobal would have wanted.
“I think it will really help keep the memory of Matt alive,” Colahan said. “The kids will see it and remember Matt. Remember the kind of coach and man he was. It’s a great place for it.
“The entire situation has been surreal for us all. But we’re banding together as a family to get through it. This was another step in the process. I think it helped honor Matt while also helping the players, the staff and the school district as a whole keep moving forward.”
A long time coming
Thirteen. That’s how many games the Dukes had lost in a row. Now, it’s history. Wellington topped New London, 34-22, on Sept. 7 for its first win since a 48-12 victory over Brookside on Oct. 21, 2016.
“It feels great for me,” first-year Wellington coach Rob Howells said. “But it felt even better for the team. It’s great to get my first coaching win, but to get that monkey off the back. I know the team was beyond happy.”
It was a solid win for the Dukes, who jumped to a 14-0 lead in the second quarter, took a 20-8 lead into halftime and then weathered a 14-point comeback to taste victory.
And Howells said it was nerve-wracking the entire time.
“It was a great start and I fully trust our kids,” Howells said. “But I’m a superstitious guy about those kinds of things. If I feel comfortable with a lead or feel like things are going our way, I should probably be worried.
“At one point, I heard our fans doing the World Cup chant ‘I believe that we will win’ and I just kind of shook my head. I wasn’t ready to breathe out a sigh of relief until that clock said zero.”
And when that clock said zero, Howells and the Wellington players could not have been happier.
“Everyone was smiling,” Howells said. “Everyone was excited. It was a big win for the team and the community. I know that a lot of the guys just came back
out and spent like an hour on the field after the game. Just talking and laughing and being a lot happier on a Friday night than they have been in a while.”
Howells said that it was a total team effort, but that four players in particular were the life force of the victory: quarterback Ben Higgins (8-for-19, 168 yards, two touchdowns), wide receiver Jaden Skinner (six receptions, 146 yards, two touchdowns), wide receiver/ defensive back Parker Adler (touchdown pass) and running back Mason McClellan (21 carries, 125 yards, touchdown).
“Everyone contributed, but those guys were the ones who kept the energy up,” Howells said. “They deserve a mention, for sure.”