The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
NORTH ADVANCES TO FIRST PLAYOFF
North playoff bound for first time ever
North students and players celebrate a playoff berth-clinching 28-7 win over Chardon on Oct. 27. This marks the first time that the Rangers advance to the playoffs in program history.
As the postgame celebration at Nick Carter Stadium in Eastlake boiled over Oct. 27, members of the North football team broke out in a rendition of the song “Sweet Caroline.”
When they got to the part, “Good times never felt so good,” the players and the fans screamed in unison, “So good, so good, so good.”
They weren’t lying. Good times at Nick Carter Stadium truly had never felt so good.
With a 28-7 win over visiting Chardon, the Rangers
clinched a playoff berth for the first time in program history.
The Rangers (6-4) will find out Oct. 29 who they play in the first week of a postseason tournament in which they have never qualified.
“A lot of people questioned, ‘Why are you going there? You can’t win there. You can’t get it done,’ ” said Coach Shawn Dodd, a 1991 graduate of North who came back to coach his alma mater three years ago. “These kids are just unbelievable. You can make a book of these guys. It’s been an incredible run.”
Still out of breath from
the postgame celebration, Brett Payne, who ran for 109 yards and two touchdowns, called the achievement, “the best feeling ever.”
“This means a ton,” he said. “It’s the first time ever in the playoffs. We’re moving the program in the right direction.”
Payne played a major role in putting his team in charge of the game.
When Andrew Kobuszewski capped a 12-play drive on Chardon’s first drive of the second half with a 1-yard plunge, the Hilltoppers had whittled the Rangers’ 14-0 halftime lead in half.
North plowed right down the field and answered that score with one of its own. Bouncing off a hit from Michigan State recruit Chase Kline, Payne fought
for extra yards and found the end zone for a 21-7 lead in the early minutes of the fourth quarter.
“Huge,” Dodd said. “That, to me, was the turning point of the game. When we were up one (score) and they had some momentum, I was like, ‘Uh oh, this is going to get tight.’ To get that one after that was huge. I was breathing a little bit easier then.” But North wasn’t done. The Rangers’ defense, which held Chardon’s vaunted rushing attack to 166 yards, forced a turnover on the next series when Brad Burrows dragged down Kobuszewski, who fumbled.
North recovered and cashed in five plays later on Payne’s 9-yard run.
Fueling the mini-drive was a leaping catch by Kenny
Streb on third-and-long.
The 28-7 lead was too much for Chardon to overcome.
“He timed up snaps,” said Chardon coach Mitch Hewitt of North linebacker Burrows, who finished with 14 tackles and four TFLs. “Traditionally we welcome blitzes. Usually when a team blitzes, it creates big plays for us. But we didn’t block it tonight.”
Chardon entered the game averaging 342 yards per contest, but was held to 171.
“Our defensive coordinator did a great job all week,” Burrows said. “We executed it perfectly. Seven points — that’s what we want out of our defense.”
Even before Chardon’s one score made Dodd sweat a little,
the Rangers were in control. A 29-yard pass to Kenny Streb from Jake Tanski gave North the early lead. Then Burrows recovered a blocked punt and returned it 2 yards for a touchdown and a 14-0 halftime lead.
Chardon was without two starting offensive tackles (Ryan Smiddy and Jared Barker) and two-way players (Jon McKnight and Mason Ziegenfuss), but Hewitt refused to make excuses.
“It’s next-man-up,” he said, adding he hopes the 6-4 season record motivates his team next season.
“Ultimately, the easiest guys to coach are the guys who hate to lose more than they love to win. I need a bunch of these guys if we are going to have a successful season next year.”
Hewitt tipped his hat to Dodd and the Rangers, who finished the regular season with their first five-game winning streak since 2011.
“I’m excited for North and Coach Dodd especially,” he said. “He’s an alumni and he built it. He suffered and suffered, and now they’re seeing the fruits of their labor. I’m happy for those guys.”
As the Rangers departed the field, they yelled to each other, “See you Monday.”
It’s the first time the Rangers’ football program has had practice in Week 11. The weather forecast is calling for a possibility of snow flurries, but Dodd just smiled.
“It’ll be sunny and 78 when we’re out there,” he said.