Rangers’ defense steps up in victory

THE SCORE NORTH 26, KENSTON 14

Late in the third quarter, Kenston senior linebacker Anthony Valocchi ripped the ball from a Rangers’ running back and raced down the left sideline 90 yards to pull the Bombers within one. The extra point tried the game at 14 heading into the final quarter.

After a 35-yard gain on the first play of scrimmage on its next possession was nullified, North settled down and used nine consecutive runs to move 61 yards and take the lead for good.

“That is what we do,” North coach Shawn Dodd said. “We don’t try to hide from it.

“We have a heck of an offensive line.” Quarterback Chris Molica, with 122 yards on 21 carries and three touchdowns, amassed almost as much as Kenston’s total offensive output of 130 yards.

“Our defense played lights out,” he said. “To hold them to seven points is amazing.”

After recovering a Rangers’ fumble to start the game, the Bombers drove 60 yards to the 6-yard line. On thirdand-6, Kenston quarterback Nikko Georgiou stood in the pocket and, before getting drilled on a delayed blitz, unleashed a pass that was snared by Caron RiversGebeau in front of the defender to put the Bombers on the board first. Parker Munday’s extra point was good.

The score remained unchanged until less than two minutes left in the first half when North went on a 61-yard, sevenplay drive that culminated in a Molica sneak up the middle. Ryan Volk knotted the score at 7.

After receiving the second half kickoff, North stuck to its modus operandi and ate up almost eight minutes off the clock in a methodical 13play drive of which every play was on the ground. Molica capped off the drive by bouncing outside to the left and used his blazing speed to sprint past the Kenston defenders for the score. The extra point put the Rangers up seven with 4:10 to go in the quarter.

Not all of the Rangers’ 338 yards of offense was on the ground. Molica had one pass, which he completed for 25 yards to Zack Rozell.

Kenston coach Jeff Grubich appreciated the output of his team.

“The hustle plays are there,” Grubich said. “We just have to keep bringing it along.”

Kenston hosts Orrville on Sept. 25, and North hosts South.