The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
Hewitt reflects on Chardon’s championship season
In some ways, I believe the 2020 season didn’t happen by accident.
As a person of faith, I believe the challenges were by design. The tests were by design.
We won our first state championship in 26 years. When I look back at 2020, I knew the game wasn’t going to be a blowout. It couldn’t be.
The championship game was a culmination and summary of what 2020 was. Constant opportunities to give up.
I don’t know how many teams down 14 with six to go win. I’d love to know that stat, but we did that. Without faith, hope and love, that doesn’t happen. It’s kids who really, really had love for each other to do what we did this year.
Here are a few things that will stick out to me for years to come:
March 13th, the last workout on the field: To me, I thought that was the start of 15 days off to slow the coronavirus curve. I thought it would be a few weeks of working out on our own “we’ll see you in two weeks.” It didn’t turn out that way.
Push-up challenge on a random day: We tried to do things to compete at a high level and challenge each other as a team. We all competed to see who could do the most pushups when we were not allowed to work out together. The coaches were involved, too. It was fun.
The recruitment of four very talented players: Elliot Tyminsky, Blake Barker, Nathan Tager and Matt Kloski. We literally don’t win a state championship if those guys don’t come out to play. Elliot would have been a starter on any normal year. Blake came back out after a few years off. Nathan, our kicker, was out for the first time. Matt Kloski, our starting left tackle. Without those guys, we don’t win it.
Week 1 vs. North kickoff got pushed back because of lightning: That was right on par for 2020. A constant need to adapt. I think Eastlake North spent an hour on the buses because they weren’t allowed to use locker rooms. Yeah, leave everyone on the bus — that makes sense.
Being the top seed in Region 9 and being able to host all playoff games in the region: I don’t think there was ever a more important year to be a top seed. Being able to host a regional final was incredible. Canfield is a hike. New Philadelphia is a hike. Those are hourlong bus rides. Being able to play home games throughout was a big deal.
The Geneva playof f game being postponed a day: Classic 2020 right there. It was storming and the start was pushed back. Me and Coach Mysick drove to Walmart — people must have thought they were seeing things — and were buying towels, bagels, pretzels, Gatorade for the kids. Then the game got postponed to Saturday. It was crazy.
State championship game gets moved to Massillon 48 hours before kickoff: Again, the theme of 2020 — adapt and overcome. This move was a gift not having to drive to Columbus to play. When you think about it, moving the state championship games 24 hours before they’re scheduled to being played, it’s hard to comprehend. But then it’s like, ‘Yeah, it’s 2020. Figures.’
The state championship game experience: I think any coach would tell you that it can be challenging gauging the quality of your opponent, but we knew as a staff we were gonna have our hands full with DeSales.
The word out of Columbus was that this was their best team in a decade and what they did well was going to give us challenges. Because of what we saw on film and the size of their players we knew it was gonna be a last-possession type of game.
As we pulled into Massillon, we were just finishing up watching the 1994 state championship game that was also played at Massillon. Despite knowing how dominant DeSales was, we knew as a staff what we had in our players and their determination to finish the mission.
As DeSales lined up to kick the game-tying field goal in double OT, I just walked the opposite direction praying, waiting to hear from our crowd if we were indeed state champs. As soon as I heard the roar of our crowd, I fell to my knees in thanks.
I remember Coach V (Rob Vujaklija) picking me up and from that point the celebration with our players and staff was in fullout embrace. It was extra special embracing with my wife who for 22 years has cheered me on as both a player and now as a coach and she knows all the highs and lows associated with coaching. Fortunately for her, she got my hugs when I was still dry. For the third week in a row, the kids got me with water and this was a direct shot that got Dr. Leone pretty good as well.
At the end of the day, my staff was the same, and coached the same as it has for 10 years. The players deserve all the credit in the world.
Next year when we are trying to replace 26 seniors and we as coaches might not look as smart as we did this past year, but I can assure you we will be coach
ing the same.
T hank sg iv ing came at the perfect time to be thankful and also a chance to get some much-needed rest. This year will go down
as a really hard year, but I am glad we provided a few weeks of unity and joy for those in the community and for current and past Hilltoppers.