The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
No. 13: Westlake sets offensive records
Quarterback Bialowas and receiver Sterneckert propel Demons to a 63-42 victory
The Morning Journal is preparing for the start of high school football by ranking the 20 best stories throughout the coverage area to come out of the 2016 season.
WHAT HAPPENED » Behind a pair of seniors, Trey Bialowas and Connor Sterneckert, Westlake
used a high-powered offense it became known for in 2016 to beat Berea-Midpark, 63-42, securing a spot in the Division II playoffs. The duo capped the regular season with a spot in the record books, too. Against the Titans, Bialowas broke the single-season touchdown record (30) and Sterneckert the single-season record for receiving touchdowns (16).
WHY IT MATTERS » Westlake, led by second-year coach Jason Hall, was coming off a disappointing 3-7 season in 2015 and earning a spot in the postseason was the assurance the team needed that this season’s turnaround was no fluke. The 63 points scored against BereaMidpark were the most the Demons put up all season in a year that saw them average 40 points per game. Bialowas and Sterneckert may have cemented themselves as all-time Westlake greats, but three other Demons scored in the regular season finale, proving this offense was
one of the most dynamic in the area.
“I’m really happy (to break the record), but I’m even more excited that we’re in the playoffs. We’ve all worked really hard all offseason for this.” — Bialowas
“They’ve been a connection. We’ve been getting coverages we like and obviously it’s a big part of our whole system.” — Westlake
The Demons stormed into the postseason without missing a beat. It may have taken a few quarters to warm up, but Bialowas and the Westlake offense turned up the tempo and earned the Demons their second postseason win in program history — the exclamation point on a thrilling season.
Sports Editor Jon Behm contributed to this article.