The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
Week 4 of football is ready for kickoff
The top rivalry in the Southwestern Conference, Avon vs. Avon Lake, highlights this week’s action. See preview capsules of the biggest games involving area teams, plus staff picks.
AVON LAKE AT AVON
What: Southwestern Conference game
When: 7 p.m., Sept. 10 Where: Mark Wahlberg Chevrolet Stadium Records: Avon Lake 3-0, Avon 2-1
Last year: Week 1: Avon 33, Avon Lake 30(2OT), D-II regional final: Avon 20, Avon Lake 17
For the record: For the past four years, this has been the defacto SWC championship game and barring any upsets from the league’s second-tier of teams — squads such as Elyria and Olmsted Falls — this year won’t be any different. … The Shoremen enter this game with a question mark at quarterback as Week 1 starter Jeremy Dzik missed the team’s Week 3 game because of COVID protocols. Backup Jake DePaul played very well for Avon Lake in a win over Tiffin Columbian — running for 127 yards and throwing for 87 more. DePaul changed the makeup of head coach Matt Kostelnik’s offense as the Shoremen ran the ball more with a quarterback making his first start since he was the JV signal-caller. If Dzik is back, expect to see more passing from the Shoremen with some leftover remnants of that run-heavy offense as Dzik eases his way back in. … On the other sideline, Avon junior quarterback Sam DeTillio is coming off his best career start. DeTillio threw four first-half scores and ran for another in a blowout win over Glenville. It was a perfect bounceback game for the Eagles, who lost to Medina with a less than inspiring performance from their offense. … The matchup to watch in this one changes with who starts at quarterback for Avon Lake. If it’s DePaul — then the Avon front-seven is the unit to watch. If it’s Dzik — the Eagles secondary will have its hands full as Dzik and receiver Matthew Stuewe have become one of the area’s most dangerous combos through the air.
COLUMBIA AT BLACK RIVER
What: Lorain County League game
When: 7 p.m., Sept. 10 Where: Black River Pirate Stadium
Records: Columbia 3-0, Black River 2-1
Last year: Playoffs: Columbia 47, Black River 7
For the record: The Raiders and Pirates didn’t play a regular-season league game in 2020 thanks to the novel coronavirus shortening the season. But they still found a way to face off in the opening round of the Division VI playoffs as the Raiders came out on top. … Columbia ranks as the third-best team in the latest Top of the Crop released ahead of Week 4 and with plenty of good reasons for that ranking. The Raiders boast one of the area’s best rushing attacks, led by sophomore Marco Cirigliano. … In his first start, Cirigliano ran for more than 300 yards and five scores. Since then, the sophomore has added a 199-yard game to his resume as the area’s leading rusher. Expect a heavy dose of Cirigliano in the early going of this one. Despite what last year’s meeting might lead you to believe, Black River is a solid squad that could give the Raiders a run.
FIRELANDS AT WELLINGTON
What: Lorain County League game
When: 7 p.m., Sept. 10 Where: Wellington Stadium Records: Firelands 1-2, Wellington 2-1
Last year: Teams did not play
For the record: This game marks the first time in two years that these sides have faced off with one another. … Firelands will look to ride the hot hand of dual-threat quarterback Kyle Ransom in this one. The senior has run for more 200 yards and passed for more tha 200 yards in three games combined this year. The Falcons dropped their first two games of the year but bounced back in a big way with a decisive win over Vermilion. … Wellington started the season 0-1, but has impressed since that opening loss. The Dukes are led by Kaleb Taylor on offense and boast a stout defense that gave up just three points to Columbiana in Week 3. … Expect a very close game between the ninth-ranked team in the latest Top of the Crop and a team looking to break through into the top 10. The Dukes are just two seasons removed from an impressive 6-4year and although a lot of the talent that starred on that team is gone, they’ve still got their head coach Rob Howells leading the way.
OBERLIN AT KEYSTONE
What: Lorain County League game
When: 7 p.m., Sept. 10 Where: Keystone Stadium Records: Oberlin 1-2, Keystone 1-1
Last year: Teams did not play
For the record: Coming off their first win since 2019, Oberlin is looking to make some noise in the Lorain County League. They drew a tough test in Week 4 however as they’ll face off against the two-time defending league champions from Keystone. … The Wildcats are coming off their first regular-season loss since Aug. 30of 2019 and will probably be very motivated to get back to their winning ways. With the three-headed monster of Konner Rodick, Gideon Lampron and Ryne Shackelford leading the way, the Wildcats are expected to make a deep run into the OHSAA playoffs this year and the road there starts in Week 4. … Oberlin seems to be a team on the rise. After a winless 2020that saw the team struggle with numbers, the Phoenix defeated Brooklyn last week. Led by two-way star Andre Yarber, Oberlin has hopes of making a playoff run with the field expanded to 16 teams in 2021. … The last meeting between these two teams came in 2019 — the inaugural season of the LC8. That Oberlin team scored 30 points on a nine-win Keystone team that won the conference. The ‘Cats still won by 24and went into the OHSAA playoffs as the No. 1seed, hosting their first playoff game in school history.
AMHERST AT NORTH RIDGEVILLE
What: Southwestern Conference game
When: 7 p.m., Sept. 10 Where: Ranger Stadium Records: Amherst 0-3, North Ridgeville 2-1
Last year: Amherst 35, North Ridgeville 0
For the record: Here we are in Week 4, and the Comets have yet to win a game and the Rangers are coming off of back-to-back wins. …. North Ridgeville — under first-year head coach Bryan Morgan — has found success with running back Dom Farago leading the way. Farago has 362 yards on the ground and three scores with a large portion of that coming in last week’s shutout win over Normandy. The Rangers area averaging more than 300rushing yards per game through three weeks. … Amherst is led by a bonafide star running back in Torre Weatherspoon. The senior has 387 yards on the ground and 144 yards on receptions. Weatherspoon has paced a struggling Comets offense through three games and he’ll need some help from his teammates if they want to pull out a win in Week 4. The Rangers are a tough team that will test Amherst’s defense — a unit that already gave up 400 yards combined to Valley Forge in Week 1. … Expect this to be a close one, with the game coming down to who gets more from their secondary playmakers.