The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
Kirtland takes out Rootstown
Hornets in state semifinal for sixth time in seven years
A jubilant group of Kirtland Hornets crowded together, jumping up and down as each player tried to get a hand on the regional championship trophy.
Rootstown’s 2,000-yard rusher Caleb Kaut had to feel like he was in a crowd of Hornets all night.
Held to 19 yards on 14 carries, Kaut was rendered a non-factor by the swarming Kirtland defense, and that proved to be the critical storyline as the Hornets advanced to a state semifinal for the sixth time in seven years in downing the Rovers, 17-7, on Nov. 17 at Solon.
Kirtland will play NelsonvilleYork in a state semifinal on Nov. 24.
Rootstown quarterback Scott Steger completed 17 of 33 passes for 239 yards, but the Rovers were only able to crack the end zone once as the Kirtland defense sacked him five times for 20 yards in losses, forced three turnovers, and came up with a crucial fourth down stop on its own 17 just before halftime.
Kirtland (13-0) pounded out 210 yards on the ground offensively, with dual rushing threats Jake Neibecker and Joey Torok each gaining 68 yards.
“We knew he was an incredible player, and had over 2,000 yards and 34 touchdowns or something,” said Neibecker, who also had an interception and several big stops on defense. “We knew that if we wanted to win this game we had to lock him down. Our linebackers and D-line really got after it, and we were able to contain him.”
Kirtland built a 17-0 lead through three quarters, but Rootstown made it interesting when Steger connected down the sideline with Gavin Schlaubach, who made a great play to catch the ball and complete a 40-yard scoring play on fourth-and-16 to pull the Rovers within 17-7 with 6:22 remaining in the game.
Kirtland recovered the onside kick, and Torok later picked up an important first down on fourth-and-2 at the Rover 41. By the time the Hornets punted from the Rootstown 39, only 2:11 remained on the clock, and the punt pinned the Rovers at their own 5.
Rootstown (12-1) picked up one first down, but on fourth-and-10 from the 16, Kaut was brought down after a screen pass 3 yards short of the first down, and Kirtland was on its way to the final four.
“It feels great, (after) last year coming up short,” senior OL/DL Brett Diemer said. “Now as a senior making it to Week 14. We practiced all week swarming to the ball. We knew it would be the key to the game.”
After forcing a Rootstown punt to start the game, Kirtland opened up the scoring with a 22-yard field goal by Dylan Aquila. The Hornets added to their lead in the second quarter with a little razzle-dazzle.
Neibecker took a handoff from quarterback Dylan Fulco, and pitched it to Mike Zeuli going the other way. Zeuli stopped, and launched a pass to a wideopen Ryan Lipps, who gathered the ball in and ran to the end zone to complete a 30-yard scoring play on what would be Kirtland’s only complete pass of the evening.
Just before halftime, Rootstown drove from its 12 to the Kirtland 17 by completing three passes and taking advantage of three Kirtland penalties. On fourth-and-6 from the Hornet 17, a Steger pass fell incomplete.
“The kids up front were tremendous,” K ir tland coach Tiger LaVerde said of his defense. “We focused hard this week defensively. We didn’t play great last week (in a 34-28 win over Mogadore). To see the defense play the way they did tonight was pretty exciting.”
Zeuli took a carry 48 yards down to the Rootstown 26 on the first play of the second half. Five plays later, Neibecker scored from the 6 to extend Kirtland’s lead to 17-0. Although the Hornets would punt on their next four possessions, their defense continued to control the game, forcing a fumble and an interception before finally giving up the touchdown in the fourth.
“First off, I think Kirtland is the real deal, and we knew that coming in,” said sixth-year Rootstown coach Mark Geis. “We knew we had to play a perfect game against that kind of team. In the third round, you can’t make a lot of mistakes and unfortunately things that we haven’t done all year, we kind of did them all. We said the trenches were going to be key, and they (Kirtland) were really physical and won that battle.”
“I’m so proud of these kids, they rise to every challenge,” LaVerde said. “They just battle, and they love each other, and we’ve just got to do it two more times.”