The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
Hornets sting with fast starts
It’s one thing to get off to a good start. It’s a completely different thing to do what the Kirtland football team has done to the opposition this year.
Through 12 games, the undefeated Hornets have scored on their first offensive play from scrimmage six times.
Can the Hornets do it again? That will be revealed Nov. 16 when Kirtland plays Mogadore in the Division VI, Region 21 championship game at Veterans Stadium in Aurora.
“We were just talking about that. I can’t believe it,” said coach Tiger LaVerde of his team’s propensity to score on its first offensive play. “That’s the kids going out and executing the game plan. It speaks for their preparation. Kids go out and execute the plays how we draw it up.”
In each of the first two playoff games – a 59-0 win over Steubenville Catholic Central and a 35-0 win over Creston Norwayne – the Hornets’ first play went to the end zone.
In the win over Catholic Central, the Hornets forced a turnover on the opening kickoff and then cashed in from nine yards out on a run by senior Joey Torok.
Then in the win over Norwayne, Torok burst through the line and went 56 yards for a house call.
“That’s the kids going out and executing the game plan. It speaks for their preparation. Kids go out and execute the plays how we draw it up.” – Kirtland coach Tiger LaVerde
LaVerde credited not only the players for executing early — very early — but also the coaching staff for scouting the oppositions’ alignments and knowing what play will work in certain situations.
“We saw Norwayne line up in a certain formation,” LaVerde said. “We’re like, ‘If you block that guy and you block that guy, then we’ll have Joey 1-on-1 with a safety.’ We’ll take our chances every time in that matchup.”
The opening score against Norwayne impressed LaVerde.
“Every single kid — like eight kids — had the absolute perfect block,” LaVerde said. “The right angle, the right shoulder, everything was perfect. When you do that, you’ve got a chance.”
Heading into the regional final against Mogadore, a rematch of last year’s regional semifinal won by Kirtland, 34-28, the Hornets have outscored the oppposition, 503-32 – and average of 41.9-2.7.
Kirtland averages 306 yards rushing per game.
A big reason for that success is because of the play of the offensive line. But if the Hornets are going to advance to the state final four, it appears as though they are going to have to do so a little short-handed.
Senior Kalid Alabsi (6-foot-6, 320) sustained a knee injury against Norwayne and isn’t likely to play against Mogadore, LaVerde said. Senior guard Mike Alfieri (5-11, 240) is in the concussion protocol and wouldn’t be cleared to play until later in the week, if then.
LaVerde said Alabsi is “probably 90 percent” to be out, while Alfieri is 50-50.
To Kirtland’s credit, when the two went down in the Norwayne game, Anthony Allen stepped in at right tackle for Alabsi and Jacob Malvicino stepped in at left guard for Alfieri, and the Hornets still outscored Norwayne, 210, in the second half.
“Last year in the second half against Rootstown, we had four linemen out and were down to our No. 8 and No. 9 linemen,” LaVerde said. “Our JVs play a brutal schedule — Mentor, Avon, St. Edward, etc. They know our system and prepare hard every day.”
LaVerde wasn’t surprised his reserve linemen did the job.
“They both graded out very well Saturday morning,” He said. “They played the entire second half against Norwayne. We’re going to go with them unless something changes.”