Could Maple Heights go 10-0 and still miss the playoffs? The Mustangs don't think so.
View full sizeMaple Heights coach Todd Filtz.Can Maple Heights go 10-0 and miss the playoffs?
"That is the popular question," Maple Heights coach Todd Filtz said.
The cause for concern is the Mustangs' schedule. Nine of its 10 opponents currently are 0-4 or 1-3. Shaw is 2-2.
Maple Heights is fifth in Division II, Region 6 and the eight teams with the most computer points make the playoffs at season's end. In Maple's favor is Shaw and Canfield are playoff-caliber opponents whose records should improve. Three of its remaining games are against Division I teams, which provide more playoff points when defeated.
After examining the remaining schedules for other Region 6 teams as well as the potential for points Maple Heights can earn, Filtz said he is not concerned.
"If we take care of our end, everything is going to work out fine," he said.
Shaq's status: Filtz said injured quarterback Shaq Washington (knee) could have played last week against Cleveland Heights had he been needed.
"He'll be on the field when he's 100 percent," Filtz said.
Maple plays host to Shaker Heights (1-3) tonight.
Comets' coverage: C.J. Jackson, Darian Hicks and Jovon Johnson each had interceptions when unbeaten Solon handed Parma its first loss of the season, 38-13, last week.
View full sizeSolon coac Jim McQuaide.The Redmen passed for 227 yards, but most of that came after Solon built a 31-0 lead.
"Parma's very good," said Comets coach Jim McQuaide, "but it was a team effort. Our front line kept pressuring the quarterback and our back-7 players can cover a lot of ground."
McQuaide then singled out junior Ryan Schwenke.
"Ryan's as good as anyone we have, plus he's also playing some fullback," he said.
The offense did its part, too, totaling 537 yards as Kyle Hammonds and Khoury Crenshaw accounted for 366 of Solon's 386 rushing yards.
Tough going: It is only the fifth week of the season and already there are no undefeated teams remaining in Division III, Region 9 of the computer standings. That region includes such playoff stalwarts as Cardinal Mooney, Buchtel, St. Vincent-St. Mary, Archbishop Hoban, Benedictine and Poland Seminary.
Young and restless: Tallmadge has been one of the surprise teams in the early going thanks to a potent offense engineered by a sophomore and two juniors.
Sophomore quarterback Anthony Gotto has thrown for 810 yards and eight touchdowns -- against five interceptions -- and juniors Tyrin Williams and Dylan Getz have combined to rush for 506 yards. In last week's 28-7 win over Revere, Williams was the workhorse with 186 yards and one touchdown on 21 carries, while Getz scored twice and had 65 yards on just three carries.
Big-play Falcons: Field coach Patrick Youel pointed to two huge plays that helped produce the Falcons' 38-34 victory over Kent Roosevelt last week.
Quarterback Jay Wilson and receiver Pat Boggs were involved in both of them. The first came with about six minutes to go with the Falcons leading, 31-28, but facing a fourth-and-6 on the Roosevelt 35. Wilson bought some time by scrambling before finding Boggs for a short completion. Boggs followed a block by junior tackle Ryan Stormer and picked up a first down. A short time later, this time on fourth-and-7 at the Roosevelt 19, the Falcons went for it again, and Wilson hit Boggs for a 19-yard touchdown.
Streak busting: Harvey's losing streak to Riverside is 17 years old, and the Red Raiders see an opportunity tonight to end it before it reaches adulthood.
"We have to beat Riverside if this program is going to go in the direction I want it to go," Harvey coach Marwin Wallings said. "The community needs a win.
"We're excited about the streak. You know it's in the back of your mind. We knew we would have to face this monster."
Harvey last beat Riverside in 1992. The Red Raiders are 2-2 and coming off a strong showing in a loss to West Geauga. Riverside is 0-4 and has not been competitive, having scored one field goal in the last three games. The Beavers were in a similar situation in 2007. They were 0-2, beat Harvey and won seven of their last eight games.
Final appearance? Fremont Ross' trip to Cleveland last weekend to play Benedictine was its first road venture in 17 games against the Bengals and it could be the last since both teams will join conferences next year: Benedictine to the North Coast League and Ross to the Three Rivers Athletic Conference. Benny holds a 13-4 advantage in the series after Friday's 47-7 loss.
Drama central: As if the West Geauga-Perry rivalry didn't already have enough drama. Perry coach Matt Rosati, who won his first 69 games at West Geauga, goes for his 100th career win tonight at West Geauga.
Dominators: What football team has been the most dominant the first four weeks? It might be Ledgemont. The Division VI Redskins rolled over their first four opponents by a combined score of 135-16. They are 4-0 for the first time in school history.
"They are sticking together. They are a pretty tight group," coach Joe LaRosa said.
Quarterback Shane Ritts has passed for 544 yards and seven touchdowns. Running back Dan LaRosa has 570 yards and 11 TDs. Lineman Josh Ohler (6-4, 210) is receiving several college looks. Linebackers Brad Siler, Kyle LaRosa and Kevin Piy lead the defense.
The next two games will tell the tale for this veteran team. It plays at Division IV Pymatuning Valley (3-1) tonight and plays host to Division V Grand Valley (4-0) next week. Resilience: A week after losing four two-way starters to major injuries, Cardinal beat Fairport Harbor, 12-7, last week. Vinnie Polverine, who took over for injured quarterback T.J. Minnick, scored on a 1-yard run and threw an 80-yard TD pass to Jason Farmwald.
Welcome back: Besides its victory over Hudson there was more good news for Strongsville. Two-way lineman David Kaminski played for the first time since undergoing surgery in May for a torn anterior crucial ligament, suffered while playing in a pickup basketball game. The 6-4, 270-pound offensive tackle was in on 52 plays.
"Sooner or later David will also be seeing time at defensive end," said Mustangs coach Russ Jacques.
Missing: Brunswick will be without at least three key performers tonight when it plays at Twinsburg in a Northeast Ohio Conference crossover. Running back Tevin Jackson, defensive end Jake Maurer and linebacker Ray T. Brown will be sidelined for violating the school's athletic code.
Coach Luke Beal, in his first season at Brunswick after a successful stint at Fredericktown in Knox County, made no excuses.
"We'll coach up the players we have and go from there," he said. "We will move on."
Mentor roots: Willoughby South quarterback Ray Russ, who leads the Rebels (4-0) into Osborne Stadium against Mentor (1-3) tonight, lived in Mentor until his seventh-grade year. But Russ said he didn't dream of becoming a Mentor quarterback. He was more into baseball, and when it came to football, he was a St. Ignatius fan because several cousins played for the Wildcats.
Second Santo: Another Santo is beginning to make big plays for Kirtland. Junior Zach Santo, the brother of former standout Rossi Santo, had two interceptions on consecutive plays from scrimmage against Hawken last week, returning the second 55 yards for a touchdown.
-- Bob Fortuna, Joe Maxse, Tim Rogers, Tim Warsinskey