NORTH OLMSTED IN TOWN FOR KEY SWC GAME
By Dom DiPasqua/Staff Writer
Monday night, September 22, 2014
BRECKSVILLE – Both North Olmsted and Brecksville-Broadview Heights have gotten off to 3-1 starts this season and the Eagles, as well as the Bees, won their Southwestern Conference openers last weekend. Something will have to give this Friday when the two teams square-off at 7:00 pm at Community Stadium.
It will be the Bees Homecoming. North Olmsted is a far cry from being a homecoming patsy. Brecksville has a week-five battle on its hands.
Tim Brediger is now in his second year as the Eagles head coach. They defeated visiting Westlake last week, 35-26, in their own homecoming game.
Birds of Prey
N-O has already proven that they can win on the road, doing so at Lakewood by the score of 35-25 on September 5th. Junior quarterback Christian Ammons (#10) has replaced Brad Novak at quarterback. And he has proven that he can get the job done. The Eagles are scoring 38 points per outing.
They have been effective through the air and on the ground. Ammons was near perfect in the first half against the Demons, completing 9 of 10 passes for 76 yards and two touchdowns in the opening 24 minutes of action.
Junior wide out Ryan Coleman (#20) had four catches for 73 yards and found the end zone twice. Sophomore running back Josh Hufstetler ran for 173 yards and three touchdowns in the Westlake game.
On defense veteran DB Ben Kurcsak intercepted a pass that set-up an early score. Senior linebacker Jake Jones (#44) was in on 11 tackles, including four for a loss and a sack. North Olmsted’s defense is allowing 28.8 per outing.
“They are a good football team. They are a big football team. They are a fast football team,” veteran BBHHS head coach Jason Black said of the Eagles. “And they just bring it from everywhere defensively. We have a big challenge in front of us.”
A year ago the Bees broke open the game in the second quarter when they spread the field, which allowed Timmy Tupa to run wild. The final was 42-10 Brecksville in the teams last visit to Drive Bob Morris Stadium (nee Municipal).
Banged Up Bees
Brecksville, who enters the game scoring 24 ppg, has been bitten by the injury bug. Injured starters are; junior two-way tackle Nick Sokolowski (knee), senior two-way player Jared Schott (shoulder) and junior running back Josh Underwood (ankle). Sokolowski was injured in the second quarter of the Hudson game. Schott left the Olmsted Falls game just before the half. And Underwood had to be helped off the field very late in Fridays tilt.
“You have Homecoming. You have North Olmsted. And you have guys that are going to possibly play in different spots because of injuries,” Black said.
Junior wide receiver Tyler Tupa is the Bees leading scorer with nine touchdowns. All have come though the air. They have only scored two TD’s on the ground, both of those were registered by dual-threat sophomore quarterback Luke Strnad. But it has been Brecksville’s running game that has gotten them into the red zone where Tupa can beat you in a variety of ways.
On defense Ryder Seballos, a junior defensive end, and a pair of senior linebackers; Joe Dimitrijevs (2 int’s) and Joe Mandato are the Bees leading tacklers. Senior defensive back Troy Walter has four interceptions in as many games. Junior Danny Shirilla is the lone returning starter in the secondary. He is also known to make an appearance at quarterback.
“North Olmsted is a great team so we are going to prepare hard this week and come out and try to get the W,” Tupa said.
BEE HIVE BUZZ:
This will be the final meeting between Brecksville and North Olmsted as the Bees relocate to the Suburban League next year. When I think of the Eagles I think of big and physical football teams. I also think of four of the five games played in the rain at muddy Municipal Stadium. Last years contest however was contested on a splendid night for football.
North Olmsted’s only loss was to North Ridgeville, 41-34. The Rangers scored very late to claim that victory. Powerful Hudson ended Brecksville’s non-conference schedule on a sour note, 48-14.
Senior center Doug McArtor is the Bees Captain of The Week.
Did you happen to catch the final score of the West Score Conference game between Midview and Rocky River last Friday? River put up 50 points. That was the good news. The bad news was that the Middies scored 83. The box score was longer than a Sunday sermon at 7:30 Mass in the summer. Give me a 28-21 game any day.
THIS WEEKS GAMES:
Southwestern Conference
North Olmsted (3-1, 1-0) at BBHHS (3-1, 1-0).
I get the feeling that the Eagles are geared up for this one.
Olmsted Falls (1-3, 0-1) at Westlake (2-2, 0-1).
This should be a good game. If the Bulldogs can take care of the ball they have a very good shot because they play hard for 48 minutes.
Avon Lake (1-3, 0-0) at Berea-Midpark (3-1, 1-0).
The Shoremen open SWC play with an upside down record by Dave Dlogosz’ standards. Not only do they have to go on the road for their league opener, they have to face the Titans who put up 62 points of their own last week. A SWC fan mentioned to me over the weekend that Berea and Midpark players are playing with a chip on their shoulders after having taken their lumps the last several years in the circuit. If that is the case, now that the two schools have merged, that chip has become the Rock of Gibralter.
Cross-Over Game
Amherst Steele (1-3, 0-1) at Elyria Catholic (3-1, 1-0 WSC).
It will be a short road trip for the Comets. Let’s see how well they carry the SWC flag in West Shore Conference territory.
OTHER GAMES OF NOTE:
Padua Franciscan (1-3) at Holy Name (2-2) at North Royalton on Saturday night.
The Green Wave is a pretty good football team. But the gut says go with Tony Shuman’s Bruins in this annual battle of Parma area parochial schools.
Medina (1-3) at North Royalton (0-4).
The Battling Bees got skunked at home last Friday by Garfield Heights, losing by one. Medina will head back south on Route 3 leaving the low-scoring Bears green with envy.
Hudson (4-0) at Cuyahoga Falls (2-2).
The Explorers are ranked fourth in Ohio in Division I. They beat fifth-ranked Brunswick by four touchdowns last week. What will they do to the Black Tigers? This one may not be suitable for small children.
Lakewood (2-2) at Bay (3-1).
The Rockets lone loss came last week at E-C by a point. They are back home in the friendly confines of Bay Memorial Stadium. Lakewood has some skilled play-makers. Bay believes. Take the home team.
Joplin (3-2) at Waynesville (3-2).
Out in southwest Missouri this will be a pivotal game in the Ozark Conference.
See You At The Bee Hive!
To contact: Ddipa67834@aol.com.
Follow the Lady Bees volleyball team on-line at: beesvolleyball.com. Brecksville will be seeking revenge at Avon Lake Tuesday night.
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