HOMECOMING HAPPENINGS
By Dom DiPasqua/Staff Writer
Saturday afternoon, October 3, 2015
BROADVIEW HEIGHTS – What started out as Spirit Week worked its way to Thursday evenings parade and bonfire. Last nights football game, with the crowning of the queen and king, and finally tonight the annual Homecoming dance. It has been quite a week at Brecksville-Broadview Heights High School.
And last night, under cloudy skies with wind blusters that made it feel like November, a big Suburban League football game took place here in Community Stadium.
There is nothing quite like Homecoming, and at BBHHS it really is something special. There was electricity in the cool early autumn air as what ended up being a great turnout found its way to the ballpark off Mill Road.
The Nordonia Knights were in town. And the Bees, coming in with a perfect 5-0 record, were waiting. The problem was Brecksville’s defense could not contain the Knights #28 – junior running back Anthony Perrine. The 5-10, 207-pound Perrine ran over, around and through the Bees vaunted defense with a 40-carry, 338-yard, 6-touchdown performance to just about single-handedly lead Nordy to a 49-34 victory over Beeville.
As games go this is one the Bees will want to put behind them sooner rather than later. Arch-rival North Royalton visits the Bee Hive next Friday with The Golden Shoe Trophy on the line. That is what coach Jason Black, his staff and team are focusing on now.
There was a throng of media at last nights game. Yes it was Homecoming, but the Nordonia-Brecksville contest was the game of the week. Fox Sportstime Ohio and an ESPN2 Radio 1540-am audience tuned into the 83-point, 889-yard game that unfolded on the Community Stadium turf on a cold night.
The turf, in a way, cost the Bees as junior quarterback Luke Strnad fell to it after twisting his right knee while making a cut to avoid a Nordonia defender. The injury occurred on a key third and six play at the Knights 6 yard line late in the first quarter with the score tied at 7. Strnad left the game and did not return to action. He will be re-examined. His status for the NORO game will be updated.
Despite the loss, the Bees first of the year against five wins and Strnad’s injury, there was plenty of other action on the field and almost as much off it.
Homecoming Hullabaloo
The color and pageantry of Homecoming night took center stage a half hour prior to kickoff when the court rode around the track in convertibles generously provided by The Ganley Automotive Group.
The atmosphere was outstanding for the pregame ceremonies. The Bees marching band blew bubbles and the BBHHS student cheering section, The (fun-loving) Swarm, was decked out in pink in honor of breast cancer awareness month. Even Brecksville players wore pink pre-wrap on their cleats.
Save for the wind it would have been a perfect fall night for football. “The windchill factor is at least negative 5,” said freshman band member Brigit Naughton. “I wish I could smile but I can’t feel my face,” added junior student council member Jessica Toth.
Brecksville alum Gabbie Chaccour, who Tweeted her request for a Tootsie Pop Thursday night, came down to the field for hers. 2015 Homecoming Queen Sarah Ford was crowned by last years winner Morgan Zeleny, the former fabulous Bee Twirler.
The schools alma mater was played and The Swarm sang it loud and proud. The cheerleaders checked in for their pregame predictions. “We’re going to win, 28-14,” senior Kaylee Vadini said. “I think that it’s going to be a close game tonight. But I do think that we will win, 29-24. Go Bees!”, added master predictor Chloe Backman.
A Community Stadium staple was missing. It was the inflatable Bee tunnel that the team runs through when taking the field. “It has a hole in it. And a new one has been ordered,” said BBHHS athletic director Mark Maslona.
As the Bees raced through the cheerleaders banner defensive coordinator John Shirilla touched base. “We’ve got to be relentless. Swarm to the ball and never stop attacking. And do it the whole game,” Shirilla said. “We have to do what we’ve been doing all year and be relentless in doing it.”
A sight for sore eyes was the Bees #11. Senior defensive end Ryder Seballos was back in uniform and he was ready to go. Seballos, a captain, had been sidelined since the first half of the week two game at Garfield Heights due to a shoulder injury. Unfortunately classmate Zach Venesile, who injured his hip in pregame warm ups at Twinsburg, remained on crutches.
Photographers and camera men and women, Jeannette Weaver at the top of that list, lined the sideline. TV camera wires and sound guys added to the traffic. Sideline reporter Ryan Cavanaugh from Fox Sportstime Ohio and I exchanged greetings. And it was time for kick off.
Welcome To The Suburban League
The Knights, decked out in all white with green trim and green helmets, were the best team Brecksville faced this season. It has been a known fact that the second half of the Bees schedule is going to be a meat grinder. And a big, strong and physical Nordonia team shed much more light on what this whole new Suburban League thing is going to be all about.
With Danny Shirilla filling in for Strnad at quarterback the first frame ended in a 7-all deadlock. There would be plenty more scoring to come. The young Mr. Perrine would see to that.
Niall Lewison intercepted a Justin Post pass. And Steven Klaus recovered a Knights fumble. But the Bees missed a pair of first half extra points and trailed at intermission, 21-19.
Intense First Half
The Bees ‘defense has been on the field too long’. And, ‘this is a struggle’, were notes that I scribbled on the steno pad late in the half. Yet, despite that and several mistakes and missed opportunities, Brecksville was very much in the game at intermission. And the Bees were doing it without their outstanding starting signal-caller.
When Shirilla, a fan favorite, was tackled way out of bounds on a play that drew a flag, The Swarm chanted “Danny, Danny, Danny!” when he got up with a fist pump. Shirilla, who was sent sprawling on the track, didn’t say a word. Instead he sprinted back to the huddle and led the Bees to a late second quarter “answer” touchdown. The tally came a play later on a 10-yard run by senior back Josh Underwood.
Seeking the warmth of the Brecksville locker room at halftime provided a nice behind-the-scenes look at a team that trailed at the half for the first time all season. The coaches taught, explained adjustments and were very positive. Team leaders voiced encouragement to their mates. Strnad was on crutches. “Right now it’s who wants it more,” John Shirilla told his defense. “Tackle #28 low. We’re wrapping him up way too high. We have to cut him down.”
Perrine Keeps Punishing
Back out in the crisp October air Brecksville’s band was putting the finishing touches on another Homecoming tradition, the incomparable Script Bees.
But despite Coach Shirlla’s halftime instructions this game belonged to the Knights Anthony Perrine. He would go on to score four more touchdowns. And the Bees, with their already thin depth challenged, simply had too many players going both ways to keep up with Nordonia.
Underwood would score two more touchdowns in the second half, capping the best game of his career. Even though Brecksville never stopped competing the Knights had this contest in the bag when they took a 49-27 lead with 4:33 left to play.
By that time there was a mass exodus from the windswept home stands as folks headed to warmer environs. And the Nordonia cheering section chanted, “I believe that we have won!” when 2:25 showed on the clock.
What History Tells Us
It has been nearly 20 years, since the 1997 season, that Brecksville started out a campaign with a 5-0 mark. The Bees lost a Pioneer Conference game in week six of ’97 by the score of 19-16 against Strongsville. Ironically, like the Mustangs, the Knights wear the same color green.
Even though he took the defeat hard and wasn’t exactly in the mood for chit-chat the Bees Danny Shirilla graciously shared his thoughts long after the game went final. Shirilla, ever the competitor and team player, perked up when he was asked about next weeks neighborhood rivalry tilt. “It’s North Royalton. That’s motivation enough,” he said.
“They make tomorrow’s so you have another chance to win,” Tim Reardon, my position coach in high school, told me after a brutal loss at Bedford in 1976. There will be plenty of tomorrow’s for this talented Brecksville team. But first things first. There is a dance to attend tonight. It’s okay to smile.
SQUIB KICKS:
Jason Black and his staff wore shorts last night. What else is new? When asked what the wind chill factor has to be in order for him to wear long trousers Black said, “There isn’t one.”
The Bees have lightened things up following Thursday afternoon practices. Each week the coaches pick three seniors and the players choose three coaches to compete with. The new tradition started a few weeks back. “Last week it was corn hole. This week it was throwing the football,” Black said. “We try to keep the mood light and fun with these events.”
Nordonia, which played in the Division II state championship game last year, has had an up and down season. The Knights didn’t look anything like an inconsistent football team last night. If they can run the ball like they did against the Bees (390 yards) they have a real good chance to run the table and finish 7-3. Nordonia, with the heavyweights (Hudson, Stow and Beeville) on their schedule in their rear view mirror, faces Cuyahoga Falls, Royalton, Twinsburg and Wadsworth the rest of the way.
Hudson, which has won four in a row including last nights 45-0 pasting of Cuyahoga Falls, was tied for 10th with Avon in this weeks Associated Press Division II statewide poll.
LAST NIGHTS SCORES AND RECAPS:
Suburban League – National Division
NORDONIA – 49, BEES – 34 ….. Too much Anthony Perrine. The junior accounted for 87% of the Knights 390 rushing yards. Nordonia scored seven times on the ground. And Jeff Fox’s group lit up the Bees defense for nearly a half a hundred. On a positive note. Brecksville has yet to allow a passing touchdown this season.
HUDSON – 45, CUYAHOGA FALLS – 0 ….. The Black Tigers inability to manufacture points is well-documented. Couple that with the Explorers defense, which is the best in the SL (8 ppg), and you have the recipe for a one-sided affair.
STOW-MUNROE FALLS – 34, TWINSBURG – 13 ….. Jayson Gobble scored three rushing touchdowns to pace the Bulldogs who kept pace with Hudson atop the National Division standings.
WADSWORTH – 9, NORTH ROYALTON – 0 ….. After opening with four straight losses the Grizzlies have turned things around with a pair of victories. Considering that they gave up 62 points at Medina in week three, a road shutout by its defense opens some eyes.
OTHER GAMES OF NOTE:
PADUA FRANCISCAN vs BENEDICTINE at Bedford … In progress as we speak. The last Tweet from the Bruins reporter noted that the Bengals were on top, 44-7, after three quarters.
BEDFORD – 34, GARFIELD HEIGHTS – 21 ….. Despite two second quarter touchdown runs by A.J. Rose the Bulldogs fell for the fifth time since its opening night blowout of Holy Name.
BRUNSWICK – 37, MEDINA – 7 … Don’t look now but the Blue Devils have won two straight. The Battling Bees racked up 62 on Wadsworth, but could only manage one TD against what must be a significantly improved Brunswick squad.
In Missouri ….. JOPLIN – 35, LEBANON – 7 … The Eagles soared to their third victory in their last four Ozark Conference games with an impressive road win last night in the Show Me State.
SUBURBAN LEAGUE – National Division Standings
STOW 3-0 ….. 6-0
HUDSON 3-0 ….. 5-1
BBHHS 2-1 ….. 5-1
WADS 2-1 ….. 2-4
NORD 1-2 ….. 3-3
NROY 1-2 ….. 2-4
CFALLS 0-3 ….. 0-6
TWINS 0-3 ….. 0-6
See You At The Bee Hive!
To contact: Ddipa67834@aol.com.
Follow on Twitter: @beevillesports
Follow the 16-2 Lady Bees volleyball team on the worldwide web at: beesvolleyball.com.
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