TURNOVERS AND RUNNING GAME ARE KEYS
By Dom DiPasqua/Staff Writer
Sunday afternoon, September 21, 2014
BROADVIEW HEIGHTS – The obvious statistic in the Bees 28-21 Southwestern Conference victory over Olmsted Falls Friday night at Community Stadium was the turnovers. Brecksville-Broadview Heights intercepted Bulldog junior quarterback Aaron Zawadzki, who was in his first varsity start, three times. They also recovered a fumble on an errant punt snap.
Key Factors
That plus four ratio in the turnover department was undoubtedly the reason Brecksville started out this seasons SWC schedule on the positive side of the ledger. However there were two additional factors that enabled the Bees to hang on for their third victory in four starts.
Number 1: Brecksville, as they have done all season, turned those mistakes into touchdowns. The Bulldogs three first half turnovers resulted in a 21-0 Bees lead at intermission. When Falls (1-3, 0-1 SWC) took better care of the ball in the second half they easily got back into the game.
Number 2: Brecksville (3-1, 1-0 SWC) may have scored three of its four touchdowns Friday night via the pass, but it was the run that got them there. That too has been the trend all season. The Bees ran the ball 42 times for 175 yards against the Bulldogs. Josh Underwood and Luke Strnad accounted for 90-percent of the teams carries and they made it work. They combined for 38 carries and 165 of those 175 rushing yards.
BBHHS may be able to throw for touchdowns using its most prolific offensive weapon in junior wide receiver Tyler Tupa, but the run does seem to be setting up the pass. And Tupa has been unstoppable in the red zone.
As much as Beeville is forcing turnovers and creating positive results with them they have taken care of the ball this season. For a young and inexperienced team that is huge. The Bees are plus five in that regard.
Two of Olmsted Falls three touchdowns came on the ground and both were on short runs (1 and 8 yards). Brecksville did get burned on a 70-yard scoring pass. The Bees were able to hold the ‘Dogs to just 98 yards rushing.
Zawadzki overcame a tough first half to complete 10 of 19 passes for 220 yards.
Making Things Happen
Efficient. Has been the word to best describe Strnad, a sturdy sophomore who can beat you with his arm or his legs. Against Falls Strnad went 12 for 18 for 181 yards. He tossed a pair of TD passes and was not intercepted.
Junior quarterback Danny Shirilla came in and delivered a 12-yard scoring pass to Tupa on a second quarter wide receiver reverse.
Only three Bees caught passes. Tupa led the way with six for 123 yards. His trio of touchdowns gives him the team lead on the season with nine. Senior WR Garrett Patterson grabbed four for 47 yards. The versatile Shirilla caught a pair for a dozen yards.
Strnad and Tupa have become quite a tandem. “It’s nice when you are a quarterback and you have a stud like Tyler that will do whatever he can do to get to the ball,” said BBHHS head coach Jason Black. “Luke and Tyler make plays for each other. It’s nice to see those two work together.”
“Luke has been working his tail off all year. He watches a lot of film and prepares himself well for our opponents,” Tupa said of Strnad.
Forcing The Issue
The opportunistic Brecksville defense, which had four take-a-ways, was led in total tackles by sophomore Victor Bierman with 14 hits. Senior linebacker Joe Dimitrijevs and junior DB Niall Lewison were in on a dozen. Senior linebacker Joe Mandato, who battled the flu all last week, was part of ten stops and had a sack. Eddie Sternad, a junior lineman, had nine hits and also sacked Zawadzki.
A big factor in holding O-Falls to less than 100 yards on the ground was that the Bees registered six tackles for a loss. Two of them were carded by Lewison.
Mandato, Walter and Dimtrijevs helped the Bees get into the scoring column early by making plays on defense. Tupa salted the game away by picking off Zawadzki with no time on the clock. Walter’ pick was his fourth. That leads the team.
Senior kicker Jakob Nypaver went four for four on point-afters. On the season he is 10 of 12.
Olmsted Falls and Brecksville each kicked off five times Friday night. The Bees tallied 14 first downs, with 11 of them coming on the ground, which further illustrates the fact that its running game got them into scoring position. The Bulldogs moved the chains a dozen times.
The contest was penalty filled. The two clubs combined for 15 penalties totaling 115 yards. The yellow hankies were just about evenly dispersed.
Overall Brecksville out-gained Olmsted Falls 368 yards to 318.
On the season Strnad has run the ball 43 times for 220 yards. He has Brecksville’s only two rushing TD’s. Underwood has 183 yards on 57 totes.
Junior defensive end Ryder Seballos leads the team in total tackles with 35. Dimitrijevs and Mandato have 33 each.
NEXT UP:
The Bees host North Olmsted (3-1, 1-0 SWC) Friday night at 7 at Community Stadium. It will be Homecoming. A preview of that game will be posted late Monday evening.
See You At The Bee Hive!
To contact: Ddipa67834@aol.com.
Follow the Lady Bees volleyball team on-line at: beesvolleyball.com. Brecksville travels to Avon Lake Tuesday night.
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