Seven years after last facing Portage County rival Crestwood, the Garfield G-Men have come a long way. The G-Men dominated the backyard rivalry game 48-13 last Friday evening at Jack Lambert Stadium in Mantua.
“It is a rivalry game, a backyard game,” said G-Men Coach Mike Moser. “You knew tensions would be high, but I was proud of our guys for staying focused all week, doing a good job and playing football.”
The Portage County rivals had not seen each other since the 2019 season, when the Red Devils (0-2, 0-0) left the Portage Trail Conference to join the Chagrin Valley Conference Valley Division the following season. The re-match served as a preview of things to come, when the G-Men (2-0, 0-0) and Crestwood will once again become league foes when they join the newly formed Greater Portage Athletic Conference next year.
“This is what we want,” said Garfield’s senior quarterback/defensive back Collin McGranahn. “Last time we played here I was in fourth grade, and this will be the last time I play here now but this is what we want.”
On Friday, the G-Men struck quickly in the first period, as the 5-foot-11 senior scored a pair of touchdowns, one on a 54-yard keeper and another on a two-yard run, pushing Garfield ahead 14-0.
The Red Devils had a chance to stem Garfield’s momentum after McGranahan’s first touchdown when junior quarterback/defensive back Michael Kalis intercepted McGranahan at their own 25.
The G-Men’s defense stiffened, stopping Crestwood as the 5-foot-9 junior Kalista was sacked by junior offensive/defensive lineman Jack Timmons on third down and Garfield’s defensive line blocked senior kicker Owen Overfield’s 39-yard field goal attempt, taking over at the Red Devils’ 20.
“It was a great stand right there,” noted the 13-year coach. “We turned the ball over deep in our own end and set them up and the defense answered the bell, so it was big.”
Although the Red Devils did respond by scoring a touchdown on a 63-yard run by sophomore tailback/linebacker Nick Hess, trimming the lead to 14-6 in the first quarter, Garfield continued marching down the field on explosive runs.
The G-Men ran only six plays from the line of scrimmage but scored three touchdowns as McGranahan scored his third straight touchdown on a 14-yard keeper, senior running back/linebacker Sam Strahan broke free for a 32-yard touchdown run and senior wide receiver/tailback/defensive back Nate Baczwkoski caught a 71-yard touchdown pass from McGranahan, extending the lead to 35-6 at the half.
Garfield’s offensive efficiency swung the momentum in its favor and triggered the running clock in the second half when junior running back/linebacker Ryder Cain scored on a 27-yard touchdown run.
“We just took the life out of them,” said McGranahan. “We gave them no chance, we had the opportunity and we took it and just executed it well.”
The senior quarterback galloped for 84 yards and four touchdowns on only five carries.
“Collin played a nice game all around again on both sides of the ball, so I am proud of him,’ said Moser. “The more reps he gets the better, the more comfortable he gets and the better he is going to be.”
For McGranahan, although it is his first year playing quarterback full-time, it is something he has been preparing for the entire offseason. He has witnessed how it’s done by two of his predecessors, Eric Geddes and Jack Neikirk, and is ready to take the torch and continue maintaining the high standard of quarterback play.
“It is a great torch,” he added. “I have big shoes to fill but I am up for the fight and the challenges.”
With Garfield beginning the season undefeated, McGranahan said that re-igniting the backyard Portage County rivalry game by delivering a resounding victory on the opposition’s home field sent a strong message not only to the Red Devils but to the Garfield underclassmen.
“We are just trying to leave a good look, get the younger kids ready,” he said.
Garfield will travel and face Mahoning Valley Athletic Conference foe Springfield in a league crossover duel at Springfield Community Stadium in New Middletown on Friday at 7 p.m.
Meanwhile, the Red Devils will be on the road and play Mineral Ridge at the Joe Lane Sports Complex in Trumbull County the same evening at 7 p.m.
