Streetsboro Rockets’ football Coach Pete Thompson will be the first to acknowledge that the Rockets have not played a boring game yet this season. The Rockets continued to finish strong, outlasting Metro Athletic Conference and Portage County rival Kent Roosevelt 41-24 last Friday evening at Roosevelt Stadium in Kent.
“I thought that we played better defensively but when you allow a team to keep hanging around, part of that is on ourselves, we dropped three interceptions and on two of those drives, they scored touchdowns,” noted the 10-year coach. “I am pleased to come out of here with a win.”
It marked the Rockets’ (4-1, 2-0) fourth straight victory and second consecutive victory against Kent Roosevelt, as the Battle of Diagonal Road was just reignited last year and the stakes have now been raised since the Rough Riders have joined the MAC this season.
According to Thompson, the MAC is now as strong as it has ever been with the recent additions of Kent Roosevelt, Tallmadge and Cuyahoga Falls.
“I think our conference is much improved with some of the new additions and some improvements of the teams that have always been in the MAC,” he added. “Just looking at the early season, I think this is the toughest our conference has been from top to bottom.”
On Friday, the Rockets’ 13-point advantage in the second half quickly evaportated Kent Roosevelt overcame a slow start, trimming Streetsboro’s lead to 27-21 and were on the verge of claiming its first lead of the game after junior quarterback/defensive back Kingston Bryant connected with junior wide receiver/defensive back Chase Dennison for an eight-yard reception, putting the Rough Riders at Streetsboro 1 for a second-and-goal to end the third quarter.
The Rough Riders went into a wildcat formation with junior tailback/defensive back Makhi Jones under center, but a bad snap sailed over the 5-foot-10 Jones’ head, backing up Kent Roosevelt at the Rockets’ 17. The Rough Riders ultimately settled for a 25-yard field goal by senior kicker Isan Roberts, trimming the Rockets’ lead to 27-24.
Having only scored three points in the second half after an explosive first half in which the Rockets scored 24 points, Streetsboro engineered a six-play, 80-yard drive, dominated by senior tailback/defensive back Logan Fincham and freshman running back/linebacker Liam Finchum.
Liam hauled in a 42-yard reception from senior quarterback Colton Cox and Logan scored his first touchdown of the night on a 12-yard run, extending the Rockets’ lead to 34-24.
“Liam made a big play down the sideline, it gave us a lot of momentum, and we scored on that drive,” he added. “There were a couple of big plays, but I give props to all of my guys up front.”
Logan finished the game running for 218 yards and one touchdown on 33 carries.
Having assumed the role of primary tailback this year, Logan once again fueled the Rockets’ offense with another explosive game.
“He is off to a heck of a senior season,” said Thopson. “He was the leading rusher in the county coming into tonight, he is so strong, he is low and compact. He is hard to tackle and the work he put into the weight room in the offseason is certainly paying off for him.”
For the first time in several years, the Rockets are deploying one of their smallest rosters, as the recent uncertainty of the Streetsboro athletic programs because of the District’s failure to pass the levy has resulted in many student-athletes transferring out of the district.
Logan, who was a blocking tailback all last season, is one of many Rockets stepping into a new role to help the team keep pace in the ever-competitive MAC.
“That is the deal,” said Thompson. “We don’t feel sorry for ourselves, the kids know what they signed up for. I asked our seniors at the beginning of the year do you want to have fun or do you want to win football games? Of course, to me and to them, winning is fun but they also know what it takes to win.”
Streetsboro’s offense has remained productive, and has been aided with strong specials teams play, led by senior kicker/punter Logan Sadowski, who converted two field goals and successfully recovered his own onside kick in the second quarter, allowing the Rockets to score touchdowns on consecutive drives to build a 21-7 advantage.
“We had been planning on it all week and wanted to hit during this game. I don’t know when, but I guessed it would be right off the bat sooner or later and I was I hoping I would get it and I got it, and it improved the way the game was going to go,” noted Sadowski.
The Rockets will return home and host league rival Cloverleaf at Rockets Stadium on Friday evening at 7 p.m.
