Streetsboro Rockets’ Coach Pete Thompson will be the first to say that Orville threw a devastating first strike against the Rockets in the first quarter of the Ohio High School Athletic Association Division IV Region 13 quarterfinal. But Streetsboro responded by engineering a 35-0 run to down the Red Raiders 55-34 last Friday evening at Rockets Stadium’s Quinn Field.
“All credit to Coach Brent Besancon and his staff over there at Orville,” noted the 10th-year coach. “They came out there very prepared for us and got off the field early on the first drive and took it to us. We have not been in that spot at all this season except for the Cloverleaf game when we were also down 14-0 and that one did not turn out well for us. The only saving grace was that it was early in the game.”
The Rockets (9-2, 6-1) will play in their third consecutive OHSAA Division IV Region 13 semifinal, hosting West Geauga at Rockets Stadium’s Quinn Field on Friday evening at 7 p.m.
“They are a different team, they were senior dominant last year, and we were certainly senior-dominated last year,” Thompson added. “Coach Rossi Santo, I think that is his second year there, he has brought that Kirtland brand of football to West Geauga.”
After a challenging first period in which Orville raced ahead 14-0, Streetsboro’s offense began humming, as senior tailback/defensive back Logan Finchum capped off an eight-play, 61-yard drive with an eight-yard touchdown run in the second period, cutting the Red Raiders’ lead 14-6 after senior kicker Logan Sadowsky’s extra point was blocked.
Orville extended its lead to 21-6 by engineering a six-play, 80-yard drive capped off by a 40-yard touchdown reception by junior wide receiver/defensive lineman JoJo Kleine, pushing the Red Raiders ahead 20-6 after junior kicker Carlos Maldonado-Irias missed the extra point.
After the Red Raiders’ third touchdown of the game, they did not score again until the fourth quarter, as Streetsboro went on a 35-0 run, seizing a commanding 41-20 advantage.
The Rockets’ offense became unstoppable, scoring touchdowns on five consecutive drives.
Senior tight end/linebacker Kyle Giacomo scored the first touchdown of the Rockets’ big run, hauling in a 67-yard touchdown reception from senior quarterback Colton Cox, trimming the lead to 20-13.
“We needed that spark,” said Giacamo. “We needed that energy, I saw the play call, I saw that I was the main option, and you can’t complain when you are the main option and you are that wide open.”
Freshman tailback/linebacker Liam Finchum scored on a 13-yard touchdown run near the end of the second quarter, evening the score at 20-20.
The Rockets’ defense, which had surrendered three consecutive touchdown drives, stiffened and shut out Orville for the next quarter-and-a-half, as they prevented the Red Raiders from scoring at the end of the half despite advancing the ball to Streetsboro’s 31 and then forced a three-and-out at the beginning of the second half.
Giacamo called the Rockets’ two defensive stands much needed to aid Streetsboro’s comeback.
Orville ran only four plays in the third quarter, as the Rockets outscored them by a 14-0 margin, as Logan scored a pair of touchdowns on a 73-yard touchdown run and a one-yard touchdown run, followed by Liam scoring his second touchdown at the beginning of the fourth period on an 11-yard touchdown run, pushing Streetsboro ahead 41-20.
The Rockets kept Orville’s offense off of the field by successfully recovering two consecutive onside kick attempts and dominating the time of possession.
“That might have been our best defense tonight, those two onside kicks,” said Thompson. “Logan is somebody who has done it his whole career for us, we have confidence in him, and he certainly has confidence in himself, but we have some fast kids.”
Orville scored a pair of touchdowns in the fourth period, but Streetsboro responded with a touchdown to each of the Red Raiders’ touchdowns, securing the victory.
Logan fueled the Rockets’ comeback by rushing for 251 yards and three touchdowns on 24 carries.
“I feel like our line dominated especially in the second half,” he added. “I only play one way, I have to give it my all because I know the guys beside me are playing both ways, so I take no plays off 100% of the time.”
According to Thompson, the Rockets’ comeback was a reflection of the resilient attitude that they developed from the beginning of the season, facing one of their most challenging regular season schedules and fielding one of their smallest teams in school history.
Streetsboro’s perseverance earned it a share of the Metro Athletic Conference banner and the top seed in the postseason.
“You look at our plight with the levy and our lack of numbers and then you start to look at our schedule and wonder where the wins are going to come from so I am proud of the team,” he said.
