For the second straight season, the Berkshire Badgers’ football team snapped their winless start to the season by overpowering their Geauga County rival the Cardinal Huskies 56-0 to win the Kinsman Cup last Friday evening at Richard A. Moss Field at Middlefield.
“We started slow in week one and could not finish in week two, so it was nice to play a complete game,” said Coach Josh DeWeese. “We had some business to take care of. The Chagrin Valley Conference play is tough this year.”
The Badgers (1-2, 0-0) extended their winning streak against their Kinsman Road rival (0-3, 0-0) to five years, marking the second straight season that the graduating class of 2027 will leave the program by sweeping the Huskies.
According to senior quarterback/defensive back Oliver Miller, the senior class will take great pride in leaving the program with a perfect record against the Huskies.
“It means everything,” he noted. “Playing them for four years and beating them for four years is awesome.”
On Friday, Berkshire struck quickly in the first quarter, scoring 27 points.
The Badgers were fueled by explosive plays, as their first drive lasted only four plays, covering 70 yards and was capped off by the 5-foot-8 senior hitting senior wide receiver/defensive back Dasen Marker for a 30-yard touchdown reception, pushing Berkshire ahead 7-0.
The Badgers only ran three more plays from the line of scrimmage in the opening period, as junior quarterback/defensive back Zac Smith scored on a 50-yard punt return, followed by Miller galloping 58 yards to the end zone and then connecting with the 6-foot Marker again, this time on a 19-yard touchdown pass, giving Berkshire a commanding lead at the end of the first period.
Miller finished the game completing three passes out of three attempts for 90 yards and three touchdowns and ran for 69 yards and two touchdowns on only three carries.
“Our line opened up great,” said Miller. “There were great holes for us, it gave me enough time to throw the ball, and the receivers ran great routes. I just have to put the ball where they are open.”
Miller competed for the quarterback position against the 5-foot-8 Smith in training camp, winning the starting job and experienced his best game as quarterback against Kinsman Road rival Cardinal.
“He has played well,” noted the 14-year coach. “On Friday, he was 100% healthy so was taking care of business. He has great instincts, as a runner he knows when to go and he sees the opening and is learning the offense.”
Having already been an experienced offensive player by previously playing as tailback, Miller acknowledged that it has been a learning experience for him as this season marks the first time, he has played quarterback.
“It is a lot of work,” he added. “Knowing where everyone needs to be, the plays and remembering everything, but I like being a leader and leading the team.”
Berkshire added 14 points in the second quarter, triggering the running clock in the second half.
The Badgers’ offense was explosive all night, but the defense was stout by surrendering only one first down in the game against a Huskies’ squad that has yet to score a touchdown through its first three games of the season.
“That was the goal after not finishing well on defense last week,” said DeWeese. “We wanted to come out and be technically sound from top to bottom, and they all took care of it.”
Last year after beating Cardinal for their first win of the season they went 5-2 over the rest of the regular season to clinch a postseason berth in the Ohio High School Athletic Association Division V Region 17 playoffs.
Marker said that gaining momentum before beginning play in the CVC Valley Division can be of great benefit to the Badgers, with the CVC Valley Division looking as formidable as ever along with newcomers Fairview and Conneaut joining the division.
“We are excited,” he said. “This is our first win, so we are going to try and stack them up now.”
Berkshire will begin its league schedule when it hits the road to face new league rival Conneaut at Ricaurte Stadium in Ashtabula County on Friday at 7 p.m.
Meanwhile, the Huskies will begin play in the Northeastern Athletic Conference with a road duel against league foe Leetonia at Leetonia Bears Stadium in Columbiana County the same night at 7 p.m.
