It may be a new generation leading the Garfield G-Men football team, but the standards are still high. The G-Men opened their season strong by defeating Edgewood 47-27 last Friday evening at JAG Stadium in Garrettsville.
“I think it was important for us to get off to a good first half,” Coach Mike Moser said. “That was a good step one. We believe in the potential of this team. We are young but we will get better every week and that is a good first step.”
Departing from its annual tradition of opening their season against Cardinal, the G-Men found a new week one opponent in Edgewood. Although the Warriors are a Division IV team, the 12th-year coach said they presented a good challenge, having made the playoffs a year ago.
After mounting a 21-0 advantage in the first half, the tide swiftly turned against Garfield (1-0, 0-0).
The G-Men appeared on the verge of putting the game out of reach after sophomore defensive back Collin McGranahan intercepted Warriors’ junior quarterback Nate Stewart at the Garfield 5. Edgewood swung the game back in its favor by intercepting junior quarterback Jack Neikirk on the ensuing possession and went on to score its first touchdown, trimming the G-Men’s advantage to 21-7.
Garfield’s offense stalled and the Warriors inched closer to the end zone on their final possession before the end of the first half. Despite Edgewood advancing the ball inside the G-Men’s 20, Garfield’s defense prevailed by forcing a turnover on downs, breathing some life into the team before the half.
“That was a big play and a big momentum moment of the game, so I am proud of the kids for that one,” noted Moser.
Garfield assumed total control in the third quarter, outscoring the Warriors by a 21-0 margin highlighted by a 15-yard touchdown run by freshman tailback Ryder Cain and an 82-yard kickoff return touchdown by the 5-foot-9 McGranahan, pushing the G-Men’s advantage to 40-7.
“We got off to a decent start and treaded water a little bit in the second quarter and came out and hit the ground running in the third quarter,” Moser noted.
According to Moser, although the G-Men took an early lead that was fueled by their passing game, its rushing attack wore down Edgewood throughout the game.
The G-Men’s running game was sparked by eight different tailbacks. Moser acknowledged that unlike last year, Garfield’s running backs position will be more of a tailback-by-committee approach, but the results were just as good as the majority of its games last year.
“We have been doing this a long time and we have it both ways,” Moser said. “We had those seasons where we had a couple of two or three bell wethers that have carried the way and we have had those years with four or five or six guys running the ball. It is different but it is not something we are not used to, and it is just about finding which place that suits the kids the best.”
Senior Harper Troyer propelled Garfield’s running game by recording 104 yards and two touchdowns on 11 carries.
“Harper is probably our most experienced guy coming back there,” Moser said. “Those were good carries and he hit some of them right when we needed them.”
In addition to an unstoppable rushing attack, the 6-foot-2 Neikirk sparked Garfield’s fast start by beginning the game completing his first four passes for 101 yards and two touchdowns. Although Neikrik’s fifth pass led to the interception that set up the Warriors’ first touchdown, he maintained his poise and finished with four completions out of five attempts and also ran for 56 yards on nine carries.
“Jack has been throwing the ball well all offseason,” Moser added. “He threw the ball well in scrimmages and he threw the ball well again on Friday night.”
After graduating a senior class that dominated in Mahoning Valley Athletic Conference Grey Division play by recording a 19-1 record, Moser said securing the first victory of the season in week one served as a nice boost of confidence for a young Garfield squad that is trying to carry the torch.
“Every time you win, it builds confidence and every time you win, you hope to get better and go again for the next week,” he said.
The G-Men will return to action when they host Warren John F. Kennedy at JAG Stadium on Friday night beginning at 7 p.m.
