The Streetsboro Rockets football team had their chances. But the Rockets’ season ended when they lost 31-28 against West Branch in the Ohio High School Athletic Association Division IV Region 13 quarterfinal at Clinton Heacock Stadium in Beloit.
“We competed our butts off,” said Coach Pete Thompson. “West Branch was a team that had only been in one close game all year and had lit up the scoreboard all year particularly on this field. We hung in there and kept it close at the half. I don’t think we played particularly well in the first half, but it was only a seven-point game.”
Trailing 24-21 in the fourth quarter, Streetsboro (10-2, 6-1) surged ahead. when senior wide receiver/defensive back Preston Hopperton broke free and galloped for a 58-yard touchdown run, putting the Rockets ahead 28-24.
The Rockets’ lead was short-lived when West Branch junior wide receiver/defensive back Joey Jackson scored on a 75-yard kickoff return, pushing the Warriors back ahead 31-28.
“I will take full responsibility for that,” said the Rockets’ seven-year coach. “We put our kickoff team in a look we had not practiced very much. The coaching staff and I liked how they were lined up and we tried to execute a pooch kick down the sideline but as far as our alignment, we did not practice that enough. It was certainly the play of the game.”
On the next drive, the Rockets marched the ball down the field and seemed poised to score again at the West Branch 28 but a reverse jet sweep on second-and-one to senior tailback/defensive back Brent Ranaldson lost six yards.
Junior quarterback Cohen Klimak picked up three yards on a quarterback keeper, setting up fourth-and-four. The Rockets tried a passing play but Klimak could not find an open receiver so he tried to pick up the first down with his legs but was stopped a yard short of the first down marker.
West Branch converted 3 first downs to keep possession and run out the clock, ousting the Rockets from the postseason.
Thompson acknowledged Streetsboro had its chances but squandered several opportunities.
In the first quarter, the Rockets’ defense forced a turnover on the second play of the game when Ranaldson intercepted senior quarterback Beau Alazaus at the Warriors’ 43 but Streetsboro could not capitalize, turning the ball over on downs.
The Rockets still struck first when Hopperton scored on a 6-yard touchdown run, taking a 7-0 advantage but West Branch responded by scoring 21 unanswered points.
Sophomore quarterback/wide receiver/defensive back Jeremiah Thomas started things off by catching a 29-yard touchdown pass and the Warriors kept possession when they recovered an onside kick.
Senior tailback/defensive back Boston Mulinix paced the Warriors, scoring on a 12-yard rushing touchdown and Thomas added a 7-yard touchdown run, pushing the Warriors to a 21-7 advantage.
Having usually succeeded in the rushing game by finding the edge, Thompson acknowledged that the Warriors took away that option in the first half.
“All season we have tremendous success on outside edge plays,” Thompson said. “They were doubling up outside of us. We tried to come back to that later in the game and that was something I think we could have taken advantage of more, by them overplaying our outside run but our offense is what it is, and we will take what you can give us. As the game wore on, they started giving us some of those inside runs.”
Streetsboro responded when Klimak connected with junior quarterback/defensive back Jackson Gula on a 29-yard touchdown pass, trimming the lead to 21-14 and prevented the Warriors from scoring on their final drive before the end of the half.
Streetsboro could not sustain its momentum and the Warriors scored again on their first possession of the second half when junior kicker Eliza Hurst kicked a 25-yard field goal, increasing their lead to 24-14.
Hopperton finally erupted for a big gain, scoring his second touchdown on a 58-yard run, trimming West Branch’s lead to 24-21 and Streetsboro’s momentum continued when it recovered a fumble in its territory after strip-sacking Alazaus.
Although the Rockets won the turnover battle by a 2-0 margin, they scored no points off either one.
Streetsboro regained the lead when Hopperton scored his third touchdown, but Jackson’s kick-off return touchdown propelled West Branch to victory.
Despite the season ending, Thompson said he was proud of the way his team responded after a challenging 2022 campaign.
“We did not meet our standards last year and felt we took a step back,” he said. “The coaching staff did some hard evaluations in the offseason about what we needed to do and how we could be better, and the kids bought into that.”
Thompson added that Streetsboro’s biggest challenge next year will be replacing the offense of Hopperton and senior tailback/linebacker Kylan Rue, who combined for 50 touchdowns this season.
