It is always nice to go undefeated in the regular season but the Streetsboro Rockets have learned a lot about themselves since their loss against Metro Athletic Conference foe the Norton Panthers on Sept. 8. Their resurgence continued when they hammered MAC rival Springfield 76-6 last Friday evening at Rockets’ Stadium’s Quinn Field for their fifth consecutive victory to celebrate senior night.
“Our goal this week for our kids and every week no matter who our opponent is that we have adopted the phrase ‘grind and grow’,” said Coach Pete Thompson. “Our goal really is at some point whether it is week 11 or week 12 or later that we want to reach our maximum potential. We will prepare for other teams and what they do but our focus is on us and trying to get better.”
Currently in second place in the MAC, the Rockets will need some help to clinch a share of the conference banner with Norton, needing to lose against Ravenna this Friday while they must beat Coventry on the road at Veteran’s Memorial Stadium in Akron at 7 p.m.
Since Springfield joined the Portage Trail Conference in 2015, Streetsboro has dominated them. The Rockets had defeated the Spartans in four straight seasons and that trend continued when the teams moved to the MAC in 2020.
Streetsboro (8-1, 5-1) has now won the last eight contests against the Spartans and has consistently overwhelmed them, outscoring them by a 190-12 margin in the last three years.
“We take each opponent and respect each opponent,” said the seventh year coach. “Our kids have done well and watched film. Springfield is obviously having some a sort of a down year this season.”
On Friday evening, the Rockets needed only two plays to take the lead, capped off by a 45-yard touchdown run by senior tailback/defensive back Kylan Rue, and converted the two-point conversion to take a 8-0 lead.
Streetsboro’s fast start continued when junior quarterback/defensive back Cohen Klimak broke free for a 70-yard touchdown run, extending the Rockets’ advantage to 15-0.
Springfield struggled to gain any offensive consistency and the Rockets’ defense smothered the Spartans, recording two interceptions in the first half and allowing only three first downs.
“Our defense is really trending in the right direction,” said Thompson. “On that side of the ball we were trying to feel what we were. Earlier in the year we we played some heavy run teams and were more of four or five man fronts but we have morphed into a team that puts a lot of athletes on the field.”
The defensive line dominated the line of scrimmage, paced by sophomore linebacker/tailback Ayden Knuebel who recorded three sacks.
“I was just doing my job and what I was supposed to do,” said Knuebel. “That means a lot to me because I have worked so hard in the offseason. I have never missed a single day of lifting and I have stayed after lifting.”
Streetsboro’s offense remained unstoppable, led by senior wide receiver/defensive back Preston Hopperton, who scored three touchdowns in the first quarter, starting off with an 80-yard touchdown reception, followed by a 5-yard touchdown run and a 15-yard touchdown catch, propelling the Rockets ahead 35-0 at the end of the quarter.
The Rockets continued dominating, adding 34 points in the second quarter and triggering the running clock in the second half.
“We were executing very well on Friday night,” said Hopperton. “We had a lot of big splash plays that went all of the way. It starts at practice. Iron sharpens iron and we came out here and just executed well.”
According to Thompson, the last time he can recall the Rockets’ offense being this dynamic was during the 2020 campaign, when Streetsboro advanced to the Ohio high School Athletic Association Division III Region 9 semifinal.
“Our 2020 version in the COVID year was pretty special,” he said. “On the ground that year we averaged 11 yards per carry. This group has grown since the season has gone on. We knew Preston and Kylan were dynamic players. Kylan got hurt early in the season and Cohen was in a different position. Over the summer we were figuring some stuff out and have tried to get the pieces right.”
Hopperton added that the Rockets’ defeat against Norton was a turning point in the season.
“I think we all just came together and did not want that to happen again,” said the Streetsboro senior. “I think the seniors led well and we just executed. I have to give it to our line. Everybody blocks for us.”
