On playoffs, Knights’ incredible regular season
- col-aaron-dorksen
- October 26, 2022
- 1076
A few thoughts from the week in sports …
The high school football playoffs are back and, love it or leave it, about two-thirds of Ohio’s schools are once again in the postseason.
For the second straight year, the top-16 schools in each region qualified for the postseason. That means 448 schools across seven divisions extended their season. All games for the first two rounds are scheduled for Fridays.
Here are this week’s matchups that include teams in the Wayne-Holmes area:
Div. IV, Region 14: No. 15 seed Shelby (5-5) at No. 2 West Holmes (10-0).
Div. V, Region 17: No. 12 Cadiz Harrison Central (6-4) at No. 5 Norwayne (7-3); No. 11 Orrville (6-4) at No. 6 Fairless (8-2); No. 14 Triway (4-6) at No. 3 Perry (8-2); and No. 15 Smithville (6-4) at No. 2 Garaway (10-0).
Div. VI, Region 21: No. 13 North Jackson-Milton (7-3) at No. 4 Dalton (8-2).
Div. VI, Region 22: No. 13 Collins Western Reserve (6-4) at No. 4 Northwestern (8-2).
Div. VII, Region 25: No. 11 Conotton Valley (6-4) at No. 6 Hillsdale (6-4).
West Holmes rewind
Before moving ahead to the playoffs, it’s worth spotlighting the extraordinary regular season turned in by West Holmes.
The 10-0 Knights led the entire state with 509 points, which sixth-grade math will tell you is 50.9 points a game. That’s right, West Holmes was No. 1 out of 706 teams. (Interesting team breakdowns can be found on www.blackswamp.com. Click on Martin RPI, then all teams toward bottom of page.)
West Holmes had a running clock in the second half of all 10 games, which is pretty incredible. The Ashland game didn’t end that way, though, as the Arrows rallied to cut the final margin to 63-39.
West Holmes allowed 12.2 points a game, giving it a margin of + 38.7, which is third-best in the state.
West Holmes made it back-to-back 10-0 seasons, something only two other area schools have ever done: Waynedale (1997-98) and Orrville (1987-88).
“That’s kind of humbling to think about,” West Holmes coach Zach Gardner said. “When you consider all the great teams and great coaches that have been in this area, that’s something pretty special. It’s indicative of the hard work our kids have put in and the culture we’ve built here.”
Gardner allowed the Knights a couple days to celebrate and reflect on the 10-0 regular season, but starting Monday, all the attention was focused on Shelby.
“We put these goals in front of these kids, and it's almost like a staircase that you're climbing,” Gardner said. “When you reach one of those stairs, it's important to recognize that. Absolutely you celebrate, but then we were back on the field grinding away on Monday.”
To light up the scoreboard the way the Knights have, it comes as no surprise several individuals have put up video game numbers.
Senior quarterback Mason Wolfe is 136-for-195, passing for 2,511 yards, 34 TDs and just two interceptions.
Junior Sam Williams-Dixon, whose many college offers include Tennessee and Penn State, has carried the ball 150 times for 1,236 yards and 23 TDs.
Junior Kyle Maltarich leads the receivers with 47 catches for 1,041 yards and 18 TDs. Logan Zollars (31-588, 8), Zevin Proper (23-376, 3) and Nate Fair (22-334, 4) also have been key receivers.
Senior Elisha Baldridge leads the defense with 206 tackles. Williams-Dixon’s 80 tackles include 18 for losses, and Maltarich has six interceptions.
“Elijah has an absolute toughness and work ethic that rubs off on our entire team,” Gardner said.
Nick Ginsburg has connected on 67 PAT kicks and two field goals.
The 2021 Knights team, which went 14-1 and reached the Div. III state semifinals, outscored opponents by a 37.6-16.1 margin.
“I think we're more multiple this year,” Gardner said. “We're able to stretch a team vertically and horizontally, with an assortment of formations that we run.
“Mason has put in a ton of hard work, he prepares to read defenses and take what they give him, and has done a great job throwing to lots of different guys. It’s no secret that we have two pretty good weapons in Sam and Kyle, and it’s been fun scheming to find different ways to get them the ball. We’ve used a lot of motion and shifts.”
With the playoffs about to start, the chatter about a potential regional final between West Holmes and Cleveland Glenville has really picked up. It’s not anything Gardner & Co. want to discuss.
“We’ve gotta get there first,” Gardner said. “Our region is loaded with quality teams, and it starts for us with Shelby.”
Parting shots
The OHSAA’s decision to play all first- and second-round football playoff games this year on Fridays — and also in the next two years — makes zero sense.
It takes away the chance for fans to see games on Friday and Saturday. It really hurts as far as coverage goes for local media, who can’t possibly get to all Friday games. It also spreads the officials extremely thin, not letting the best work two nights.
—It was a fun season to watch the Guardians, and if they make the right moves in the off-season, the team should be very competitive again in 2023.
Austin Hedges is the only player who will be a free agent, and Cleveland has a key decision what to do with its catcher position.
Hedges, 30, batted just .163 in the regular season with seven home runs and 30 RBI and threw out only 13-of-60 base stealers.
However, Hedges did a great job handling the pitching staff.
The big money, if the Guards are willing to spend it, should be spent on a big bat for the middle of the lineup — preferably a first baseman.
If an economical deal can be made for Hedges, bring him back too. I’d like to Hedges groom rookie catcher Bo Naylor, who should eventually win the job.
Aaron Dorksen can be emailed at AaronDorksen24@gmail.com.