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It's ‘Miller Time’ See page 6
October 7, 2013
R E S Sports S
Lake Air Force See page 2
Look out Comets — Flyers hoping to get their way By Mark Griffin Press Contributing Writer sports@presspublications.com For the past six years the winner of the Genoa-Eastwood game determined the Suburban Lakes League/Northern Buckeye Conference champion. This year, however, Lake might have something to say about that. The Flyers and Comets could both enter next Friday’s contest at Lake with undefeated records. No one would argue that the Flyers, under first-year coach Mark Emans, are the surprise team of the NBC. Lake, ranked 18th in this week’s Associated Press Division IV state poll, beat Fremont St. Joe, Northwood, Ottawa Hills, Otsego and Woodmore heading into Game 6 at Eastwood. “Our players have done a nice job preparing themselves for this season,” Emans said. “It started back in May with the weight room attendance and has continued with the way they practice. Being unbeaten right now is due to their hard work. The players are playing with a high level of confidence.” Emans said the Flyers’ 56-20 win over Northwood, a team they had not beaten since 2005, on Sept. 6 provided a huge confidence boost. “That was probably the starting point in their confidence level,” he said. “We have a lot of leaders on this team - some seniors, some juniors. They have kept themselves grounded and focused.” Lake (5-0, 2-0) figures to get a big test Friday night against Eastwood, which lost to Genoa 41-7 last Friday. The Comets (50, 2-0), the state’s third-ranked D-IV team, pose an even bigger hurdle. Genoa blasted the Flyers 79-0 a year ago and is averaging nearly 59 points a game this season. “Eastwood and Genoa have been the top dogs in this league for over 10 years, while we have been pretty much a middleof-the-road team,” Emans said. “Playing them will give our program a chance to gauge where we are in the process. Genoa is big, fast and strong. They have been in league championship/playoff caliber-type games for many years and they know what it takes to prepare and win those types of games. We look forward to the challenge of playing them.” The Flyers have shown good balance offensively this season. Running backs Nick Walsh, Marcel Bryan and Brandon Short, and junior quarterback Jared Rettig, have all rushed for at least 195 yards and average no less than 5.3 yards per carry. Rettig has passed for 979 yards and 14 touchdowns and is averaging 17.8 yards per completion. Junior Todd Walters and sophomore Adam Duncan have 318 and 317 receiving yards, respectively. Genoa doesn’t have that kind of runpass balance, but it hasn’t had to. The Comets, who host winless Fostoria this week, are mashing teams on the ground but can beat teams through the air. Senior quarterback Logan Scott has completed just 10 of 19 passes, but he is averaging 32.4 yards per completion and has thrown three touchdown passes. “Logan has done a remarkable job in being our field general,” Genoa coach Tim Spiess said. The Comets’ rushing attack is led by 227-pound senior David Nutter, who has
Genoa back David Nutter heads downfield in the Comets' 41-7 dismantling of visiting Eastwood. (Press photo by Harold Hamilton/HEHphotos.smugmug.com)
The Press/WRSCSports.com
GAME OF THE WEEK Genoa Comets @ Lake Flyers Lake Community Stadium
October 11 7 p.m. 96 carries for 751 yards and eight touchdowns. Casey Gose has 400 yards and six touchdowns on 23 attempts, and Jake Wojciechowski has 369 yards and five touchdowns on 29 carries. Senior tackle Michael Dieter, a Wisconsin recruit, anchors the offensive line, but Spiess said several others have looked good up front. “Tyler Baird, Jay Nino and Blake Traver have exceeded my expectations in the middle of our offensive line,” Spiess said. “Nick Herrick is a great offensive tackle. Quentin Spiess has proven to be a valuable asset with blocking and receiving, and I am very pleased with our stable of running backs.” Genoa’s defense has 16 interceptions, led by Alex Hayes with five. Even Nick Wolfe, a defensive end, has two picks. Coach Spiess, however, said there is still work to be done. “At this point in time, I think we are playing as well offensively as our 2009 team,” he said of that 11-1 squad. “Defensively, we still have some work to do. We are still missing three starters on the defensive side, but they should all be back soon. After five games, we still have a lot of work to do to realize our goal of being NBC champion. I am very pleased with the play of our offensive line and the blocking of our running backs.” Next week might not be the last meeting between the Flyers and Comets. Both teams are in Region 12 in the state com-
Lake sophomore Adam Duncan stuffs an Ottawa Hills back in the Flyer's 55-6 win. (Press photo by Heather St. John)
Players credit Emans for turnaround By Jeffrey D. Norwalk Press Contributing Writer sports@presspublications.com When it comes to their 5-0 Lake football team, returning all-league players Nick Walsh and Jared Rettig agree that the Flyers can make a bid to become legitimate contenders in the Northern Buckeye Conference under new coach Mark Emans. They say Emans is giving them the schemes, knowledge, work ethic, and sense of solidarity they need to succeed. “Coach has fit in very well in the Lake community. We’ve fully accepted him,” says Rettig. “Thanks to him, we have become a stronger team, both mentally and phsically, and I think our discipline is much improved from last year.” “This team is different than any other team I’ve been a part of,” continues Lake’s QB. “We are like brothers, and we’ve been gelling so well together ever since Coach Emans came in. Our defense is fast, and full of tough hitters. Our offense is more balanced, which makes us tough to stop. Our line has made great improvements. We have two stud running backs in junior Marcel Bryan, and sophomore Brandon Short. Marcel is our quick back, who can hit the holes fast, and bust off big runs, while Brandon is our power back who likes to run people over and push the pile forward.” Walsh adds, “I really enjoy playing for Coach Emans. He has fit in so well, puter region, and after five weeks Lake was rated No. 4 and Genoa was fifth in the ratings. The top eight teams in each region qualify for the state playoffs at the end of the regular season. Lake has been in the playoffs twice, in 2000 and ‘01, while Genoa has reached the postseason the last six years. Emans, however, was the coach at Wauseon when the
and I love what he’s done with our team this year. When he came in, he told us we needed to get back to playing physical football, and that’s what we’ve done. He’s set high standards for us, and he demands a lot, but we love playing for him.” “I think what our offensive and defensive lines have been able to do in the trenches so far this year. . .that’s the biggest reason we’ve been successful,” adds the Flyer captain. “Our lines have greatly stepped up, and they don’t get as much credit as they deserve! And, sophomore wide receiver and defensive back Adam Duncan, and junior wide receiver and defensive back Todd Walters are also two standouts who bring a lot of speed to the table for us.” “I want people to remember this team,” interjects Rettig. “I want these guys to know what it takes to be champions. I want them to be the best they can be. I want to come back 20 years from now, and see Lake making the playoffs every year.” “I’d like to leave this team with high numbers in the weight room all the time, and seeing kids in there always wanting to make themselves better,” counters Walsh. “I’d like to leave this team with the belief that they have to continue to play with passion. Playing with passion gets the team, the student body, and the community to all rise up together. Passion is a big part of this game. Passion is something you need to be good.” Indians won the D-III state title in 1993. “Lake has a state champion head coach in Mark Emans,” Spiess said. “I had to prepare for coach Emans on 15 different occasions while I was at Liberty Center. The NWOAL had four different programs win state championships and all four schools had great coaching staffs. I am a better coach today because of those battles.”