MOGADORE: It's just another reloading year at Mogadore.
So what if it lost an all-everything running back and virtually all the skill players from a year ago? No need to rebuild, the Wildcats have plenty more where that came from.
A stable of four solid running backs has replaced graduated star Cody Destro, hardly missing a beat. Even the absence of its starting quarterback for most of the game couldn't slow down Mogadore, which pounded out a 40-21 Portage Trail County Division victory over Woodridge Friday night.
A prolific passing game by Woodridge threatened to make things interesting in the second half, but the Bulldogs couldn't overcome a 28-0 halftime deficit.
The two teams play every year, and Woodridge has not won in a decade.
''We gotta slay that dragon,'' said Woodridge fifth-year coach Eric Ervin. ''We are getting better, but now we have to wait another 365 days to do it.''
First-half miscues derailed the Bulldogs' hopes, particularly a fumble on their first possession. After stopping the Wildcats on downs, Woodridge (3-3, 1-2) drove from its own 36 with a first down at Mogadore's 14.
But Mogadore's Joe Scolaro pounced on a fumble and the Wildcats (6-0, 3-0) embarked on a long touchdown drive, its first of three in a row.
Then with time running out in the first half, sophomore defensive end Jake McAvinew intercepted a shovel pass in a jumble of players at his own 29 and raced 71 yards for the back-breaking score that made it 28-0.
''It went right here and I caught it,'' said McAvinew, pointing to his midsection. ''How it got there I have no idea.''
McAvinew, who earned honorable mention all-state as a freshman last year, is one of the running backs. The 5-foot-9, 185-pounder also scored on a 23-yard run that made it 14-0 with 8:01 left in the second quarter. He gained 56 yards on seven carries.
''They put me in when they need me on offense,'' McAvinew said. ''Going both ways can be tiring, especially playing the defensive line.''
''It's nice to have that marquee back,'' Mogadore coach Matt Adorni said. ''But without one, it keeps the other team off balance. They don't know where it's coming from.''
Mike Leymon, a 215-pound junior, carried the ball 21 times for 89 yards and two short first-half touchdown runs. Kodey Chance added an outside dimension, leading all rushers with 187 yards on 15 carries, including a 54-yard touchdown to make it 34-7 early in the second half.
''This is one of the most coachable groups I've had in five years here,'' Adorni said.
Drew Babbitt replaced usual starting quarterback Chad White, who suffered scrapes on his throwing hand in an all-terrain vehicle accident last week. Still, White entered the game in the first scoring drive to throw for a first down off a fake punt during a 16-play, 84-yard drive capped by Leymon's 3-yard touchdown.
White also threw a 38-yard pass to Landon Trainer for the game's final score with 5:22 left.
Woodridge quarterback Anthony Westren completed 23-of-38 passes for 311 yards and three touchdowns, most of it in the second half when the Bulldogs threw on nearly every play. He had scoring passes of 40 and 82 yards to Brandyn Peters, the second cutting the lead to 34-21 with 8:38 left in the game.
Peters caught 11 passes for 239 yards. Josh Chadima also grabbed a 23-yard scoring toss from Westren.
''Our quarterback is a good player,'' Ervin said. ''We wanted to run the ball but after getting down 14-0, we had to throw it a lot more.''
MOGADORE: It's just another reloading year at Mogadore.
So what if it lost an all-everything running back and virtually all the skill players from a year ago? No need to rebuild, the Wildcats have plenty more where that came from.
A stable of four solid running backs has replaced graduated star Cody Destro, hardly missing a beat. Even the absence of its starting quarterback for most of the game couldn't slow down Mogadore, which pounded out a 40-21 Portage Trail County Division victory over Woodridge Friday night.
A prolific passing game by Woodridge threatened to make things interesting in the second half, but the Bulldogs couldn't overcome a 28-0 halftime deficit.
The two teams play every year, and Woodridge has not won in a decade.
''We gotta slay that dragon,'' said Woodridge fifth-year coach Eric Ervin. ''We are getting better, but now we have to wait another 365 days to do it.''
First-half miscues derailed the Bulldogs' hopes, particularly a fumble on their first possession. After stopping the Wildcats on downs, Woodridge (3-3, 1-2) drove from its own 36 with a first down at Mogadore's 14.
But Mogadore's Joe Scolaro pounced on a fumble and the Wildcats (6-0, 3-0) embarked on a long touchdown drive, its first of three in a row.
Then with time running out in the first half, sophomore defensive end Jake McAvinew intercepted a shovel pass in a jumble of players at his own 29 and raced 71 yards for the back-breaking score that made it 28-0.
''It went right here and I caught it,'' said McAvinew, pointing to his midsection. ''How it got there I have no idea.''
McAvinew, who earned honorable mention all-state as a freshman last year, is one of the running backs. The 5-foot-9, 185-pounder also scored on a 23-yard run that made it 14-0 with 8:01 left in the second quarter. He gained 56 yards on seven carries.
''They put me in when they need me on offense,'' McAvinew said. ''Going both ways can be tiring, especially playing the defensive line.''
''It's nice to have that marquee back,'' Mogadore coach Matt Adorni said. ''But without one, it keeps the other team off balance. They don't know where it's coming from.''
Mike Leymon, a 215-pound junior, carried the ball 21 times for 89 yards and two short first-half touchdown runs. Kodey Chance added an outside dimension, leading all rushers with 187 yards on 15 carries, including a 54-yard touchdown to make it 34-7 early in the second half.
''This is one of the most coachable groups I've had in five years here,'' Adorni said.
Drew Babbitt replaced usual starting quarterback Chad White, who suffered scrapes on his throwing hand in an all-terrain vehicle accident last week. Still, White entered the game in the first scoring drive to throw for a first down off a fake punt during a 16-play, 84-yard drive capped by Leymon's 3-yard touchdown.
White also threw a 38-yard pass to Landon Trainer for the game's final score with 5:22 left.
Woodridge quarterback Anthony Westren completed 23-of-38 passes for 311 yards and three touchdowns, most of it in the second half when the Bulldogs threw on nearly every play. He had scoring passes of 40 and 82 yards to Brandyn Peters, the second cutting the lead to 34-21 with 8:38 left in the game.
Peters caught 11 passes for 239 yards. Josh Chadima also grabbed a 23-yard scoring toss from Westren.
''Our quarterback is a good player,'' Ervin said. ''We wanted to run the ball but after getting down 14-0, we had to throw it a lot more.''