Local Sports
Friday, November 06, 2009
Chieftains hope to be lovin' it at McDonaldSports writer
BASCOM — When Hopewell-Loudon opens the playoffs Saturday night, it will be in an unfamiliar position: underdog.
Hopewell-Loudon snuck into the playoffs as the eighth seed in Division VI, Region 21, and will travel to Trumbull County to face top-seeded McDonald Saturday for the opening round at Burkey Field at 7 p.m.
“We have a pretty experienced group here,” Hopewell-Loudon coach Brian Colatruglio said. “A lot of these guys have been in these playoff games before and understand. We’ve never driven three hours to play one before, so that’s a little bit different, but it’s also kind of exciting. It’s a chance to go someplace we’ve never been and play a team we’ve never played before. I think our guys are excited, our coaches are excited and hopefully our community gets excited and makes the trip.
“It’s been a while since we could consider ourselves an underdog. We’re now the eighth seed and playing the No. 1 seed in the region, and hopefully we can use that a little bit to motivate us.”
Despite advancing to the state championship game each of the past two seasons, Hopewell-Loudon’s spot in the postseason this year was anything but certain. After losing to Carey 14-7 in Week 7, the Chieftains’ record stood at 5-2. They won out the remainder of the schedule, but still needed help in the final week of the regular season. Had Monroeville beaten Norwalk St. Paul, the Eagles would likely be making the trip east instead of Hopewell-Loudon.
Hopewell-Loudon’s No. 8 seeding is its lowest since its streak of playoff bids began in 2002. Since then, the Chieftains have enjoyed home field advantage and claimed the top seed four times, including the last two years.
“Especially our seniors, I think they felt a little bit of that,” Colatruglio said. “Obviously, we’ve established a very strong tradition here and nobody wants to be the one to break that string. It’s our eighth straight playoff appearance now at the school and I know our seniors wanted to continue that.
“Yeah, we definitely felt it a litte bit. Maybe not so much pressure, but a sense of urgency. Our play picked up those last three weeks and we were able to (essentially) play in elimination games. It is a little bit of a pressure, but now I think we get to this point that, hopefully that helps us a little bit, because we have been in almost in playoff mode for three weeks now.”
McDonald was undefeated in the regular season, winning the Inter Tri-County League’s Lower Tier title (7-0). The Blue Devils have compiled 3,253 yards in total offense (2,135 rushing, 908 passing) while surrendering just 1,307 yards defensively (982 rushing, 325 passing) and have outscored opponents 355-77. Meanwhile, the Chieftains have registered 4,278 yards in total offense (2,900 rushing, 1,378 passing) while giving up 2,591 yards on defense (1,331 rushing, 1,260 passing) and outscoring their foes 313-140.
The Blue Devils are making their fourth straight playoff appearance and their first in that span as the No. 1 seed. In 2008, McDonald lost to St. Paul 34-0 in the second round, which is the furthest the Blue Devils have advanced in their four-year run.
“McDonald’s kids have been in four straight years, too,” Colatruglio said. “They make the playoffs every year, so I don’t think playoff experience is a huge advantage either way. We’re both used to it and we’ve both come to kind of expect that.
“As far as being the eighth seed, I don’t know that we’re the typical eighth seed. We’ve been the one seed the last few years (and) you hope to not have to play a team that has the kind of experience we do and you know aren’t going to be intimidated by being in the playoffs. I don’t know that experience is a huge advantage, but it would be for (McDonald) if we didn’t have it. I’m glad our kids have been through that and hopefully we can call on that a little bit.”
McDonald is not a team Hopewell-Loudon has encountered before. The Chieftains didn’t have any common opponents with the Blue Devils, Colatruglio and his staff have only tape by which to gauge the Blue Devils.
“We’re pretty similar,” Colatruglio said. “We both want to run the ball and they do it a little bit different. They really like to get on the edges. They have some backs that are pretty fast and they try to get outside. But they’re a run-first team and they want to pound you. They’re not going to throw it a whole lot.
“They’re pretty physical. As far as the match-up, it’s a solid match up for us because I think their strenghths are our strengths. I think it’s going to be a great game.”
Senior running back Nick Cupan leads the Blue Devils’ offensive charge having run for 1,138 yards on 158 carries and scoring 26 touchdowns. Senior quarterback Zach Puntel has completed 11 of 24 passing attempts for 334 yards.
“(Cupan) is their key. He’s their best back,” Colatruglio said. “He’s got nice speed and he also plays inside linebacker and makes a lot of tackles for them. So, he’s their best guy.
“They’re physical up front on both sides of the ball, especially their D line. That’s something that’s definitely a concern. Their two tackles are really good and they run to the ball and they get off the ball and they’re physical. That’s pretty much what it comes down to: we have to contain (Cupan) on defense and we have to block their down tackles on offense.”
Senior running backs Matt Brickner and Aaron Kapelka pack a 1-2 punch for the Chieftains, having ranked fourth and fifth in the Midland Athletic League in rushing with 1,090 and 937 yards, respectively. Brickner led the league in scoring with 21 touchdowns and 128 points.
Senior Chieftains wide receiver Miles Chapman caught 32 passes for 414 yards and six touchdowns, while Brickner pulled in 29 receptions for 387 yards. Senior quarterback Ethan Fuller was second in the MAL in passing yards, totaling 1,286 yards while completing 96 of 185.
Probable starters for the Chieftains offense include Fuller at quarterback, Kapelka at running back, and seniors Jaren Wickham and Brickner at the slots. The split ends will be sophomore Austin Harrison and Chapman. Senior Grant Hess will be at center, with seniors Luke Swartzmiller and Aric Hoover at the guards. The tackles will be senior Hudson Smith and sophomore Eric Depinet.
Defensive starters for Hopewell-Loudon will likely be Hess and Hoover at the tackles, with Kapelka and senior Cody Feathers playing the ends. The inside linebackers will be Depinet and Smith, while Chapman and Brickner will be the outside linebackers. Harrison and Wickham will be at the corners with sophomore James Roush at safety.
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Ph: (419) 435-6641 • Fax: (419) 435-9073
113 E. Center St. • P.O. Box 947
Fostoria, OH 44830
The Findlay Publishing Company
P.O. Box 609
Findlay, OH 45839-0609
Phone: (419) 422-5151
www.findlaypublishing.com
Please read our privacy guidelines
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