Local Sports
Thursday, October 08, 2009
Another tough foe up for SWSPORTS EDITOR
Coach Bill Hrabak dug into the inspiration archives last week and showed his St. Wendelin Mohawks parts of the film "Miracle," the story of the gold-medal-winning U.S. Olympic hockey team from 1980, before their game with a strong Waynesfield-Goshen squad.
He said the film didn't seem to excite the players much and St. Wendelin took a 46-0 beating from the Tigers.
And in the aftermath of their sixth loss in as many outings this season, Hrabak said his young squad needed some help with their psyches.
"You could tell after this game they were as deflated as they were against Ridgemont," Hrabak said, referring to the previous week's defeat. "I told them their performance on the field is going to directly influence the future of the program because the young kids are looking at them."
All things considered, though, Hrabak said, his band of 19 available players for this week is keeping its spirits up and showing a willingness to take on the challenges as they come.
Next up for the Mohawks (0-6 overall, 0-4 Northwest Central Conference) is a trip to Milford Center Friday for a 7 p.m. contest with Fairbanks (4-2, 3-0), which is tied for the conference lead with Waynesfield-Goshen.
Hrabak said a coaching mistake may have been made last week by emphasizing too much to his players just how good the Tigers were.
"We figure last week we may have scared our kids into submission and they just froze," he said.
This week's he's hoping his team will be more apt to go after the Panthers with less talk about them. But it's not as though he's telling his players any lies or disrespecting the opponent.
"This week is going to be a challenge," he said.
Fairbanks runs a wing-T offense that features the league's top rusher in senior Tyler Smith (805 yards) and the No. 4 runner in sophomore Max Burnside (347 yards).
The Panthers also sport a strong two-way lineman in 6-foot-3, 260-pound senior Jim Alderman.
A top performer for the Mohawks this season has been 5-7, 144-pound sophomore Chase Beam, who not only has had some fine moments as his team's quarterback but also ranks fifth in the league in tackles with 48 from his outside linebacker spot.
Hrabak has talked all season about how inconsistency in execution has been his team's biggest problem. And, he noted, the fact remains that the young players have to commit fully to increasing their size and strength in the offseason in order to make a difference in the results on the field.
"They have to decide from within that they want to change the situation," he said.
Beam will be joined in St. Wendelin's starting offensive backfield by junior Elli Hipsher and sophomore Brent Williams at running back and sophomore George Iannantuono at slotback. Sophomore Alex Shontz and freshman Austin Reinhart will be the wide receivers. Sophomore Alex Galvan will be the center, with junior Mike Gutierez and sophomore Alex Kleinfelter at the guards and sophomore Jacob Hay and freshman Zach Gillett at the tackles.
The Mohawks' starting defensive line will include Hipsher and senior Jordan Sullivan at the ends and Galvan and Gutierez at the tackles. Hay and freshman Zach Miller will be the inside linebackers, with Beam and Williams at outside linebacker. Shontz and Reinhart will be the cornerbacks and Iannantuono will be the 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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