While there were ghosts, goblins and other monsters roaming the streets of Chardon on Halloween, the scariest sight was a group of Mustangs at Memorial Field.
While there were ghosts, goblins and other monsters roaming the streets of Chardon on Halloween, the scariest sight was a group of Mustangs at Memorial Field.
The Maple Heights passing game was simply too much for the Hilltoppers, who fell in the first round of the Division III, Region 9 playoffs by a 42-33 score.
Entering the game as the 12 seed, Heights was a much better team than their seeding. However, injuries and a weak schedule equaled fewer computer points and put them in a position where they nearly did not make the playoffs.
While Chardon battled all night, the speed of the Mustangs was difficult for the Toppers to match.
“Credit to them,” said Chardon Head Coach Brian Landies. “They’re super fast. If you’re in the wrong spot, if you don’t pressure the quarterback, he’s got all kinds of time to throw and those kids get open. If you pressure him, they throw a screen.
“It’s tough to defend, but I couldn’t be more proud of our kids. They way they fought. They never gave up. They never lost belief,” he added.
The game started out well for Chardon, who took the opening kickoff and methodically drove down the field. Senior halfback Drayton Allgood score the game’s first touchdown on a jet sweep to the right side to put the Hilltoppers up 7-0 with 4:26 to go in the first.
Chardon then surprised the Mustangs with an onside kick, which they recovered.
However, the Maple Heights defense forced the Hilltoppers to punt.
Heights responded back immediately and 13 seconds into the second quarter, they got on the scoreboard.
Senior quarterback Luke Anzlover connected with senior wide receiver Enrique Robertston for a 21-yard reception. The two-point conversion was no good, leaving Chardon up 7-6.
Less than 20 seconds later, Allgood responded with a 69-yard run. Officials ruled him down as the 1-yardline and the Toppers appeared ready to capitalize. However, a crucial mistake cost them.
Chardon fumbled the ball, which was recovered by Maple Heights on its own 1.
Backed up to their goal line, the Mustangs felt the full wrath of the Chardon defense, which forced a safety.
Sophmore kicker Jordan Higham, battling a fierce crosswind, connected on a 28-yard field goal to give Chadon a 12-6 lead with 8:41 to play before halftime.
Not to be outdone, the Mustangs came right back.
Senior Mike Banks hauled in a 36-yard touchdown pass less than half a minute later to tie the game at 12.
After trading punts, the Hilltoppers got the ball back and junior Rocco Tarantino capped off a quick drive with a 3-yard touchdown run to send Chardon into the locker room at halftime up 19-12.
The third quarter belonged the Mustangs, who outscored Chardon 16-0, thanks to touchdown runs by junior Andrew Cummins-Byrd and Banks, plus two successful 2-point conversions.
A Cummins-Byrd touchdown run 8 seconds into the fourth quarter, plus the 2-point conversion, increased the Heights lead to 36-19.
The 24-0 run by Heights was too much for Chardon to overcome in the fourth quarter, despite a gutsy effort.
With 10:22 to play, sophomore quarterback Andrew Cole found Allgood all alone in the middle of field and he turned the catch into a 45-yard touchdown reception to make it a two score game 36-26.
Chadon’s defense forced a quick three and out, but the Heights punt pinned Chardon back at their own 3-yarldine. In roughly four minutes, the Toppers scored again, as Cole and Allgood connected for a 32-yard reception to make it 36-33 with 6:23 to go.
However, that would be as close as Chardon would come.
A fake punt with under four minutes to play gave the Mustangs a first down and they put the game away with a Banks 16-yard run with under a minute to go.
For the Hilltoppers this could be looked at as a game of missed opportuntieis.
“We had our opportunities and we didn’t capitalize on them,” said Landies.
Following the game, the seniors reminisced about their time together.
“It hurts to lose because we’ve been playing together for so long,” said senior linebacker Jayden Buth. “This senior class is pretty special. Everyone doubted us at the start of the season. Everybody though we wouldn’t win because we had a new coach. We made the playoffs. I can’t ask for anything better.”
Allgood started playing with the group in his freshman year, and while he doesn’t have the decade plus relationships that others may have, he still feels like family.
“I’m so proud of them because I feel like we grew from our freshman year,” he said. “We’re not a dominating senior class, but what stands out is that we’re family.”
Senior defensive lineman Matthew McIllory echoed the family feeling.
“I love those boys. They accepted me into the family,” he said. “They mean everything to me. We’ve spent the last four years together, through sucky practices, topper and stuff that Chardon is known for. I’m not going to remember the wins. I’m going to remember the hard times.
“These memories you make and the friendships you build, it’s so crucial to the future of life. It’s the dudes you’re going to be like who are your best man at your wedding,” McIllroy added.
Allgood hopes the senior class will be remembered for sticking together for all four years.
“The summer workouts with the boys, that was awesome,” he said. These guys put a lot of work on. We woke up at 6 a.m. every morning in the summer and got after it, and these guys really put their helmets to the field, and they did it all year.”
“I can’t imagine going to another school because they don’t have what we have,” said Buth. “Out of the 12 months of the year, we’re probably together for eight months.”
Buth called the senior class driven and talked about the Fourth of July workout and Alpine Valley.
“Nobody wants to go and work, but we go to Alpine and bust our butts going up the hill; it’s just team bonding,” he said.
“If we can’t show the underclassmen what it’s like to be when we’re losing and what it’s like to have the drive and work ethic, then the culture losses its significance,” McIllroy added.
