Following two weeks of struggles, the Chardon offense witnessed a rebirth in their 52-0 Western Reserve Conference win over South.
Game photos click here.
Following two weeks of struggles, the Chardon offense witnessed a rebirth in their 52-0 Western Reserve Conference win over South.
Unlike the last two games, the Toppers (4-2, 1-1 WRC) came out fired up on Friday night at Chardon Memorial against the Rebels (2-5, 0-2 WRC).
“That’s the part I’m most pleased with,” said Chardon Head Coach Mitch Hewitt. “I think we’ve come out flat, and for sure came out flat last week, and it’s a reflection on our staff and specifically me. So, I took it personally.”
The Hilltoppers had a hard week of practice and change up some things offensively, including getting back to the basics on offense.
“We got back to more of our roots, true double teams, less polling,” Hewitt said. “We were trying to get too cute early on and it probably cost us last week. Monday we got back to our roots and it showed. We’ll see as we face greater competition.”
“We had a lot of energy pregame, and we went back to the basics on offense,” said senior linebacker and split end Beckett Dotson. “We just stripped it all out and went back to our basic stuff, basic playbook and focused on running it perfectly.”
Not only did Chardon go back to the basics on offense, but they made multiple changes pregame, including huddling on the practice field before entering the stadium.
“I had chills and it was wild,” said Hewitt. “I felt like I could have taken a rep and it was good to see how these kids responded. Even in the locker room everything was different, like the energy in the tunnel. There was passion and you can’t play this game without passion.”
It all paid off, as Chardon dominated from the get-go.
Following a South three and out on the first series, the Hilltopper offense needed two plays to find paydirt.
Junior quarterback Drayton Allgood had runs of 10 and 52 yards. On the 52-yard score, the offensive line opened up a massive hole and he blew past the Rebels defenders on his way into the endzone.
The touchdown snapped a streak of nearly eight quarters since the Toppers last touchdown and created some much-needed offensive momentum.
“It was a huge score,” said sophomore fullback Drew Platz. “It really gave us some momentum for the rest of the game.”
“We went back to the true double-team, and man, it did exactly what we wanted it to do – move the line of scrimmage,” said Dotson of the offensive line’s blocking. “They were killing it tonight.”
Chardon struck again midway through the first when senior halfback Caleb Hewitt scored from a yard out to make it 14-0.
The touchdown was setup by an ankle-breaking run by Allgood, who did his best Barry Sanders impersonation. Allgood ran the left, slammed on the breaks, and turned the on the jets to head to the right side of the field.
“He’s slick,” said coach Hewitt. “He’s a guy that if you’re coaching against, every time he touches the ball it makes you nervous.”
With 6:52 to play in the second quarter, Allgood scored his second touchdown of the game – this time an 11-yard run to up the score to 21-0.
On the ensuing possession, Hewitt intercepted South junior quarterback Liam Coyne and took it 50 yards to the house for a pick-six.
“That’s coach Landies putting these kids in a position to be successful,” explained coach Hewitt of the play. “Our coaches were calling it on the sidelines that we were going to pick this one. That’s how well they know the opponent’s offense.”
Up 28-0, the special teams wanted to get in on the action.
Senior Kevin Manary blocked a punt, which was picked up by Dotson on the South 5. Platz finished it off, as he scored his first career touchdown on a 1-yard run.
“That’s Kevin; he’s just a fast dude,” said Dotson of the blocked punt. “He sprinted right off the edge and blocked it. It’s our third blocked punt of the year.”
Platz credited the coaching staff and his offensive line for his first varsity touchdown.
“We went back to the basics of our old, hard-nosed football, so that was ISOS and jets,” he said. “The offensive line helped a lot on that run. I couldn’t have scored without my o-line.”
Entering the season, Platz was the backup fullback behind senior Vinny Colombi, who was injured the Avon Lake game and has not played since.
For Platz, it’s been a baptism by fire.
“It’s been a lot pressure, but Vinny and the everyone else has really helped me learn the playbook and learn what I’m supposed to do,” Platz said.
“He’s a sophomore who probably thought he was going to play special teams this year and starts against Mentor [scrimmage], the number one team in Division I, starts against Bishop Watterson, the number one team in Division III and then plays Kenston,” said coach Hewitt. “That’s baptism by fire and it’s probably unrealistic to expect him to play phenomenally in those games, but he’s got a good bloodline, good DNA and he’s going to be a very good football player for us. I was glad to see him get that first score today.
More than just a ball carrier, Hewitt explained that Platz is the lead blocker on jet sweeps.
“He’s the one who really has to read it first, even before our halfback. It may look like our halfback is reading it, but he’s really reading the fullback,” he said. “It’s hard because it happens so quick and you got to be violent with it. That’s probably a little bit more of his growing pains and he’s still a little tip-toey at times, but he’s getting better each week.”
Early in the third quarter the Toppers scored their final points of the half, as senior kicker Sam Sacerich booted a 38-yard field goal to put Chardon up 38-0.
The Hilltoppers, who struggled to gain yards the last two games, amassed 354 total yards of offense, including 349 rushing yards against South. Chardon offense picked up 19 first downs, but was penalized eight times for 90 yards.
Allgood led all runners with 156 yards and two touchdowns. Hewitt ran for 73 yards and one touchdown. Platz added 38 rushing yards and 1 touchdown.
With the starters on the bench, the second and third units kept the pressure on the Rebels.
Late in the third, the specials teams unit came up big again. A bad snap on a South punt ended with Dotson tackling the punter on the South 15.
Freshman A.C. Cole made the Rebels pay by running it in from 15-yards out to give Chardon a 45-0 lead.
Early in the fourth quarter, junior Cal Smith punched it in from 33-yards out for the final score of the game.
While the offense stole the show, the defense shut down South.
Chardon’s defense limited the Rebels to 47 total yards of offense – 15 through the air and 32 on the ground – and two first downs.
“It’s a testament to the way they prepare,” said Hewitt. “I thought we brought so much energy, like on the second play of the game where his [Rebel running back Jayden Hardy] helmet flew off. Something was different and it’s exactly how the game should be played.”
Chardon’s final home game of the regular season is Thursday night, as the Hilltoppers host Mayfield (3-4, 1-1 WRC).
“It’s a fast turnaround, but it’s senior night,” said Hewitt. “Our kids are going to be excited for it and if they can anything in terms of replicating how they entered the stadium tonight on Thursday, I like our odds.”
