CHARDON, Ohio – Chardon football coach Mitch Hewitt says his team has yet to peak. If Friday’s game was any indication of what’s to come, the rest of the state should be put on notice.
Chardon (6-0, 3-0), the defending Div. III state champs and No. 1-ranked team in the state according to the Associated Press, dominated all three phases of the game on the way to a convincing 49-0 win over visiting Kenston (5-1, 1-1) in Western Reserve Conference play. It’s the 18th consecutive victory for the Hilltoppers and fourth in a row over the Bombers, who entered the game ranked third in the AP Div. III poll.
“Our kids are engaged all week long and I give them a lot of credit for that,” said Hewitt. “It’s easy certain weeks to rest on what you’ve done, but this team didn’t do that. They came out fired up and executed in every phase tonight.”
In a matchup of two of the top-ranked teams in their division, Chardon imposed its will and physicality from the start — with all three phases contributing.
After scoring on their first possession — a 49-yard pass from quarterback Alex Henry to Nathanael Sulka — the Hilltoppers converted by way of special teams on a 62-yard punt return by junior Heath Fitchek.
The rest of the half belonged to the host’s suffocating defense. Entering the game having allowed 5.5 points per game, the Chardon defense showcased its dominance in the first two quarters, recording four takeaways and holding the Bombers to 54 yards and two first downs.
“It’s what we do, it’s what we practice all week,” said senior lineman Alex McDonald. “We were really prepared for them and really fired up knowing how high they were ranked in the state.”
Senior defensive back Brody Dotson recovered a fumble and scored, while Rocco Perrico added a fumble recovery, and juniors Alex Kisley and Trey Liebhardt nabbed interceptions.
“We didn’t know what to totally expect defensively this year because we were replacing so many parts,” added Hewitt, whose team will travel to New Philadelphia next week for a non-conference game. “I think they’ve made a lot of people believers at this point.”
At one point in the second quarter, the Hilltoppers scored three touchdowns — two off quick takeaways — in less than a minute of action, en route to building a 42-point lead at the break and a running clock to start the third period.
The Chardon defensive line, made up of McDonald, Michael Washington, Cooper Felger, and Alex Kisley, consistently brought pressure and made it tough for Kenston to move the ball. Collectively, they led a unit that forced seven three-and-outs and held the Bombers to 69 yards, including 1-of-9 passing.
In addition, they halted Kenston dual-threat quarterback J.P. Germano, who came into the game having tallied 484 yards rushing the past two weeks, to 21 yards on 14 attempts.
“We preach aggressiveness, especially on the defensive line,” said Kisley. “It’s what we’re all about, bringing that tenacious mentality, and it showed tonight.”
The Hilltoppers, ranked No. 6 in the cleveland.com Top 25, totaled 281 yards, 225 on the ground. Senior Sean Carr led the way with 62 yards and two touchdowns on eight carries, while Henry added 47 yards and a score on four attempts.
“They understand it’s a marathon not a sprint,” said Hewitt. “We’ve got to continue to keep people healthy and keep getting better because we haven’t peaked yet and we’re excited about that.”
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Dazzling on offense, defense and special teams, No. 6 Chardon routs Kenston 49-0 - cleveland.com
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