Cards romp to 11-0 mark

Canfield advanced to play Metro Athletic Conference-rival Howland -- which it beat 25-8 in Week 5.
By JOE SCALZO
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
CANFIELD -- According to Canfield High football coach Mike Pavlansky, the Cardinals' greatest asset -- above their senior class, their talent and their leadership -- is their resilience.
With minutes left in the first half of Friday's 49-28 regional quarterfinal win over Maple Heights, that resilience was tested.
Senior running back Tom Rogers -- who Pavlansky said "might be the toughest kid, pound for pound, on the team," -- lay motionless with a concussion just a few feet from the Canfield sideline.
Rogers was carried off the field on a stretcher. On the next play, Canfield scored.
"When we face adversity, our kids don't panic," Pavlansky said. "We responded so well."
Senior quarterback Leo Sorice hit senior tight end Joe Mosca for a 44-yard touchdown to give Canfield a 21-7 lead in the Division II, Region 5 game.
"That was huge," senior Tim Dewberry, who ran 15 times for 164 yards and two touchdowns, said. "Rogers is one of our strongest defenders and we stepped up a whole lot for him."
The Cardinals scored four more touchdowns, and held off a strong Mustang passing game.
The Cardinals (11-0) advance to play Metro Athletic Conference-rival Howland -- which they beat 25-8 in Week 5 -- next Friday at a site to be determined.
"What a great rematch for the area and for the MAC," Pavlansky said.
Defense does job
The Cardinals defense stuffed Maple Heights' running attack early and forced five turnovers. The Mustangs finished with 25 carries for just 13 yards on the ground.
"At first, we thought they would just try to run [running back Jevontae Freeman] at us," Dewberry said. "But we stopped him in the first quarter and forced them to throw."
Which they did. A lot.
Mustangs quarterback Joe Zeffer completed 22 of 37 passes for 342 yards, four touchdowns and four interceptions -- including two by Canfield senior John Virostko.
His main target was speedy wideout Ron Lewis, who caught nine passes for 167 yards and two touchdowns.
"He's just a tremendous athlete," Pavlansky said of Lewis.
Added Dewberry, "I've never seen someone catch the ball like that."
Canfield was more balanced, gaining 292 yards rushing and 159 yards passing -- including a 70-yard touchdown from Leo Sorice to Chase Axelson that gave the Cardinals a 35-21 fourth quarter lead.
"We knew we'd be facing eight or nine man fronts, but we knew that if we blocked well, we'd have a footrace [in the secondary]," Pavlansky said. "And we've got some kids who are pretty quick."
Canfield had six plays of 20 yards or more -- including a 58-yard fourth quarter touchdown by Dewberry that all but put the game away.
Sorice completed 7 of 13 passes for 159 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions. He also had the game's final score -- a 1-yard touchdown run.
Mike Turjanica added eight carries for 72 yards and a touchdown and Axelson caught five passes for 103 yards.
Rogers had four carries for 32 yards and a touchdown.
Negative
"The CAT scan was negative and we thank the good Lord for that," Pavlansky said. "We're going to protect him and do what's in his best interest. But we hope that he can play next week."
But if Rogers can't play, the Cardinals won't panic. Like Pavlansky said -- they're resilient.
"We've just got to step up and get ready for our next challenge," Dewberry said.
scalzo@vindy.com