CITY SERIES CHAMPIONS Chaney meets goal

Running back Ed McElroy and junior quarterback Justin Hood rushed the Cowboys to victory against Canton Timken.
By BRIAN RICHESSON
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
YOUNGSTOWN -- There are too many numbers and too many rumors to concern Ron Berdis.
This he knows: His Chaney High football team must finish 7-3 for it to have any shot at the playoffs.
"We told the kids after we let Mooney get away [a 17-13 loss in Week 7] that we've got to finish 7-3," Berdis said, "and then we'll see what happens."
The Cowboys took another step Thursday with a 34-6 victory over Canton Timken at Stambaugh Stadium.
Title team
In the process, Chaney (6-3, 3-0) clinched its fifth straight City Series title and 12th in the last 13 years. It happened on a night when former Chaney coach Ed Matey was honored for 35 years of service at his alma mater.
"I don't get into all those numbers, and I know a lot of guys do," said Berdis, on his team's playoff chances. "If you go on the Internet you go crazy because one guy says you've got a shot; the other guy says there's no shot."
Chaney will finish its season Oct. 25 at Niles and hope the numbers fall in its favor.
"If it doesn't happen, it's because we allowed it to get away," Berdis said of a playoff berth. "We were in control of our own destiny."
Leaders of the pack
Senior running back Ed McElroy and junior quarterback Justin Hood rushed the Cowboys to victory against Timken (2-7, 0-2).
McElroy ran for 103 yards and scored three touchdowns, one on a 41-yard reception from Hood, who also ran for 132 yards and a touchdown. Junior Devon Johnson scored Chaney's other touchdown on a 20-yard run.
"We needed this to help us for the playoffs," McElroy said. "This also gives us bragging rights in the City, when we go out and see our friends."
Chaney's defense was six points shy of shutting out the City Series in consecutive seasons. In fact, on the drive in which Timken scored, Berdis believed the Cowboys recovered a fumble.
Either way, Chaney continued its dominance over City opponents. The last school to win a league title, other than Chaney, was East in 1997 under coach Mark Lyden.
"Our kids buy into that year-round preparation," Berdis said. "With the low numbers that we have, we just have to outwork everybody."
Attention-getter
Chaney took control as the first half closed, on McElroy's most impressive touchdown of the game -- the 41-yard reception from Hood.
The quarterback backpedaled, bought time and then lobbed the ball to McElroy on a screen pass.
"Eddie's no surprise, and Justin has gotten better and better under center," Berdis said. "Those guys up front are doing a great job, also."
The 5-foot-11, 175-pound McElroy raced to the left sideline, broke a couple of tackles and reversed his direction, running to the right corner of the end zone to help give Chaney a 15-6 halftime lead.
The rest is City Series history.
"Being able to get our sixth win and then winning the City outright -- those were two goals," Berdis said. "To keep any type of breathing alive in this playoff hunt, it was imperative that we win out."
richesson@vindy.com