Newton Falls riding high after upset, sets sights on defending TAC champs

& lt;a href=mailto:richesson@vindy.com & gt;By BRIAN RICHESSON & lt;/a & gt;
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
"Unfinished Business -- the Rally Continues."
"Back for the At - TAC - k."
Newton Falls and Girard bring respective catchy mottos and 2-0 Trumbull Athletic Conference records into Friday night's showdown at the Tigers' stadium.
Fueling Newton Falls' drive is the possibility of back-to-back playoff appearances. Girard has high hopes of successfully defending its TAC title.
Something has to give as the high school football season begins second-half play.
"We graduated a bunch of kids, and they have a bunch back," Girard coach Bud McSuley said. "When [an opponent] has experience, that's always a great challenge."
On the move
The Tigers also are riding high after three consecutive wins, highlighted by a 28-15 victory over Hubbard on Sept. 12.
That broke Newton Falls' four-game losing streak against the Eagles and provided it with an opportunity to take over sole possession of first place in the TAC.
"That was a big pick-me-up for us," Newton Falls coach Marc Bjelac said. "We haven't gotten them too many times."
McSuley added, "[Newton Falls] made the plays when Hubbard didn't, and they're sitting at 2-0 in the league. Trumbull County thought it was a big upset, but those kids played hard and earned the victory."
Since that win, the Tigers (3-2) added another over Champion last week, supporting Bjelac's claim that his team must forget about the Eagles and move forward.
"That set the tone for our league opponents, but by no means can we go back and think about that," Bjelac said. "You can't overcelebrate, and you can't sulk."
Newton Falls is thriving on balance, anchored by a once-shuffled offensive line that is beginning to jell.
"We tell our kids there are no heroes. You win as a team," Bjelac said.
The Tigers haven't won a Trumbull league title since 1968 -- the league's first year in existence. With a win Friday night, they'd be one step closer to ending that drought.
"We were a playoff team last year," Bjelac said. "We were certainly hoping to be in this situation."
Eliminating growing pains
Girard (3-2), meanwhile, has nurtured its youth effectively while following the leadership of senior quarterback Matt Zuppo and a high-powered offense.
"Our kids work hard, prepare hard and practice hard, and they expect to win on Friday night," said McSuley, when asked about the challenges of playing as the TAC's defending champion.
"That's the bottom line," he added. "We take one day at a time to get better, and we're playing the league one game at a time."