Falcons have to contain Glenville

The Tarblooders are a speedy bunch.
By JOE SCALZO
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
AUSTINTOWN -- Fitch High football coach Neal Kopp isn't sure how his team will fare against Cleveland Glenville on Saturday, but he does know one thing.
"I'm sure glad we're not running against them in a 4x400 relay," he said, laughing. "There's no doubt they've got as much talent, if not more, than anyone we've seen all year.
"Those guys would scare just about anyone in the state."
Glenville, which has won back-to-back Division I state track titles, may have the state's fastest team, but the Tarblooders will face one of the state's strongest teams when they play the Falcons at Fitch High stadium at 7 p.m. Saturday.
"I don't think we want to get into a track meet with them," said Kopp. "We're going to try to grind the ball at them and dominate the trenches."
Led by senior defensive back Jamario O'Neal, an Ohio State recruit, the Tarblooders have won eight straight games after a 30-26 loss to Warren Harding in week two when Mario Manningham scored a late touchdown.
Kopp expects Glenville to stay with its spread offense to create mismatches in the open field and utilize its speed.
"It's great that we have them on grass, as opposed to on turf," said Kopp. "They've got to feel confident about playing in the shotgun spread, since we struggled with that at times against [Canton] GlenOak and [North Canton] Hoover. And Glenville definitely has a lot more talented skill players than both those schools."
Matchup problems
Conversely, Glenville has not seen a team quite like Fitch, which is making its first playoff appearance since 1992.
The Falcons (9-1) employ a bevy of running backs, including Mike Eliseo, Taylor Edwards, Tom Sudetic, Melvin Davis and Dane Stilgenbauer, who run behind a big line.
Quarterback John Mang is also more of a running threat -- he threw just 35 times this season -- and the Tarblooders will be hard-pressed to handle Fitch up front.
"It's probably just as difficult for them to prepare for us as it is for us to prepare for them," Kopp said.
Glenville has sent several players to Division I colleges over the past few years, including four to Ohio State. Quarterback Troy Smith, receiver Ted Ginn Jr. and cornerback Donte Whitner have all started for the Buckeyes this year. In addition to O'Neal -- arguably the top prospect in the state -- seniors Freddie Lenix and Curtis Smith should be playing in major colleges next season.
"I have a lot of respect for what [Coach] Ted Ginn has done up there," said Kopp said. "He has to deal with a lot more than X's and O's."
Playoff schedule
Kopp, who took over for Carl Pelini two years ago, will be coaching his first playoff game at Fitch, but he was an assistant at Mooney from 1993-99 when the Cardinals went to the postseason four times.
The Falcons have played four playoff teams in the last six weeks -- beating three of them -- and Kopp thinks their rugged schedule has prepared them for the weeks ahead.
"We've been playing in a playoff-type atmosphere," he said. "We've been the team to beat in the league, so everyone has brought their 'A' game against us. And in nine of our 10 games, we've brought our 'A' game.
"That's what it's going to take for us to win."
scalzo@vindy.com