Bayuk: Just do it, at Lake Catholic

The unbeaten Eagles (9-0) have a tall task in their Division III playoff opener.
By JOE SCALZO
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
HUBBARD -- As a reward for its undefeated season, the Hubbard High football team gets to go on the road on Saturday to play one of the top programs in Division III, Mentor Lake Catholic.
Just don't expect Eagles coach Jeff Bayuk to complain about it.
"To be honest, I don't think there's an easy draw in our region," said Bayuk, whose team is making its fifth playoff appearance in six years. "Just to finish in the top eight with those caliber of teams really says a lot about our kids and how hard they worked."
The list of Region 9 playoff teams reads like a Who's Who of Div. III powers. Akron Hoban (which has Tyrell Sutton, the front-runner for Mr. Football), Cleveland Benedictine (the defending Div. III state champs, who had last year's Mr. Football, Ray Williams) and Walsh Jesuit (a former Div. II state champion) are just a few of the teams Hubbard could play if it manages to get past Lake Catholic, which has won three state titles.
A opening-week stormout may have cost Hubbard a home playoff game, but Bayuk isn't worrying about things he can't control.
"You can't possibly ever complain about being in the postseason," said Bayuk. "It's what every coach and team shoots for, so we're not going to complain about where we play and who we play."
The Eagles (9-0) finished ninth in Region 9 last year, missing the playoffs when Notre Dame Cathedral Latin upset Lake Catholic in the regular season finale. The worst part was, Bayuk was there to see it.
"We watched our whole season end right in front of us," he said. "But at the same time, we lost two games, so there's not a whole lot we could say."
Exceeding expectations
After losing Shaun Lane to graduation (and Ohio State), Bayuk wasn't sure what to expect this season. On his preseason outlook, he wrote, "Few returning starters, small, hope to compete."
"I guess we did," he said. "Our kids did a real good job of digesting the new offensive stuff that Coach [Gary] Zetts brought, so we feel like we've gotten better each week."
Zetts, who came over from Struthers in the off-season, has brought a more balanced approach to the Eagles' offense, which relied heavily on the run in past years.
Quarterback Bryan Boyce has completed 71-of-114 passes for 961 yards, 11 touchdowns and no interceptions.
Russell Hawkins (23 catches, 295 yards, 3 TDs) and running back Tony Giancola (13 catches, 257 yards, 3 TDs) have been his primary targets.
The Eagles still run the ball, of course, relying on Giancola (122 attempts, 1,350 yards, 14 TDs) and fullback Ben Lane (73 attempts, 595 yards, 13 TDs) to carry the load.
Giancola compares favorably with former Hubbard standouts like Lane and Anthony Smith (Syracuse), and Bayuk calls him the most versatile player he's ever had.
How is that possible?
"It's all coaching," he said, laughing. "No, seriously, he's just so instinctive. He's got God-given talents that a lot of kids don't have. He sees the whole field, he works hard in the weight room and he's got good speed.
"He can do just about anything."
Special event
In past playoff years, Bayuk has brought in special speakers such as Howland coach Dick Angle and former Mooney coach Don Bucci to speak to the team. This year is no different. Former Struthers and West Branch coach Dick Hartzell will be this year's guest on Wednesday. On Thursday, the team will watch "Friday Night Lights" and attend a dinner on Friday.
"We just like to do little things like that as a reward for the season," said Bayuk. "I think the thing that sticks out about this team is how the kids have stayed focused the whole year.
"People have come up and asked me, 'Oh, is this your best team? Is this a good team or a great team?' Sometimes I think, especially in high school football, that consistency dictates whether or not you're a good team. And this team has done a super job of staying focused and taking each game as it comes."
scalzo@vindy.com