DIVISION V FOOTBALL PLAYOFFS South Range on the road again

One loss this season is the reason the Raiders are on the road.
By TOM WILLIAMS
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
NORTH LIMA -- Since the OHSAA expanded the football playoffs to five rounds in 2000, South Range High has qualified four times.
Twice -- in 2001 and 2003 -- the Raiders finished in the top half of the eight-team regional bracket and opened with home games.
And twice, the Raiders have earned road trips.
Saturday at 7 p.m., sixth-seeded South Range (9-1) will visit third-seeded Rootstown (9-1) in the Division V, Region 17 playoffs.
Considering the alternative, coach Dan Yeagley doesn't mind the hour-long bus ride.
"We look at it that it's just exciting to be in the playoffs," he said.
"We have had some [playoff] games where we won in the first round," said Yeagley, referring to last year's 35-21 win over Independence and a 23-0 win over Columbia Station in 2001. "But after that, you have to go somewhere [neutral] to play the rest of the games anyway. We look at it as a nice experience to go to new stadiums to play."
Four years ago, the Raiders, who are making their eighth playoff appearance overall, lost at Massillon Tuslaw, 37-28.
The reason the Raiders are traveling this year instead of opening their home gates is the one regular season they experienced in two seasons.
One loss did it
In Week 8 at home, Mineral Ridge -- Region 17's second seed -- defeated the Raiders, 20-7, enabling the Rams (9-1) to win the Inter-County League crown. The Rams will be home Saturday against Dalton.
Yeagley said the defeat was a wake-up call.
"On that night, Mineral Ridge was the better team," Yeagley said. "It was disappointing -- it was hard for our kids and it was hard on us coaches. We didn't quite know how to deal with it."
The reality that one more loss would drop the Raiders out of the postseason was the tonic the team needed.
"Our goal became to get into the playoffs, which meant we had to treat the remaining two games as playoff games," Yeagley said, "and the kids responded."
After defeating Western Reserve, 45-7, the Raiders clinched the playoff berth with last Friday's 34-10 victory at Springfield. "It was a real team effort -- special teams, offense and defense," Yeagley said, citing Justin Carolyne's 90-yard opening kickoff return and three interceptions.
Needs pair to deliver
To win Saturday, Yeagley knows he needs senior leaders Ben Johnston (halfback/linebacker) and Tony Darkadakis (fullback/outside linebacker) to excel.
"Tony and Ben are very good leaders on offense and defense because they bring different skills to the table," Yeagley said. "They were important parts of last year's team."
As for the Rovers and their high-powered offense, Yeagley is hoping the game won't turn into a shoot-out.
"They are a very good offensive team," Yeagley said. "Their offensive line does a great job of getting on people. We're going to have to step up on defense. We hope to control the ball and put up some long drives."
The teams played one common opponent -- Jackson-Milton. The Bluejays were blanked 31-0 by the Rovers in week one then gave the Raiders fits six weeks later in South Range's 26-16 triumph.
"Coach [Alan] Mikovich got his team playing better and better each week," Yeagley said. "Their schedule was brutal -- five playoff teams [also Mineral Ridge, Crestview and Garfield]."