OHIO FOOTBALL With new offense, team is unbeaten

Hopewell-Loudon changed from a spread attack to an I-formation and went 10-0.
By RUSTY MILLER
AP SPORTS WRITER
Brian Colatruglio was hot and it had little to do with the sweltering August temperatures.
His team was wallowing around in a scrimmage, unable to move the ball in his high-tech spread attack.
So Colatruglio, despite being a true believer in the spread, junked the offense and decided to see what would happen if his Hopewell-Loudon team lined up in an I-formation and rammed the ball up the middle.
The result has been stunning.
The Chieftains went 10-0 with a ball-control, ground-oriented offense that went against everything Colatruglio preached and his players had practiced.
A year ago, the Chieftains were a shotgun team under former Associated Press Mr. Football Derek Kidwell but then Kidwell left for Fremont Ross and the top passer and most of the receivers graduated.
Craig Brickner, already the school's career rusher leader on that August day, finished the regular season with 1,430 yards on 268 carries running out of the new-look I-formation. Brickner ran for 172 yards on 29 tries in a 28-7 victory over Fremont St. Joseph, helping secure the Chieftains' first perfect season.
Rush to judgment
Kendell Davis of Alliance rushed for 333 yards in a 35-13 win over Niles McKinley, giving him 1,108 yards on 101 carries this year despite missing four games with a broken shoulder.
Loudonville's Corey Lemke rushed for 312 yards and threw for 140 more in a 35-32 loss to Fredericktown; Liberty Center's Curt Silveus rushed for 273 yards and two TDs in a 47-18 win over Archbold.
Kenton Sneed carried 39 times for 265 yards and two TDs as Fairfield beat Winton Woods 33-19; Madison's Dan Nebraski rushed for 260 yards on 35 carries and scored six times in a 46-7 win over Cleveland Collinwood.
Sarahsville Shenandoah's Jacob Zerkle had 247 yards and three TDs on 27 carries in the Zeps' 33-12 win over Caldwell, setting school record with 1,965 yards and 162 points this season.
Leetonia's Aaron Merrill rushed for 233 yards and five touchdowns in a 34-12 victory over United; North Bend Taylor's Jake Tamaska carried eight times for 218 yards and three TDs in a 35-6 win over Cincinnati Summit Country Day; Conneaut's Bobby Wardrop ran for 218 yards on 23 carries and scored four times in a 56-33 loss to Jefferson Area; and Alvin McKnight rushed for 212 yards and three TDs as Ontario beat North Robinson Colonel Crawford 35-7.
Arms buildup
Old Washington Buckeye Trail's Kyle Carpenter broke Jeff Snedegar's 1994 single-season passing record (1,769) with an 11-of-19 performance for 168 yards, giving him 1,888 for the season; Dante Love passed for 332 yards and three TDs as Withrow beat Taft 42-22, putting the Tigers in the playoffs for the first time; and Cardington's Bart Bland returned an interception 43 yards for a score and threw a 53-yard TD pass in a 35-27 loss to Marion Pleasant.
Hot/not
Cincinnati Colerain won its 29th straight regular-season game, 35-7 over La Salle, setting a school record with 504 points this season; John Reed picked up his 100th win in his 10 years as coach of poll champion Coldwater with a 14-7 win over Delphos St. John's; and Ryan Brinson broke the Canton McKinley season rushing record with his 203 yards against Massillon, giving him 1,685 yards to surpass Adrian Brown's 1994 mark of 1,599.
Smart move
When Tiffin Columbian tailback Frank Perna went down with a foot injury midway through the season, coach Steve Gilbert was reluctant to put wide receiver/kick-return player Justin Reinbolt in the backfield for the first time.
Now he's glad he did. Reinbolt has gained 799 yards on 77 carries and is averaging 10.4 yards per try in three games at tailback. He has also caught 23 passes for 371 yards, while scoring 16 touchdowns.