Offense, defense help Raiders stay perfect

South Range also benefits from good chemistry and strong senior leadership.
By JOHN KOVACH
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
NORTH LIMA -- There are two things that stand out when you look at the seven-game resume of the South Range High football team: offense and defense.
They're the main reasons the Raiders are unbeaten entering this Friday's home game with Western Reserve.
Not only can South Range (7-0, 4-0 Inter-County League) move the ball, scoring 266 points in seven games for a 38-point average, but it also knows how to stop opponents from doing the same thing, holding them to 52 points or 7.4 a game.
"The defense is playing super," said South Range coach Dan Yeagley, whose Raiders are coming off a 28-7 win last Friday over Mineral Ridge, the defending ICL champion. "[We] haven't given up many big plays. We did against Ridge but then we held. So even when we give up yards, our defense has been bailing us out."
Yeagley, who has a 93-26 record in 11 seasons with the Raiders, said the key to that defensive success is the second-level defense, especially inside linebackers Kris Davis and Chris Allshouse.
Linebackers excel
"We do have a defensive front line that is pretty good, but we also have a strong second-level defense," said Yeagley, whose Raiders are ranked No. 5 in the state in Division V of this week's Associated Press poll. "In our defensive scheme, the linebackers are really important." And, he said, Davis and Allshouse are "playing phenomenally defensively."
Reinforcing them are cornerback Josh Less and outside linebacker David Rach.
Yeagley said Less "has great reactions to the ball. He finds the ball and breaks the ball. He stays deep but can come up and make tackles."
And that Rach "is a strong person against the run but he gets back to watch the pass and, like Less, has great instincts. Rach started for us last year as a sophomore and does a fantastic job."
Rach and Less each have three interceptions. The Raiders forced three turnovers in last week's win over Mineral Ridge.
"We are doing good on turnovers," he said. "We haven't make very many turnovers and we have got many turnovers."
The Raiders also have an effective last line of defense in safety Joe Novak.
"Novak is doing a great job for us coming up and making tackles and defending against the pass." said Yeagley.
Defensive line has leaders
The defensive line is led by defensive ends Greg Snyder and Alex Grantz, noseman John Miles and defensive tackle Kyle Everett.
"These four have been playing super for us all year," said Yeagley. "They get after it and they love playing down in the trenches."
But the offense certainly takes no back seat to the defense, considering the impressive wins over East Palestine (35-7), Crestview (17-14), Champion (41-17), Sebring (62-0), McDonald (35-7), Jackson-Milton (48-0) and Mineral Ridge (28-7). (Crestview's only loss this season was to South Range.)
On the ground, halfback Matt Schlatter has rushed for 707 yards in 62 carries (11.5 yards per carry) with 11 TDs. He is complimented by Davis, who doubles as a fullback, with 561 yards in 84 attempts (6.7 yards per carry) and 11 TDs.
Through the air, the Raiders have quarterback Mike Leskosky, who has competed 63.2 percent of his passes (48-for-78) for 727 yards and five TDs. His favorite target is tight end Joe Leson with 11 catches for 161 yards and three TDs.
Two intangible factors
Yeagley said that there are also two intangible factors in the Raiders' success -- leadership and camaraderie.
"Our seniors are all the captains and they rotate four to a game for the coin toss, and they maintain that role throughout the game," said Yeagley..
The coach also said his players are very close-knit.
"This team is very close. They do a lot of things together. They are constantly doing things together," said Yeagley.
"They go out and eat together, they talk to each other in the hallways, and whether they are seniors, juniors and sophomores [makes no difference]. The older kids accept the younger guys."
If South Range can maintain its excellence over the next three games (Western Reserve and Springfield at home at Lowellvile on the road), the Raiders will find themselves ICL champions for the eighth time under Yeagley's guidance.
And they also will find themselves in the post-season playoffs for the ninth time under Yeagley, including the third straight year, with high hopes of finding that elusive state championship.
kovach@vindy.com