At last: Rayen defeats Chaney

The Tigers rallied near the end to snap a 15-game losing streak to the Cowboys, 13-0.
By JOE SCALZO
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
YOUNGSTOWN -- When Rayen School football coach Brian Shaner was hired before the 2002 season, he looked at his freshman class and knew he had something special.
"We knew that, by the time they were seniors, we'd be ready to break through," Shaner said. "This was the class."
Fast forward to Thursday night. On the one hand, the Tigers were riding a five-game winning streak (after an 0-2 start). On the other, they were riding a 15-game losing streak (against Chaney).
One of those streaks wasn't going to last. And for the first 44 minutes, it wasn't clear which one.
Then, with 4:18 remaining in the fourth quarter, Rayen quarterback Sal Battles found senior Ryan Wallace over the middle for a 20-yard touchdown and a 6-0 lead. Minutes later, Rayen senior Dion Williams picked off Chaney quarterback Antwan Rice at the Cowboys' 35 and took it the distance for a 13-0 lead.
The score held up.
Goodbye curse, hello City Series champions.
Happy night
"This is a feeling like no other," said Rayen senior Dwayne Smith, who had a game-high 71 yards on 12 carries. "Everyone was saying, 'Yeah, Rayen's doing good but what about Chaney?' Now we'll get respect throughout the City."
The Tigers (6-2) won a share of the City title and can clinch their first outright league championship since 1989 with a win over Wilson next Thursday.
"Finally," Smith said. "Sixteen years is way too long."
Chaney coach Ron Berdis, who has coached the Cowboys since 1986, had not lost a league game since 1997, when his team lost to East 14-8. The Cowboys avenged that loss in the second round of the Division II playoffs that season, beating the Golden Bears 20-6.
From 1990-2004, Berdis went 46-1 in the City Series.
"I'm proud of the tradition at Chaney," Berdis said. "Am I disappointed [in the loss]? Yes. Am I devastated? No. Devastation is what's happening down south [Hurricane Katrina]. This is just a good, hard-fought high school football game.
"Our kids played hard. Their kids played a little harder."
Defenses are dominant
Defense dominated the game, especially Rayen's. The Tigers held Chaney to just 40 yards (Rayen had 225) and forced two turnovers -- both of them costly.
The first turnover came late in the third quarter. Chaney had a third-and-1 on Rayen's 28 when Cowboys senior Robert McElroy couldn't handle a bad pitch on a toss sweep. Rayen senior Derrick Veal recovered and the Cowboys never again got in Tiger territory.
"We hung in there, just like we've been doing all year," said Shaner, whose team was 11th in the Division II, Region 7 computer ratings. "This win shows the kids believe in what we're doing."
The Tigers, whose only playoff appearance was in 1985, would likely have to win their last two games to make the postseason. That's no easy task. After Wilson, the Tigers travel to play undefeated Steubenville.
Chaney's hopes flickering
Chaney's playoff hopes, meanwhile, were all but dashed with the loss. But the defeat didn't diminish what the Cowboys (4-3) have accomplished over the last 15 years.
"They've been the dominant program in the City and there's been no better program to model ourselves after," said Shaner.
Added Smith, "I have a tremendous amount of respect for Coach Berdis and everyone on their team. You know when you play Chaney, you're going to face a well-coached football team and you're going to have to bring it for 48 minutes."
Now, after years of frustration, people are saying the same thing about Rayen.
"They've done a great job changing the attitude over there," Berdis said of Rayen's coaching staff. "They give a great effort.
"They're just a hard-nosed football team."
scalzo@vindy.com