Poland gives coach early birthday present, 17-13

The Bulldogs rallied past Salem and improved to 3-0 in the MAC.
By JOE SCALZO
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
SALEM -- The Poland High football team piled into the visitor's locker room following Friday's 17-13 upset of Salem, crowded around coach Mark Brungard and serenaded him by singing "Happy Birthday."
OK, so technically his birthday is Wednesday. So what?
"Before the game, I told them they could give me an early birthday present by beating Salem," Brungard said. "That's what I wanted."
The Bulldogs also presented Salem with an early offseason, dashing any lingering hopes the Quakers had of making the playoffs for the first time in school history.
"All the credit goes to Poland," Salem coach Doug Phillips said. "They just wanted it a little more than we did."
Bulldogs on a run
Poland, meanwhile, has recovered quite nicely from an 0-3 start. No matter what happens against Niles next week, the Bulldogs have a chance for the Metro Athletic Conference title when they play Canfield in Week 10.
"We're looking to take the MAC by storm," sophomore running back Brandon Beachum said. "Everyone doubted us when we started the way we did, but week in and week out, we've done what we've needed to do to get a win."
Beachum didn't score in Friday's game, but he carried the load offensively, rushing 30 times for 121 yards.
He also played every down on defense at linebacker as Poland's defense held Salem's standout running back J.J. Johnson to just 61 yards on 14 carries.
"I feel a little sore," Beachum said, smiling. "But it's all for the team. I'd do it all over again."
Poland's rugged early season schedule didn't help them in the win column, but playing teams like Louisville, Hubbard, Ursuline and Chaney prepared them for league play.
"That's what gave us the stamina to punish teams later in the season," Beachum said.
Poland dominates
It was evident on Friday. Poland (4-4, 3-0) ran 39 offensive plays in the first half to Salem's six, outgaining the Quakers 127-8.
And the crazy thing was, Salem was leading 10-7, thanks to a 57-yard field goal by Bryan Wright (who broke his own school record by six yards) and an 85-yard interception return by Jarin Heath.
Poland quarterback Chris Lovell scored on a 1-yard touchdown run just before halftime, capping a 16-play, 80-yard drive. (That drive came after an 18-play drive that ended with Heath's interception return.)
"When you only run six plays in a half, you're not going to be very successful," Phillips said.
Playoff hopes dimmed
Salem (5-3, 2-2), which entered the game 10th in the Division III Region 11 computer ratings, had its chances in the second half, but couldn't convert. Wright had a 48-yard field goal to give the Quakers a 13-7 lead early in the third quarter, but Salem's next two drives ended with Johnson fumbles.
Poland took the lead for good with four minutes left in the game. On a fourth-and-goal at the 8, Lovell rolled left and fired a bullet to senior Don Stanovcak, who planted both feet just inside the line in the left corner of the end zone.
"We were trying to fake the run and throw to the tight end, but their defense didn't bite," Brungard said. "Chris did a little bit of improvising and made a nice throw."
Clinching field goal
After holding the Quakers on downs, Poland senior Fred Romeo made 43-yard field goal with 26 seconds left to all but end the suspense.
Lovell completed 5 of 9 passes for 47 yards and two interceptions as the Bulldogs gained 192 yards on offense.
Jesko was 8 of 18 for 98 yards. Johnson needs 169 yards over the next two games to set the school's single-season rushing record of 1,445 yards, set by Ed Beck in 1930.
scalzo@vindy.com