By TOM WILLIAMS

By TOM WILLIAMS
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
POLAND -- Following the Canfield High football team's 27-7 victory over Poland on Friday, senior linebacker Joe Rosko huddled his teammates in the visiting locker room and listed some of their achieved goals:
U10-0 season, the Cardinals' second in four seasons.
UMetro Athletic Conference championship.
Then Rosko challenged his teammates to their next goal: "Win state."
Next Friday, Mike Pavlansky's Cardinals (10-0, 5-0 MAC) will make their third playoff appearance since 2002.
Unlike last year when making the playoffs meant traveling to Columbus for a first-round game against Brookhaven, the Cardinals will open at home.
And they couldn't be happier.
"Making that road trip is a big deal; it's a big advantage for the home team," said senior tailback Angelo Babbaro who shredded the Bulldogs for 213 yards on 27 carries. "We had to travel three hours sitting on a bus, and then we had to come out and try to play in an atmosphere we weren't familiar with.
"Now that we are playing at home with our great fans, hopefully, we'll get it going," Babbaro said.
Canfield's Division II Region 7 playoff pairing will be announced Sunday. Most likely, a team from Columbus will be traveling to Mahoning County.
Cardinals take control
After a scoreless first quarter, the Cardinals, the No. 2 team in this week's Region 7 computer playoff rankings and the No. 4 team in the Associated Press poll of Ohio's Div. II teams, seized control by scoring three second-quarter touchdowns against the Bulldogs (4-6, 3-2).
Defensive back Sean Baker's solid hit on Poland wide receiver Don Stanovcak forced a fumble that defensive tackle Ryan Pitzer recovered at the Canfield 43.
On the next play, quarterback Frank Ross eluded the Bulldogs' pass rush and scrambled 43 yards, setting up Babbaro's 14-yard touchdown.
Two offensive plays later, Canfield cornerback Damon Buenta intercepted a Chris Lovell pass at midfield. Babbaro raced in from 20 yards out for a 14-0 lead.
"Turnovers in games like this are big momentum changers, no doubt about it," Pavlansky said.
Late in the half, senior John Pitzulo ran a fake punt 47 yards for a 20-0 lead.
Rivals try to retaliate
In the third quarter, the Bulldogs cut the Canfield lead to 13 when Lovell scrambled then hit wide receiver Charlie Carchedi in the corner of the end zone for a 9-yard strike.
"We knew this would be a ballgame for 48 minutes, and it certainly was all that," Pavlansky said. "We certainly didn't think we'd come in here and run around on these guys."
But the Cardinals immediately responded as Babbaro broke through the center of the line and sped to a 60-yard score.
"Angelo has to be ranked as one of the best backs to ever come out of Canfield High School," Pavlansky said, "but we've got special people around him that make the offense go."
The Cardinals defense limited Poland's rushing attack to 58 yards on 24 carried. After Lovell completed three passes for 56 yards in the first quarter, the Bulldogs quarterback completed just three more tosses for 10 total yards.
Rosko said the Cards were happy to be playing their archrivals in the finale.
"We were pumped up because usually we play Poland in Week 9," Rosko said. "When Poland was [leading] the MAC, we were loving it because we knew it would be an awesome atmosphere to play for 10-0 and the MAC championship at the same time. It was like having two cherries on top."
williams@vindy.com