Bayuk taking Cougars in stride

The last time the teams met was 2004, when Lake Catholic prevailed, 42-14.
By JOHN BASSETTI
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
HUBBARD -- Coach Jeff Bayuk seemed at ease earlier this week, knowing that his team had reached the Div. III, Region 9 quarterfinals. Being in such a position has become second nature to the 16th-year Hubbard High coach.
But knowing that the Eagles' next opponent is Mentor Lake Catholic would send any coach into a depression, rife with despair and a predisposed submission to defeat.
Hubbard met Lake Catholic once before -- in 2004 -- and it wasn't pretty, falling 42-14. Hubbard was 9-0 that season -- the school's third unbeaten, untied regular season.
"They put it to us good that season up in Mentor," said Bayuk. "That's how we remember that undefeated season."
Hubbard had only nine games that year because its opener in August was canceled due to lightning.
Battle cry
"We're going to give it our best shot," Bayuk said of Saturday night's game against the Cougars at Chardon Memorial Field. "They're bigger and stronger and will be the biggest test we've had all year, no question about it.
"We'll have to play our best game all year and then I don't know if we'll be able to stay with them," Bayuk said, taking the task in stride.
It sounds defeatest, but it's also realistic.
Lake Catholic (7-4) has been to the playoffs 15 times with a 24-11 record. This is Hubbard's sixth appearance with a 4-5 playoff history.
The Cougars' losses were to Mooney, Euclid, Dublin Coffman and Akron Hoban.
What Hubbard (10-1) faced in its lone loss this season -- to Maple Heights -- can't be compared to what the Eagles will face on Friday.
"Maple Heights was a totally different team, one with speed to burn," he said. "They just ran by us. They threw passes up in the air, then ran and caught them."
Against Lake Catholic, Hubbard could be worn down.
Description
"Their defensive front is really big and they bring a lot of people," Bayuk said. "As good as their defense is, their offense is probably better. They spread you out and then run inside. It'll take our best effort just to stay in the game."
One of the Cougars' offensive tackles is 6-4, 290 and another is 6-3, 280. Lake Catholic led Mooney at halftime, 10-7, before falling, 21-16.
There you have the death sentence.
But it's not all that one-sided. Hubbard has some bulls of its own, including 6-7, 305-pound tackle Marcus O'Hara. Baby twin Anthony O'Hara, a non-starter, is 6-4, 305.
"He's the only one over six-foot," Bayuk said of Marcus, before adding that Mark Dell, the other starting offensive tackle, may be 6-1, 245.
Tim Taafe is the center, listed at 6-1, 225 and Frank Palestro (5-11, 235) and Matt Lopuchovsky (6-1, 210) are the guards. Mike Carnahan (6-2, 180) is split end, John Bayuk (5-10, 160) is flanker and Cody Pitts (6-2, 235) is tight end.
"Everybody thinks we're so big, but we're really not. There are three or maybe four teams in our conference bigger than us." Bayuk said. "Maybe we play like we're big because our kids play really hard. We're going to give it our best shot."
Top receivers
Carnahan (20 for 431 yards) and John Bayuk (18 for 203) lead the team in receptions.
Marc Kanetsky (6-0, 180) is the quarterback, Steve Cinicola (5-11, 175) tailback and Joel Younkins fullback. Robert Wigfall (5-10, 170) fills in for Cinicola when Younkins (6-1, 225) is moved to tailback. Mike Maietta (6-3, 230) is also used in the backfield during the Eagles' heavy formation. Dan Havalo (6-0, 240) is the upback when Hubbard lines up in the stacked-I.
When Cinicola sustained a high-ankle sprain on Oct. 20, Madeline took over the kicking duties. Last week against Liberty, Madeline had a 28-yard field goal.
"He did a nice job," Bayuk said. "We were lucky to have him."
This week, Cinicola will continue to punt and may return as the field goal and extra-point man. Madeline will handle kickoffs.
Between running and kicking, Cinicola leads the team in scoring with 115 points.
Defensively, Havalo and Dell are tackles and Jake Kerola (5-11, 180) and Pitts are defensive ends. Kerola and Lopuchovsky will alternate in certain situations, with Kerola more effective as a pass rusher and Lopuchovsky better at run-stopping.
Maietta and Younkins are the inside linebackers with Billy Gibbs (5-10, 175) playing outside linebacker.
The secondary
The secondary consists of free safety Sam Bellino (5-9, 150), Carnahan at strong safety and Madeline at one corner. At the other corner, Cinicola and John Bayuk spell each other by series.
The Eagles have had 11 interceptions. Bellino leads the team in interceptions with five, while Cinicola, Bayuk, Madeline, Havalo, Carnahan and Marcus Coonce (5-9, 160) have one apiece.
Cinicola has 892 yards/13 TDs and Younkins 809/14 TDs, while Kanetsky is 88 of 148 for 1,458 yards.
Lake Catholic's top rushers are Dave Jaranovic (186 carries/832 yards) and Randy Greenwood (127/790). Alex Kurowski has thrown 89 of 176 passes (4 interceptions) for 1,147 yards. The quarterback has tossed 10 TDs. Chris Spahar is the Cougars' top receiver with 26 catches for 371 yards, while Greenwood has 23 receptions for 307 yards.
Defensively, Greenwood has 10 of his team's 19 pickoffs.
For what it's worth, Hubbard's offense and Cinicola have only needed to punt 21 times for 728 yards, while Mentor's Greenwood has punted 38 times for 1,438 yards. Swarm tackling might be Lake Catholic's mode of operation as evidenced by the solo-stops totals of safety Mike Sweigert (27) and linebacker Dave Plungas (12).