By Joe Scalzo

Poland plays Licking Valley on Saturday in New Philadelphia.

POLAND — The Poland High football team can’t match Newark Licking Valley’s playoff experience, but it does have a huge edge in one category: close games.

Since getting blown out by Walsh Jesuit in Week One, Licking Valley has won 10 straight games — all by at least 20 points.

“There wasn’t one game where they played with pressure in the fourth quarter,” said Bulldogs coach Mark Brungard, whose team has had four games decided by 10 points or fewer, winning three. “We need to get it to that point and make a play when the time comes.”

That’s easy to say, of course. There’s a reason the Panthers haven’t played close games — they’re pretty darn good.

Ohio State recruit Storm Klein, a standout at running back and linebacker, gets the most attention at Licking Valley, and deservedly so. He was his district’s offensive player of the year and is one of the favorites for Mr. Football.

But the Panthers have plenty of talent elsewhere.

Senior tight end Vance German and senior DB Drew Ryan each earned first team all-district honors. Ryan intercepted two passes in last week’s win over Buckeye Local and also combined for 200 yards running and passing with five TDs.

Four other Panthers earned either second team all-district or special mention for the Panthers, who lost to Sunbury Big Walnut 17-10 in last year’s Div. III state final.

“They’re very good,” Brungard said. “The seniors are very experienced and they’re very physical. I’m sure their mission is to get back in the state championship game.”

Poland, which won the Div. III title in 1999, is in the second round for the first time since 2001, when it defeated Hubbard in overtime before falling to Mentor Lake Catholic in the regional final. The Bulldogs lost first-round playoff games in 2002 and 2007.

“It’s been a while since we’ve been at this point,” Brungard said. “It hasn’t been a regular thing for the last five years and the kids are catching on. We’re used to going deep in the basketball tournament, so it’s good to be doing it in football.”

Although the Bulldogs don’t have the same experience, their schedule has prepared them well. In addition to last week’s win over Granville, Poland also beat a 9-2 Hubbard team (which is still playing this weekend) and a pair of 7-3 teams in Lakeview and Canfield. The two losses were to playoff teams: Howland (7-4) and Steubenville (11-0).

“Even though we lost a few, from Game 7 on, we were in a playoff atmosphere,” Brungard said. “That went a long way in last Saturday’s game, when we were in the fourth quarter and we had to have a scoring drive to win.”

Poland’s leading rusher, junior Luke Wollet, was held out of a few practices this week due to injury but Brungard expects him to play Saturday.

“I think adrenaline will do wonders for him,” Brungard said. “He’s a gamer.”

Captain Joe Perruzzi was lost for the season during the Steubenville game, but the Bulldogs are otherwise healthy.

“We’re like most teams at this point in the season — we’re just trying to get to the field on Saturday,” said Brungard.

The Bulldogs shared the Red Tier title in the first year of the All-American Conference and are the only team still playing. That’s a point of pride in Poland.

“We’re happy as a pig in mud to be still playing,” he said. “It’s a big thing for our program.”

scalzo@vindy.com