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Balance is the key for Western Reserve and Malvern
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Western Reserve QB Jeff Clegg (6) dives for extra yardage over Mathews’ defenders. Tonight’s Division VI regional semifinal between the Blue Devils and the Malvern Hornets features two teams with an potent offense, solid runners and a scrappy line.
By matthew peaslee
Berlin Center
When Western Reserve High football coach Andy Hake says, “the offense is real potent, they have solid runners and their line is scrappy,” it’d be easy to think he was talking about his Blue Devils.
Instead, he’s referring to the Malvern Hornets.
On paper, the two teams are indeed comparable on offense. But, Western Reserve has scored 37 more points, gained 540 more total yards and racked up 867 more yards on the ground.
Where the Hornets do lead, though, is what Hake fears the most.
“They have a quarterback [Shawn Bell] who is a dynamic player and it will be tough to stop him,” the third-year head coach said. “He’s a smart QB who will get the ball to his receivers.”
Malvern (10-1) has totaled 2,278 passing yards, 332 more than the Blue Devils. With an arsenal of WRs that average more than 6-feet in height and a 6-foot-5 tight end [Clay Davis] who has caught four TDs and totaled 266 yards, the Hornets have plenty of inviting targets.
“That’s an integral part of our offense,” Malvern coach David Tucci said. “Really, we just take what the defense gives us and we go from there.”
Bell is a 6-foot, 200-pound dual threat that is a headache waiting to happen for opposing defenses.
And those receivers, three of which are cousins and a nephew to Tucci, have great instincts and a knack to catch and run. Travis Tucci and Max Kapron have 94 receptions and 18 touchdown catches between them with 955 and 865 reception yards, respectively.
In last week’s 23-7 win over Ledgemont, the Hornets threw just 12 times, but on at least five occasions in 2011, they have compiled more than 30 pass attempts. It all goes back to taking what the defense gives them and Reserve will definitely be keeping an eye out for passes.
“The thing about their receivers is that they’re tall and so athletic,” Hake said. “They make plays and can hurt you deep.”
David Tucci has those same concerns about the Devils.
“You hope that you don’t give up big plays,” Tucci said. “Most teams are capable of big plays and we need to make them work for everything they can get.
“With their solid quarterback [Jeff Clegg], they won’t be afraid to air it out.”
Clegg is closing in on 1,500 passing yards for the season and with 25 touchdown passes, he has set an Inter-Tri County League record.
Donnie Bolton surpassed 2,000 rushing yards in Reserve’s 33-6 win over Cleveland Villa-Angela St. Joseph.
Defensively, Malvern surrenders an average of 239.4 yards per game; the Devils, just 155.8.
Hake, too, is just going to go off what he sees and make adjustments accordingly. Already, he knows it will stuff the box forcing Clegg to throw a little more than he’s used to. That still makes Tucci wary.
“We’re two of the more balanced teams around,” he said. “With us both being capable of throwing and running, that’s why our goal and Reserve’s goal will be to make the other as one dimensional as possible.”