Photo

Photo by: Robert K. Yosay

Western Reserve running back Donnie Bolton drives through the line for a first down during the Blue Devils’ victory over Malvern last weekend. Western Reserve will play Shadyside for the Divison VI, Region 21 championship on Saturday night.

By Matthew Peaslee

mpeaslee@vindy.com

BERLIN CENTER

Western Reserve coach Andy Hake has always been a self-diagnosed nutcase.

From his time as a wide receiver at Mineral Ridge, to assistant coaching stints for the Rams and at Rayen and East, Hake has been a passionate leader with an affinity for the game of football.

Three years ago when he was hired to lead the Blue Devils, Hake found a new outlet to share his devotion and goal of winning a state championship.

“Since I got here, I’ve just tried to reiterate winning games,” he said. “You got to be tough. Talent comes and goes, but if you’re tough, you can always hang in there. These kids are tough...and they happen to have talent.”

The combination of both T-words have propelled Reserve to a perfect 12-0 record and berth in the Division VI regional final against Shadyside.

“We’ve had high expectations every year I’ve been here,” said junior Tim Cooper. “This year success was talked about a lot. A 9-1 regular season wasn’t good enough — 9-1 would be a failure. We wanted to go 10-0, and so on, then set our eyes on this game with a short path to the state championship.”

What’s been leading that path is enthusiasm.

One look at Hake on the sidelines and, at any given moment, you’ll see his arms flailing and hands clapping. Listen close and you’ll hear encouraging messages yelled not only to his Devils on the field , but also to the fans in the stands.

“Enthusiasm breeds enthusiasm,” he simply puts it.

Cooper has been a star pupil in Professor Hake’s class: Enthusiasm 101.

“He’s always told us to play with emotion,” Cooper said. “When we get a big play, we see him jumping up and down and it excites the whole team. We want to make him excited and proud of us.”

Very much so — he is.

“They’ve committed themselves to taking this serious,” Hake said. “They’re not taking this lightly or for granted. They’re serious about it and it’s pleasing in that aspect.”

Senior Jeff Clegg had already been a starter and Blue Devils veteran when Hake arrived in Berlin Center in 2008. Seeing time at WR, defensive back and a very brief time at quarterback, he had already grasped much of the gameplan and developed a sense of what it took to be a winner. But when he was appointed the full-time QB last year, Clegg received “tremendous” guidance from Hake.

“Without him, I wouldn’t be the quarterback that I am,” Clegg said. “He has gone through so much in teaching me what my reads should be and being well-rounded. He’s taken me from being a C-plus QB to at least an A-minus QB.”

Under his watch, many players have made the grade as athletes and people.

“I’m just proud of the development of everybody,” Hake said. “The kids have always been humble. They’re up, having fun and grounded.”

In his three seasons with Western Reserve, Hake has compiled a 40-4 record. Three of the losses came at the hands of McDonald, the other a 45-0 defeat to eventual state champ Norwalk St. Paul in 2009.

His biggest influence, though, can’t be found in a box score or stat sheet. It’s more personal.

“We really have all become little Hakes,” Clegg says. “We play the game amped up to get as crazy as he is.”