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Petrony super as substitute
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Canfield’s Kimu Kim (9) is stopped by Poland’s Dylan Garver (4) and Dom Petrony (2) during their Week 5 game in Poland. Because of an injury, Petrony is now the Bulldogs quarterback.
By Ryan Buck
Poland
Before his senior season began, Poland High football player Dom Petrony offered to switch positions.
With his classmate Jacob Wolfe firmly entrenched as the starting quarterback after a year in that role, Petrony looked to contribute any way he could.
Defensive end, it was!
Even in the oddest of moves, Petrony was leading the Bulldogs in sacks as they opened the season undefeated.
“The fact that he was able to do that speaks to his athletic ability,” Poland coach Mark Brungard said Monday. “Dom just wanted to get on the field and he was willing to switch positions.”
Then in Week 8 of this season, Wolfe broke his hand when his follow-through on a pass clipped a Hubbard linebacker’s helmet at the beginning of the second quarter.
Petrony recovered a fumble on the Eagles’ next drive and returned to the sideline.
Little did he know, Wolfe could not grip a football and Brungard had already made the decision to go with the back-up.
“I sat down and everyone was screaming for me to go in,” Petrony said. “I didn’t have time to get nervous.”
The Bulldogs fell to Hubbard in overtime that night, but Petrony kept his team in the game and made plays.
“There were some things that had to develop with some practice,” Brungard said. “It was mostly finding rhythm with receivers and things like that.”
The converted defensive end is 3-0 as the starter after the Bulldogs’ comeback overtime win over West Geauga in a Division III Region 7 quarterfinal.
“They’re not very similar,” Petrony said of his two positions. “It’s a different mentality. Being a quarterback applies more responsibility and leadership and I like that role.”
Brungard was never worried about his back-up.
“We had a pretty good option,” he said. “It truly is his moment and Dom has really responded. He makes plays, he can use his arm and feet.”
When West Geauga put eight or nine men at the line of scrimmage to stop Ross Gould and Poland’s running game, they dared Petrony to throw. Down 21 points, he threw for two second-quarter scores.
“He showed some toughness Friday night [in the 29-28 win over West Geauga],” Brungard said. “West Geauga stacked the box. If we couldn’t throw the ball, we wouldn’t have won the game.”
The Bulldogs will not have the luxury of resting on last Friday’s win, for the top-ranked team in the state and the defending state champion awaits them Friday in Ravenna.
“Each week’s a winner-take-all type of feel,” Brungard said. “You’ve got to turn the page rather quickly.”
Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary (11-0) defeated Cardinal Mooney and Ursuline by a combined 65-7 during the regular season.
“You can’t listen to prognosticators, go by statistics or look at comparative scores,” Brungard said. “This is a one-game season.”
Poland, making its seventh straight playoff appearance, is not about to stray from what makes the program so consistent.
“You don’t change your identity or change who you are or what your team can do,” Brungard said. “You just do your thing. We have to execute and believe.
“If we are better for three hours, we’ll win the game.”