By Steve Ruman

sports@vindy.com

WARREN

Among his peers, Jeff Bayuk is widely regarded as one of the most knowledgeable coaches in the Mahoning Valley.

However, the Warren John F. Kennedy High mentor was a bit off-target back in August when assessing the future of his very own team.

“Honest to God, after our second scrimmage I would have signed off on a 5-5 season,” Bayuk said. “I knew we had talent, but something wasn’t clicking and I just didn’t know how long it would take for things to come together. It looked as though it might be a season-long work in progress.”

Coming off back-to-back 2-8 finishes and with just two seniors on their roster, it did appear as the Eagles had their work cut out for them.

As it turns out, Kennedy has enjoyed a season-long success story in which the final chapter has yet to be written.

On Friday, Kennedy will face Mogadore in a Division VII, Region 23 playoff game at Tiger Stadium in Twinsburg. The winner will claim a regional title.

Kennedy (11-1) has won eight straight since falling to Crestview 20-13 in the fourth week of the season. Mogadore (11-1) has won nine in a row since losing to Elyria Catholic 26-18 in Week 3.

“I think the No. 1 goal for every coach is to see improvement from week to week, and in that regard I’m very happy with the progress we’ve made throughout the year,” Bayuk said. “Our guys, they continue to learn, they continue to grasp their responsibilities and what’s expected of them on both sides of the ball.

“We still have a whole lot of work to do, and the thing is we are going to have to continue to get better because the competition just keeps getting stronger. But I can’t help but be pleased with the way this team has matured to this point.’

Based on their two playoff games, it does appear the Eagles are indeed peaking at the right time. Against Sandusky St. Mary Central Catholic, JFK limited the Panthers to just a fourth-quarter touchdown in a 28-7 win. Last week against Toronto, JFK cruised to a 40-6 victory against a club that was averaging 41 points per game.

Senior quarterback Bobby Jefferson (64 of 103, 782 passing yards, eight TDs, 689 rushing yards, seven TDs) directs an offense which is sparked by the big-play ability of juniors Evan Boyd and Jacob Coates.

Boyd has rushed for 1,206 yards and 12 touchdowns, averaging 5.7 yards per carry. Coates, averaging 10.8 yard per carry, has rushed for 442 yards and six touchdowns. He leads the Eagles in receptions (37 for 572 yards). Defensively, Coates has six interceptions and is one of the area’s most dangerous kickoff and punt return specialists.

“I think what I’m most proud of about this season is the way these kids have battled through adversity and how they were able to make adjustments as the year went on,” Bayuk said. “Our roster is so small, we can’t afford injuries. And we’ve had a number of setbacks to some key players, but guys just kept moving around, accepting different roles, learning to adapt.

“There were never any complaints or excuses. We just kept plugging along.

While Kennedy’s playoff resume (20 appearances, three state final appearances, one state title) is among the area’s best, its regional final opponent possesses a postseason resume that is among the best in the state.

Mogadore owns four state championships and 16 regional titles.

The Ohio High School Athletic Association lists Mogadore with a male enrollment (grades 9 through 11) of 97. Its football roster includes 61 players.

“The tradition and continuity in the program is unmatched. Football is very important to the community” Bayuk said. “As far as this year’s Mogadore team, they are as talented and well-coached as any team we have or will face.”

Mogadore has outscored opponents 484-125. It opened the playoffs with a 63-20 win over Jackson-Milton, then shut out Norwalk St. Paul 28-0.

“The thing that stands out about Mogadore is their physicality,” Bayuk said. “From a numbers standpoint, they don’t have a lot of players who go both ways, and they tend to wear down opponents.

“There is a lot of talent there on both sides of the ball. I’ve watched them on film and in person, and quite frankly, they match up with the best of the best in Division VII.”

Kennedy and Mogadore kick off at 7:30 on Friday night. The winner will advance to the state semifinals.