Ruman: Harding not alone in tough defeat
It is often suggested that history has a way of repeating itself.
From a high school football standpoint, never was this more true than last weekend, when the Spartans of both Boardman and Lake Forest, Del., won the craziest of games in identical fashion.
On Friday, Boardman was trailing Warren Harding 14-12 when the Spartans attempted a 29-yard field goal on the final play of the game. The kick was blocked, but as fireworks erupted and as Harding players dashed in celebration toward midfield, Boardman lineman Gaven Strines scooped up the ball and dashed to the end zone.
Spartans 18, Harding 14.
Less than 24 hours later, the Lake Forest Spartans trailed Delmar 14-13 when Spartans kicker Austin Aguilar lined up to try an 18-yard field goal with one second showing on the clock. The kick was blocked, and while an entire Delmar team celebrated downfield, Aguilar alertly picked up the ball and casually strolled across the goal line.
Spartans 19, Delmar 14.
Moral of the story?
Never stop playing until the whistle is blown, and always remember that on a blocked kick, the ball can be advanced by the kicking team if it does not cross beyond the line of scrimmage.
Oh, and never doubt Webster’s Dictionary, which defines Spartan as “a person of great courage and self-discipline.” Both Boardman and Lake Forest displayed discipline and some heads-up play to lift their records to 4-3 and 3-2, respectively.
Thanks to social media, both of the Spartans’ wins have been trending nationwide with high school football enthusiasts.
CONFERENCE CALL
Thanks to Boardman’s win, the Spartans are in the driver’s seat of the All-American Conference Gold Division with a 1-0 league record. They close the season with games against conference foes Austintown Fitch and Lakeside.
In the zany setup which has Poland (7-0) playing in two tiers of the AAC, the Bulldogs own a 3-0 record in the AAC Red and a 4-0 mark in the AAC White. The ‘Dogs play White foes Lakeview (3-1, 5-2) and Hubbard (3-1, 5-1) in consecutive weeks, then close the season against Canfield (1-0, 5-2) in a contest which will decide the Red Division title.
LaBrae (6-1, 4-0) travels to Brookfield (6-1, 3-1) tonight in a game which will likely decide the AAC Blue title. All other teams in the division have at least two conference losses.
South Range (5-2, 2-0) could establish a stronghold on the Inter-Tri County League Red Tier with a win tonight at Crestview (6-1, 1-1). Lisbon (7-0, 2-0) and Columbiana (6-1, 1-0) could very well decide the ITCL White Tier tonight when the two teams meet in Columbiana. Western Reserve (5-2, 2-0) has the upper hand in the Blue Tier, but the Blue Devils have a surprise competitor in Mineral Ridge (3-4, 2-0). The Devils and Rams meet a week from today.
Salem is looking for its first-ever outright conference championship. To accomplish the feat the Quakers (7-0, 4-0) will likely need to defeat Louisville (6-1, 4-0) next week on the road.
The North Coast White Division will likely be decided in week 10 when Warren John F. Kennedy (6-1, 2-0) visits St. Thomas Aquinas (4-3, 2-0).
HIGH-FLYING EAGLES
Coming off a 2-8 season and with just two seniors on its roster, it appeared as though Warren JFK might struggle through the 2015 season.
Instead, the Eagles have established themselves as a force in Division VII — especially where the computer rankings are concerned.
JFK (first in region 23) has more computer points than any other Division VII school statewide. With more than double the points of ninth-place Windham in Region 23, the Eagles have virtually locked up a playoff spot regardless of what happens in the final three weeks of the regular season.
In fact, if the playoffs were to start today, JFK would qualify in all but four of the state’s 26 regions, regardless of Division — including both regions in Division I.
Tonight Kennedy hosts Valley Christian — the only Division VII school on the Eagles’ schedule.
Kennedy is looking to make its 20th trip to the postseason. It last advanced in 2012 with a 9-1 record before falling to Youngstown Christian in a first-round game.
Write Vindicator sports correspondent Steve Ruman at sports@vindy.com.