Warren JFK, Cuyahoga Heights have made deep runs into postseason

By Steve Ruman

sports@vindy.com

If experience is indeed the ultimate teacher, two of the state’s more highly educated football teams will square off Saturday when Warren John F. Kennedy (7-5) and Cuyahoga Heights (10-2) meet in Nordonia.

The Division VII, region 25 title game will feature a Kennedy team which will be playing in its 12th playoff game in the past four years. The Eagles advanced to the third round in 2015. They won a state title in 2016, and lost in a first round game (to Cuyahoga Heights) a year ago.

Not to be outdone, the Reskins will be playing in their 16th post-season game since 2015. The stretch includes back-to-back appearances in the state title game. In 2016, Cuyahoga Heights lost to Marion Local 21-17 in the Division VI championship. Last year, the Redskins fell to Minster 32-7 in the Division VII final.

“The extra games, those extra weeks on the practice field, they definitely benefit the program the following years,” said Cuyahoga Heights coach Al Martin. “We were on the practice field five extra weeks last year, and the year before that. All that extra time was a huge benefit to our scout squad. And those scout team players are now our starters.

“The other benefit is just the playoff experience. The pressure of the playoffs, the feeling of playing on the big stage. That’s something you can’t coach, you can’t teach. You can’t practice that.”

Martin has guided his teams to 19 playoff appearances in his 22 years with the Redskins.

“We came into this season with a lot of question marks, we lost a great deal of talent from last year’s squad, so this was a different team in many ways,” Martin said. “But the expectations were high, The upperclassmen have been part of the deep playoff runs. They wanted to make their own mark. More importantly, they have seen first-hand what it takes to get to that next level.”

Cuyahoga Heights opened its season with a pair of wins, however the Redskins were manhandled by Brookfield, 46-17, in week three. The Redskins rebound to win back-to-back games, then fell to Kirtland 42-6.

“Brookfield just had their way with us, then Kirtland scored touchdowns on its first three plays from scrimmage,” Martin said. “Even the following week, we gave up 34 in a win over Wickliffe.

“But since then, our defense began to figure things out, and our offense has been pretty steady.”

Cuyahoga Heights has won six straight. It finished atop the region 25 rankings by a comfortable margin. Following a 42-13 win over Tuscarawas Central Catholic in the first round of the playoffs, the Redskins defeated East Canton 21-6 last Saturday.

The Redskins offense is paced by junior quarterback Sam Shafer, who has thrown for 16 touchdowns while rushing for 10 scores. Senior running back Brayden DiSanza has rushed for 909 yards and nine TDs.

“Cuyahoga Heights will present a huge challenge for our defense,” said Kennedy coach Jeff Bayuk. “They do a tremendous job of running the midline option, they can make you look really silly if you’re not fully prepared for that look. Then from that they’ll empty the backfield and go five wide.”

Bayuk noted that JFK faced a similar offense this year in Crestview, “and they put 63 on us.” On Sept. 14 the Eagles lost to the Rebels 63-21.

Last year, Cuyahoga Heights rolled over JFK 40-12 in a regional quarterfinal game.

Martin insists that fans need to ignore that outcome when trying to analyze Saturday’s game.

“Kennedy came into that game a bit short-handed, and with a lot of youth,” Martin said. “We had a couple of big plays and the score was a bit deceiving. We know that we’re going to be tested by a talented and very well-coached team.”

Saturday’s winner will advance to the Division VII state semifinals, where it will play either Lucas or Glouster Trimble. Kennedy is seeking its eighth regional championship, while Cuyahoga Heights is seeking its fourth regional title.