MINERAL RIDGE — Mineral Ridge showed out for Andy Hake’s homecoming, and so did the Rams. The Mineral Ridge offense flexed its ground game in a 29-8 victory over Pymatuning Valley.
“It’s Week One, so I gotta do this nine more times, but it was awesome,” Hake said. “Look at this crowd. The crowd was awesome. They were into it and (Pymatuning Valley) was awesome. That coach and that team is very tough. I’m telling you, they’ll only lose a game or two this year. I knew they were going to be tough. When we fumbled that ball on the opening kickoff I thought, ‘Oh my God,’ but our kids battled back and did an awesome job. I’m really proud of them, I really am. True grit.”
The Lakers struck first, with quarterback Justin Britton capping off a run-heavy drive with a 2-yard rush. In typical Pymatuning Valley fashion, the Lakers went for two, and converted, putting them up 8-0.
After trading possessions, Mineral Ridge caught fire on the ground. Sophomore Chandler Busse broke through the offensive line and set the Rams up in the red zone, with a great chance to get on the scoreboard.
Two plays later, Preston Holbrook punched it in from the 1-yard line. Holbrook also handled the two-point conversion, knotting the game at 8-8 going into the half.
It took until the final seconds of the third quarter for either team to add to the scoresheet. On a 4th-and-4, with Pymatuning Valley’s box stacked, Rams quarterback Landon Bingham found a wide open Jackson Geddes. Geddes had an easy trot to the endzone to put Mineral Ridge up, 15-8.
On the ensuing possession, Britton’s pass bounced off the hands of one Rams defender and landed in another’s. Thomas Koniowsky made the interception, setting Mineral Ridge up inside Lakers’ territory.
Holbrook found paydirt once again, running in for his second score of the night. He found the endzone seconds earlier, but it was called back due to a penalty.
While highlighting Holbrook, Hake saw plenty of standouts on Friday.
“Holbrook is a bad apple, man,” Hake said. “He’s one of the toughest guys in the league. So is Chase Moore. We have guys. Justin Sudetic, Blake Bastista came on in the fourth quarter, and Derrick Rakich. Our (offensive) line cemented that they’re tough. That was a tough team, man, that team is not chickens.”
After another interception, the Rams ran down the clock, capping the drive off with a Ethan Deley touchdown.
Exhaustion played a factor for the Lakers. Not only did the Rams have nearly triple the players as Pymatuning Valley did on their sideline, the Lakers were battling cramps all night.
“I told them I liked our effort and I like their attitude, we just gotta somehow make sure we’re drinking more fluids, that’s the biggest thing,” Lakers coach Neal Croston said. “We gotta stay healthy, we gotta be on the field. That’s what happens when you’re going two ways and playing special teams. I’m trying to sub some guys, but special teams can be a killer, so It’s hard to do that.”
Mineral Ridge plays host to Hanoverton United next week while Pymatuning Valley continues its season-opening road trip with a game against LaBrae.
Like Hake said, there’s still nine more weeks of the season, and nine weeks worth of things to fix.
“We’re gonna have to get at it,” he said. “There’s a lot of things to fix because I think in the first half, we could have taken control of the situation, but I gotta give Pymatuning Valley credit. They’re a tough team. Fortunately we got the win, and in the end, our kids battled like hell, and I’m really proud of them.”
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