Hoover shuts out GlenOak

October, 2006

Canton Repository

CANTON - This has been a trying season for the Hoover

High School football team.

Injuries, illness and some subpar efforts from a defense

that is traditionally one of Stark County’s best have left

the Vikings on the outside of both the Federal League race

and the state playoff chase.

A 28-0 win over GlenOak on Friday night at Fawcett

Stadium may go a long way toward building some

momentum for the final push.

“We really needed to come out with some intensity and

get back on track,” said senior defensive tackle Kenny

Staudinger, who had one of Hoover’s five sacks as the

Vikings held GlenOak’s offense to just 90 total yards.

“We all just got it going together.”

Game Note: A week after tailback Anthony Smith and

quarterback Justin Szink combined to run for 300 yards, Hoover held the GlenOak tandem to

just 30 yards on 26 carries. Led by senior MLB Jordan Bucar (19 tackles, 6 for loss, 1 interception),

Hoover effectively shut down GlenOak's offense. The decision to move Bucar to MLB from his OLB

position proved to be very successful. "He had an outstanding game," Hoover defensive coordinator

Glen Cummings said of Bucar.

Staudinger, Greg Tischler, Kyle Hennis and Neil Michaels all had at least one sack as

Hoover (5-2, 2-2) filled the box with eight or nine defenders on every snap and flooded GlenOak’s

backfield.

“We played a little harder tonight than we had, a little more consistent,” said Hoover head coach

Don Hertler Jr., who was without five starters but added: “These are too good of kids and too much

of a team not to keep working through it.”

GlenOak’s deepest penetration came on its first possession as Szink and Smith found some

early holes and moved the ball to the Hoover 39. Smith then went around right end, broke two

tackles and was dragged down at the Hoover 1.

A holding call brought the play back, and Hoover linebacker Jordan Bucar picked off

a tipped ball on the next play returning it 17 yards to the GlenOak 27 yard line..

“We were moving the ball well on the first drive, but first the penalty, then the

interception ... ” said GlenOak head coach Jack Rose, whose Golden Eagles (2-4, 0-4)

remain winless in league play. “It all went downhill from there. ... They beat us in every

phase of the game.”

Hoover scored on the first play of the second quarter as junior quarterback

Jared Wackerly found Seth Allman on a curl route right in front of the goal line for an

8-yard touchdown.

Wackerly was just 9-of-21 for 136 yards but had four passes dropped — two by

standout receiver Matt Wakulchik.

The 6-foot-1, 180-pound junior made up for the lapses, though, with some fearless punt

returning and by hauling in three jump balls deep in GlenOak territory that set up short

touchdown runs. Wakulchik finished with four catches for 90 yards and just shy of

100 yards in returns.

“Matt dropped the easy ones and caught the tough ones,” Hertler said. “But he went

up and caught them when we really needed him to.”

A 17-yarder from Wackerly to Wakulchik to the GlenOak 1 set up the first of

Kevin Dahl’s three TDs to give Hoover a 14-0 lead 4:54 before halftime.

Wackerly and Wakulchik hooked up again for 31 yards to the Eagles 2, as Dahl then

scored again with 16 seconds left in the third.

The final one, this time a 36-yarder, put the ball again at the GlenOak 1 for Dahl to

finish off.

Dahl had 24 tough yards on nine carries, while freshman Erik Howard led the Vikings

with 71 yards on 17 runs. Scott Gnau and Allman added 23 yards each on the ground.

It was more than the Vikings’ defense needed as Hoover held GlenOak to just two first

downs during the final three quarters. Thanks in part to OLB Scott Gnau who was

credited with 9 stops.

“We played really well tonight,” said Michaels, a senior defensive end. “We just had

fun out there and came out fired up. “It’s been tough this year (with all the injuries),

but we’ve fought through it and — I think — come through it little better than we

went in.”

Box Score

Hoover 28, GlenOak 0

at Fawcett Stadium

Hoover 0 14 7 7 — 28

GlenOak 0 0 0 0 — 0

H—Allman 8 pass from Wackerly (Wakulchik kick)

H—Dahl 1 run (Wakulchik kick)

H—Dahl 2 run (Wakulchik kick)

H—Dahl 1 run (Wakulchik kick)

Game Stats

Rushing: Hoover 41-150, GlenOak 27-31

Passing: Hoover 9-21-136-0, GlenOak 8-14-59-1

First downs: Hoover 14, GlenOak 4

Fumbles-lost: Hoover 1-0, GlenOak 1-0

Records Hoover: 5-2, 2-2; GlenOak 2-5, 0-4

NETWORK

Erick Howard tries to shake loose from GlenOak defender Adam Garman on Friday night at Fawcett Stadium.

Hoover Vikings Football

Hoover Vikings Football

Canton GlenOak Game Review

Hoover High School freshman running back Erick Howard finished with a game-high 71 yards on 17 carries. Photo by Derek Quinn

Hoover High School senior Kyle Hennis levels GlenOak's QB, Justin Szink for a sack.

Photo by Derek Quinn

Hoover High School senior LB Jordan Bucar shows the "V" for victory sign following Hoover's dominant performance against GlenOak.