How a single play made a difference in Hoover-GlenOak game

Division I regional final preview

Friday, November 14, 2008

Todd Porter, Canton Repository

NORTH CANTON It wasn't luck, even if that's what Don Hertler Jr. calls it.

It wasn't a prayer, even though that's what Brett Tulodzieski's pass, lofted

into the night air, looked like before it nestled in Erick Howard's arms.

Hertler, a humble head coach always quick to pass the credit, said the

Vikings were lucky on that one play.

It was one play that changed a game, and perhaps a season. Saturday night

at Paul Brown Tiger Stadium, Hoover and GlenOak will try to end one another's

season in a Division I regional championship game.

It was just four weeks ago when Hoover's season changed on a play.

In a Week 9 game against GlenOak at North Canton's Memorial Stadium,

the Vikings trailed the Golden Eagles, 10-7.

They had third-and-17 from their own 42.

Hertler sent the play in with jumbled words. There was supposed

to be motion before the play that would help Tulodzieski with

pass protection.

"I didn't get us in the right motion on that one," Hertler said. "Brett had to scramble around and it made it a harder play that it was. He did a great job keeping it alive."

Tulodzieski avoided being sacked and then heaved the ball down the left sideline for Howard.

Hoover's do-it-all running back was running a wheel route. GlenOak had a defender there to knock the pass away, but mistimed his jump.

Then Howard said he lost the pass in the lights.

"It wasn't well executed," Hertler said. "We got lucky on it. ... But that's where the game swung. That got us some momentum. We were able to finish that drive out right and score and then we controlled the ball in the fourth quarter."

It was the second time Hoover ran the play. The first time was against Fitch and Howard turned a 10-yard gain into a 60-yard touchdown after he reversed field.

When Hertler looks at his play sheet, there isn't much written under third-and-17.

But he remembered that Howard made something happen with it earlier in the season and was hoping the same might happen again.

One play very well changed the outcome of that game, of Hoover's regular season and ... GlenOak's.

"I don't have a crystal ball to know how the fourth quarter would have played out," Hertler said. "But that was a big, big play."

As inspiring as it was to North Canton, it deflated GlenOak. There was a sense right then and there the Vikings were going to find a way to win that game, stay unbeaten in the Federal League, and march on. And there was a sense GlenOak could do nothing about it.

"It was the biggest play of the game," Garcia said. "We had them sacked on it. We had a guy there to defend it. Their quarterback made a great play and their best player did what he does.

"I don't know if you feel like you're doomed, but it definitely changed the game."

Howard's catch wasn't all that happened, though.

Eight plays later he scored the game-winning touchdown.

Then Hoover's defense stoned GlenOak's offensive line and the Golden Eagles couldn't move the ball.

Literally, they couldn't move it.

GlenOak had three possessions after Howard's incredible catch. The Golden Eagles went three-and-out each series.

"They took it to us after that," Garcia said. "We couldn't get anything going, and once Howard gets going, he's hard to stop."

But beating a team twice in a season is difficult.

It isn't impossible.

The last time North Canton did it was 2000 when it beat Jackson at Fife Stadium in consecutive weeks by the same 14-7 score.

"I'm not too worried about that because this is a separate game on a neutral site," Hertler said. "One game has nothing to do with the other. We've been on both ends of it. We've split, we've been swept and we've swept teams. All it does is make it easier to prepare. I don't know what else they can go to; I'm sure they have some wrinkles. There's not a whole lot we're going to go to that we haven't thrown."

They've both showed just about all of it, including the throw-it-up and keep your fingers crossed.

"It's going to be a great game," Garcia said. "It's a credit to both teams and the Federal League that we're here. Both communities ... we're neighbors, so everybody is fired up."

NETWORK

GROUP EFFORT The GlenOak defense gets a second shot at stopping Hoover tailback Erick Howard when the two Federal League teams play Saturday in a Division I regional final at Paul Brown Tiger Stadium. Hoover won Oct. 17, 14-10.

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