North Canton Hoover (10-1) vs Twinsburg (9-2)
Regional Semifinal
Canton Repository
SITE: Fawcett Stadium, Canton, OH, 7:00 p.m.
Hoover is the HOME team
PLAYOFF HISTORY: Hoover is making its second straight postseason appearance and
16th overall. The Vikings are 12-15 in the playoffs advancing to the Regional Final in 2007.
Hoover has been a regular fixture in the postseason play qualifying nine out of the last
eleven years.
Twinsburg is in the playoffs for the first time since 2003 where they lost to Warren Howland
17 - 24 in (ot) during first round action. This will be Twinsburg's second playoff appearance
in eleven years and first playoff appearance as a division I program. The Tigers are 2-4 in
five playoff appearances.
WHAT TO WATCH: Hoover TB Erick Howard could eclipse 2,000 yards on his first carry
of the night. He has 1,995 yards and 27 touchdowns on 324 carries. He also has
18 catches for 390 yards and three scores. The junior has two straight 200-yard games.
Erick is actively being recruited by USC, Ohio State, Florida and many more DI programs.
QB Brett Tulodzieski is a capable passer for the Vikings and another source of big plays.
He has thrown for 1,137 yards with seven TDs and just two interceptions by throwing to a
variety of receivers.
LB Tim Hartzell and DL Dom Boyle lead a defense that’s playing its best football of the
season. The Vikings have allowed just 24 points the last three weeks.
Twinsburg QB Cory Eden is a dangerous runner and passer, but he is coming off an injury.
The Tigers hope to have him back after he injured his right shoulder on the first series of
last week’s game and did not return. He ran for 992 yards and passed for 1,336 during the
regular season, accounting for 21 total TDs.
In Eden’s absence, Twinsburg went with RB Dion Johnson and backup QB Andrew Collier
as its quarterbacks.
The 5-6 Johnson has rushed for 818 yards, including 125 last week. He also caught a
17-yard TD pass from Collier, who threw two TD passes. Nick Nero had 549 receiving
yards during the season.
Twinsburg’s defense is led by LB Joe Kerrigan (123 tackles), DT Brandon Bucknell
(10 sacks), DE Frank Orteca (76 tackles) and DE Kevin Miller.
The Tigers have given up more than 17 points just once, to Parma in a 56-55 overtime win.
2008 Schedule & Results
08/21 GlenOak (9-2) L 7-14 (playoff qualifier)
08/29 Hudson (5-5) W 18-0
09/05 Aurora (9-2) W 27-6 (playoff qualifier DIII)
09/12 Stow-Munroe Falls (4-6) W 21-7
09/19 Nordonia (7-4) L 13-17 (playoff qualifier)
09/25 North Royalton (5-5) W 28-14
10/03 Valley Forge (3-7) W 33-17
10/10 Parma (6-4) W 56-55 ot
10/17 Normandy (5-5) W 35-17
10/24 Brush (0-10) W 28-7
Regional Quarterfinal
11/01 Amherst Steele (8-3) W 20-11 (playoff qualifier)
PF 285 PA 154
Twinsburg overcomes loss of QB to defeat Amherst
Sunday, November 2, 2008
Dennis Manoloff, Cleveland Plain Dealer
Twinsburg coach Mark Solis went to class Saturday night.
"Ad-lib 101," he said.
Solis, with help from staff and players, earned an ‘A.’
The Tigers, who lost their standout quarterback to injury on their first series, figured out a
way to defeat Amherst, 20-11, in a Division I playoff game at Twinsburg.
Twinsburg improved to 9-2; Amherst closes at 8-3.
At the end of a 14-yard gain with 8:50 left in the first quarter, Cory Eden (Twinsburg QB)
suffered a right-shoulder injury. Solis said Eden severely sprained his AC joint and that his
status for this week is uncertain.
"Cory couldn’t get his arm over his head," Solis said. " He wanted to gut it out, but it was
the right decision to hold him out."
Solis was left to improvise with running back Dion Johnson and backup quarterback
Andrew Collier (Twinsburg backup QB) engineering the spread offense.
"You want to talk about coaching on the run," Solis said. "We had to stitch and piece things
together. Dion and Andrew did a great job."
The 5-6 Johnson, who entered the night with 693 yards rushing, took the majority of the
snaps. He finished with 36 carries for 125 yards, much of it gained between the tackles.
"I’m extremely tired," he said. "I’m not content, but I’m pleased. The important thing is we won."
Johnson performed as if he had been taking snaps in the "wildcat," or "tiger," formation all
season.
"I was nervous at first," he said. "After a while, I got used to it. I thought it would be fun
and it was."
Johnson also caught a touchdown pass, 17 yards from Collier on a screen in the first half.
Collier saved his biggest play for late in the fourth quarter with Twinsburg ahead, 14-11.
On fourth-and-6 from the Amherst 18, Collier connected with a leaping Keith Curry in the
right corner of the end zone with 1:17 left. It accounted for the final margin.
"We could have run the ball, but the clock would have stopped on change of possession,"
Solis said. "So I thought, ‘What the heck, let’s go for six. ’ We work on that play a lot."
Amherst, itself playing without injured standout running back Brandon Kish, barely missed
on two big pass plays and had a fumbled punt in the fourth quarter. The Comets did not
score in the second half.
"We just didn’t consistently move the ball," Amherst coach Kevin Fell said. "We had
chances to make plays but didn’t. We put too much pressure on our defense."
Midway through the second quarter, Twinsburg was poised to take a 14-0 lead. The Tigers
had a first-and-10 at the Amherst 15 but failed to score. On fourth-and-1 from the 6,
linebacker Cody Wenrich blasted through the gap and stuffed the Tigers rusher, the play
losing 4.
Game Notes:
Twinsburg coach, Solis used running back Dion Johnson often in the shotgun
(following Eden's injury), as well as backup quarterback Andrew Collier. Johnson ran for
128 yards on 36 carries and scored on a 17-yard screen pass from Collier. Joe Hiller had
a 1-yard TD run and an interception.
Collier (Eden's backup), a junior, was effective, often using the screen pass effectively.
He iced the game on a fourth down touchdown pass to Keith Curry on a perfect fade and
jump ball toss of 18 yards with 1:06 left in the game,
Twinsburg Key Personnel (regular season stats):
- Head Coach, Mark Solis (second year, 64-29 overall).
Last year: 3-7 overall, 3-2 conference.
- Twinsburg's spread offense (no huddle) swirls around
- QB Cory Eden (992 yards rushing, 11 touchdowns;
1,336 yards passing, 10 touchdowns)
SHOULDER INJURY during the first offensive
series against Amherst Steele. 11/06 UPDATE: Questionable for Saturday's game against Hoover. Per Coach Solis, it will be a game time decision. - Ohio.com (Beacon Journal) Expect to see Eden in action.- QB Andrew Collier, Jr. #9 (replaced Eden at QB)
- WR Nick Nero, Jr. #8 (549 yards receiving, two TDs)
- DB Darius Washington, Jr. #88 (80 tackles)
- RB Dion Johnson, Jr. #2 (693 yards rushing, nine TDs)
- Center Matt Demore, Sr. #60
- LB Joe Kerrigan, Jr. #33 (123 tackles)
- LB Devon Sanders, Jr. #10 (97.5 tackles)
- DL Brandon Bucknell, Jr. #71 (10 sacks)
- DE Frank Orteca, Sr. #52 (76 tackles)
- DB Joe Hiller, Jr. #21 (46.5 tackles)
- DB Mike Maier, jr. #18 (56 taackles)
NORTHEAST OHIO League (Regular Season)
Team (Division,Region) League Record / Overall record
RIVER DIVISION Mayfield (II, 5) 5-0 9-1 Hudson (I, 2) 4-1 5-5 Nordonia (I, 2) 3-2 7-3 (playoff qualifier)Stow (I, 2) 2-3 4-6 Cuyahoga Falls (I, 2) 1-4 2-8 Garfield Heights (I, 1) 0-5 4-6 VALLEY DIVISION Strongsville (I, 1) 5-0 9-1 (playoff qualifier)Brunswick (I, 2) 4-1 9-1 (playoff qualifier)Solon (I, 1) 3-2 6-4 Medina (I, 2) 2-3 4-6 Elyria (I, 2) 1-4 2-8 Lakewood (I, 1) 0-5 1-9 LAKE DIVISION Twinsburg (I, 2) 5-0 8-2 (playoff qualifier)Parma (I, 1) 3-2 6-4 North Royalton (I, 1) 3-2 5-5 Parma Normandy (II, 5) 3-2 5-5 Parma Valley Forge (I, 1) 1-4 3-7 Brush (I, 1) 0-5 0-10 Twinsburg Roster
1 Croom-Francisco, Brandon Junior 6'2" 175
2 Johnson, Dion Junior 5'6" 155 (RB)
3 Laney, D'Evan Sophomore 5'9" 140
4 Smaltz, Rob Senior 5'8" 160 (DB)
5 Macer III, Aaron Sophomore 6'1" 175 (DB)
6 Tyler, Smith Sophomore 5'9" 135
7 Vinas, Edilbeto Sophomore 5'6" 125
8 Nero, Nicholas Junior 5'7" 160 (WR)
9 Collier, Andrew Junior 6'2" 180 (QB)
10 Sanders, Devon Junior 5'10" 175 (LB)
11 Eden, Cory Senior 6'1" 175 (QB)
12 Godinsky, Tom Junior 5'10" 165
13 Riley, Joseph Senior 5'10" 150
14 Mitchell, Calvin Senior 5'10" 175
15 Comar, Waquiem Junior 5'10" 155
16 Linek, Michael Sophomore 5'11" 150
17 Williams, Byron Senior 5'10" 175
18 Maier, Mike Junior 5'10" 175 (DB)
19 Laubscher, Zakary Sophomore 5'10 160
20 Huffman, Joshua Sophomore 5'7" 160
21 Hiller, Joe Junior 5'10" 175 (RB/DB)
22 Crosby, Paul Junior 5'11" 170
24 Hechavarria, Miquel Sophomore 5'9" 175
25 Burgess III, Samuel Sophomore 5'8" 165
26 Greg, Thomas Sophomore 5'9" 170
27 Dominic, Alec Junior 5'8" 150
32 Pendleton, Jordan Senior 5'10" 175
33 Kerrigan, Joe Junior 6'0" 190 (LB)
34 DeJeu, Sam Junior 5'10" 175
35 Curry, Keith Senior 6'2" 170
36 Stinard, Ben Junior 5'9" 170
37 Turner, Denorris Sophomore 5'9" 160
39 Glover, Tyler Senior 5'10" 170
40 Gagne-Cross, Nicholas Sophomore 5'10 190
41 Marlow, Brady Junior 5'8" 150
42 Branch, Terrance Junior 5'10" 190
43 Pacelli, Anthony Senior 6'2" 165
44 Surace, Anthony Sophomore 5'11" 160
50 Biben, Bradley Senior 5'10" 230
51 Kisilev, Artem Sophomore 5'9" 190
52 Orteca, Frank Senior 6'1" 225 (RT/RDE)
53 Beltrami, Joseph Junior 6'0" 205
55 Orrill, Rick Junior 5'11" 220
56 Turner, Alonzo Senior 5'10" 220
57 Hyde, Ben Sophomore 5'11" 180
59 Lee, Urban Sophomore 6'0" 190
60 Demore, Matt Senior 6'1" 250 (C)
61 Skoberne, Greg Senior 5'11" 180
62 Bulosh, Brett Sophomore 5'11" 225
64 Gill, Tyler Sophomore 6'2" 210
65 Delegram, Joseph Junior 5'10" 175
66 Foley, De'Airus Sophomore 5'11" 210
67 Fry, Tim Senior 5'10" 230 (RG)
68 Keller, Zack Junior 5'10" 175
70 Burgen, Alex Senior 6'0" 315
71 Bucknell, Brandon Junior 6'0" 250 (OL/DT)
72 Fechko, Matt Senior 6'1" 230 (LT)
74 Quinn, Kellen Sophomore 5'11" 205
75 Porco, Kevin Junior 6'1" 240
77 Thompson, Jeremy Sophomore 5'10" 225
78 Cardillo, Sam Sophomore 6'0" 240
79 Kohnke, Kyle Sophomore 6'1" 240
82 Talentino, Doug Junior 6'2" 190
83 Castagnola, Eric Senior 6'0" 175
84 Grant, Jr., Wayne Sophomore 6'0 205 (TE)
85 Miller, Kevin M. Senior 6'0" 205 (LDE)
86 Hodge, Nate Junior 5'11" 160
88 Washington, Darius Junior 6'2" 180 (WR)
91 Ray, Chris Senior 6'1" 230
92 Rudolph, Shamont Junior 6'3" 220
93 Singh, Tesean Sophomore 6'0"` 200
NETWORK
Twinsburg running back Dion Johnson stretches for an extra yard during the Tigers’ 18-0 win over Hudson Aug. 29.
Twinsburg running back Dion Johnson looks to avoid a pair of Aurora tacklers during the Tigers’ win over Aurora Sept. 5.
Twinsburg quarterback Cory Eden gets the snap during a loss at Nordonia Sept. 19.
Twinsburg wide receiver Brandon Croom-Francisco pulls in a pass during a game against Aurora earlier this season.
Capacity: 24,000
Hoover Vikings Football
Hoover Vikings Football
Twinsburg Tigers Scouting Report
