The past is history for Hoover

Tuesday, November 4, 2008

Chris Beaven, fridaynightohio.com

NORTH CANTON They thought about the past a lot last week.

That motivated the Hoover Vikings to a historic win for their high school football

program — a first-ever victory over Massillon.

This week, it’s all about now for the Vikings, who play Twinsburg in the second round of the Division I state football playoffs.

“I think we had a lot of guys playing with a lot of pride in that game, playing for other (Hoover) teams that didn’t beat (Massillon),” Hoover head coach Don Hertler Jr. said. “I think they felt a little burdened by that. Now, we’re playing for this year’s team and it’s not North Canton vs. Massillon.”

It’s Hoover vs. Twinsburg at 7 Saturday night at Fawcett Stadium. The Tigers are 9-2 after beating Amherst Steele, 20-11, last week. The Vikings come in at 10-1 after their 14-7 win over Massillon.

“Each week gets a little bit tougher, and I think this will be a tough one for us,” Hertler said.

Last week’s win was tough and emotional as it continued a surprising season by the Vikings. They have put together back-to-back 10-win seasons.

“It was a big game No. 1 to win our first playoff with a lot of new guys,” said Hertler, who entered the season with only a handful of full-time returning starters. “No. 2, it was big for our community because it was Massillon. Now, our focus is ... on ourselves. We have to get better. We still have a lot of areas to improve on.”

Hoover relies on a powerful running game led by Erick Howard and a strong defense. Both were on full display last week.

The Viking defense gave up just 142 yards and kept the Tigers off the scoreboard in the second half. It was the third straight week Hoover shut out a team in the second half of a tight game.

Offensively, Howard had his second straight 200-yard game and scored two touchdowns, including a remarkable game-winning 49-yard TD run in the fourth quarter.

Hertler knows the joy of beating Massillon lingered through Sunday’s off day and into Monday when the Vikings only watched game tape. They returned to the practice field Tuesday afternoon, and Hertler said the Massillon win belonged in the past at that point.

“That game’s over and you move on to the next one and focus to get better this week,” said Hertler, whose program had lost the three previous playoff meetings with Massillon. “I mentioned to them after the (Massillon) game that it was a great win, but we want to have greater wins in the future. It’s tournament time, one and done, and you have to treat every week like it’s your last week. ... If you win, you play on.”

Week after week of tight games during the season helped toughen the Vikings. They’ve learned to play with a sense of urgency that’s needed to succeed in the playoffs.

“I think our schedule, as I look back on it, really helped us because we had to play every game, every quarter, every snap,” Hertler said. “That game was the same type of game. This one will be that way, too. You have to play it out to the end.”

NETWORK

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Twinsburg Tigers Game Preview