Marcus Council looks to turn the corner during a first-half run for Streetsboro.
Paisley Nader/Portage Sports

By Tom Nader

Publisher and Editor

All football teams are built to adopt the “next man up” mentality, but few teams have had to experience it to the degree that the Streetsboro Rockets have this season.

Injuries have riddled the roster since Week 1, crippling the team’s ability to create sustained momentum with any one particular starting lineup.

Streetsboro’s Chris Jackson leaps into the air to secure a blocked punt in the second quarter on Friday.
Paisley Nader/Portage Sports

At various times this season, the Rockets have been without standouts Marcus Council, Logan Fincham, Manny Gibson, Arthur Scott, Cooper Richmond and Kyle Giacomo, among others.

To put things into perspective, Friday’s first-round playoff game against West Geauga was the first time all season that the Rockets have played with the same starting offensive line in back-to-back games.

So with the score tied 14-14 midway through Friday’s second quarter, when Streetsboro quarterback Colton Cox was knocked out of the lineup with a bloody nose, it put the Rockets in familiar territory.

Next man up.

That man was Janiere Cook, but it was a surprise to head coach Pete Thompson, whose Rockets had just regained possession on a partially blocked punt on the Wolverines’ 33-yard line and were ready to run back out on offense.

“To be honest, nobody had relayed to me that Colton was not able to go, and I had already made up my mind on the play call,” Thompson said. “So when I saw Janiere out there, I was getting ready to run up to the referee to call timeout, but Janiere stopped me and said, ‘Coach, I got this.’ I wasn’t sure, but I said to myself, ‘OK, let’s see’.”

The Rockets’ Manny Gibson celebrates after scoring on a 33-yard touchdown catch from Janiere Cook in the second quarter.
Paisley Nader/Portage Sports

Thompson’s hopes of the play did not improve when the ball was snapped and the team’s offensive line ran protection to the wrong side, sliding to the left instead of to the right to protect Cook as he dropped back to pass.

For once this season, though, a little bit of luck was on the Rockets’ side.

Cook released a perfect pass, just before being hit by the oncoming, unblocked pressure, that hit Gibson in stride just inside the red zone and Gibson did the rest by gliding into the end zone.

Logan Sadowski boomed the extra point to give Streetsboro a 21-14 lead at the 7:40 mark. The score carried into halftime, but West Geauga (6-5) pushed a 2-yard touchdown run by Daegan Katz across the goal line in the third quarter to tie the score.

However, the resilient Rockets seized the game with a pair of fourth-quarter touchdowns by Marcus Council, his third and fourth of the game to secure the 35-21 home playoff victory.

The win advances the Rockets (9-2) to Week 12, the regional quarterfinals, to play at third-seeded Mentor Lake Catholic (9-2) on Friday (Nov. 7). The Cougars defeated Notre Dame-Cathedral Latin in the first round, 21-14.

The Rockets’ defense reacts after recovering a fumble near the goal line late in the second quarter.
Paisley Nader/Portage Sports

Council’s two touchdowns to seal the game came on a 14-yard run at the 11:24 mark and on an 8-yard run with 1:55 to play. Sadowski, a trusted and strong foot, who blasted all six of his kickoffs into the end zone for touchbacks, connected on the point-afters.

The two scores to close out the game capped a special night for Council, who finished the game with 124 yards rushing on only 15 carries.

He gave the Rockets a 7-0 lead in the first quarter with a 3-yard run before the Wolverines scored the game’s next two scores to claim a 14-7 advantage.

Council tied the score 14-14 on a 59-yard run that started with him attacking the right edge, before he put on the brakes, changed directions and arched back across the field to the left sideline and used his speed to outrace everyone to the end zone.

On Halloween night, it was as if Council had put on his Barry Sanders costume — matching No. 20 jersey and all.

“Marcus is just a special player and that was a special play,” Thompson said. “I think if he would have followed his blockers on the right, he would have gotten about 5 or 6 yards, but he took it the other way and turned into a lot more. Not many players are able to make that kind of play. After missing multiple weeks, I feel like Marcus is finally getting himself closer to what could be considered mid-season form.”

Streetsboro running back Marcus Council pulls out of a tackle during a first-quarter run. Council finished the game with 124 yards on 15 carries and scored four touchdowns.
Paisley Nader/Portage Sports

As important as the Rockets’ offensive surge was to the victory, so was Streetsboro’s defensive turnaround.

After giving up 14 quick first-quarter points to the Wolverines and their power running attack, the Rockets buckled down and held them to just one more score the rest of the way.

It was truly a bend and not break philosophy for the Rockets’ defense.

Through three quarters of action, West Geauga’s offense ran 51 plays to only 17 for Streetsboro.

In that mix for the Wolverines was a 19-play, 80-yard drive to open the third quarter that chewed up 9 minutes, 56 seconds of game clock that ended with Katz’s 2-yard run.

Also in that mix, though, were a number of key defensive plays by the Rockets, including two critical turnovers that featured Gibson.

The first came with 1:13 left in the second quarter, the score tied 14-14 and with the Wolverines on the 3-yard line after another drive powered by effective toss sweeps and quarterback sneaks. Though, just as it appeared the Wolverines would score to take the lead on another QB-keeper and the pile moving toward the goal line, Gibson jarred the ball lose and Chris Jackson pounced on it to abruptly end the drive at the 1-yard line.

It was an important turnover considering the Wolverines also received the second-half kickoff (and used that drive to score a touchdown).

Gibson got back into action on defense in the fourth quarter.

Alan Podboy and Kyle Giacomo stifle a third-quarter run by West Geauga.
Paisley Nader/Portage Sports

With Streetsboro leading 28-21, following a TD run early in the stanza by Council, West Geauga was driving again.

The Wolverines went to the air down the right sideline, but Gibson’s coverage was textbook with inside leverage and he laid out to grab and secure an interception at the Rockets’ 22-yard line with 8:16 to play. The turnover set up the Rockets’ next touchdown that put them ahead by two scores.

“Manny is just a tremendous player,” Thompson said. “It has gotten to a point that you just kind of expect him to make those plays. He is that kind of player. To not only figure out a way to catch that ball, but to keep himself inbounds, to roll his body as he caught it to protect it from hitting the ground … that is just Manny. I think we recognized it was a great play right away, but I feel like that is one that we are going to watch on film tomorrow and just say, ‘Wow. Are you kidding me’.”

Gibson’s effort came from all directions on Friday. Offensively, he had the 33-yard touchdown reception, and he also had 28 yards rushing. Defensively, he had the forced fumble and interception. On special teams, he had 73 yards in kick returns, including a 40-yard return to open the game.

For the Wolverines, Miles Baker was the workhorse. He had 195 yards rushing on 29 carries — oftentimes reading blocks and lanes at just the right time on the team’s patented toss-sweep action that repeatedly created large gaines. He scored a pair of touchdowns, running in from 52 yards and 13 yards — both in the first quarter.

BOX SCORE 

OHSAA FIRST ROUND PLAYOFFS

STREETSBORO 35, WEST GEAUGA 21

(At Quinn Field at Rocket Stadium, Streetsboro)

WEST GEAUGA 14-0-7-0—21

STREETSBORO 14-7-0-14—35

SCORING SUMMARY

FIRST QUARTER

STR — Council 3 run (Sadowski kick), 6:58

WG — Baker 52 run (Cook kick), 5:13

WG — Baker 13 run (Cook kick), 2:28

STR — Council 59 run (Sadowski kick), 2:04

SECOND QUARTER

STR — Gibson 33 pass from Cook (Sadowski kick), 7:40

THIRD QUARTER

WG — Datz 2 run (Cook kick), 2:44

FOURTH QUARTER

STR — Council 14 run (Sadowski kick), 11:24

STR — Council 8 run (Sadowski kick), 1:55

TEAM STATISTICS

First Downs — West Geauga 21 (16 rushing, 5 passing), Streetsboro 13 (12 rushing, 1 passing).

Rushing: Att.-Yards — Wet Geauga 54-261; Streetsboro 31-231.

Passing: Comp.-Att. — West Geauga 8-12; Streetsboro 4-4.

Passing Yards — West Geauga 84; Streetsboro 52.

Interceptions Thrown — West Geauga 1, Streetsboro 0.

Fumbles-Lost — West Geauga 1-1; Streetsboro 2-1.

Penalties-Yards — West Geauga 4-34; Streetsboro 2-6.

Turnover on Downs — West Geauga 0; Streetsboro 0.

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING

West Geauga: Miles Baker 29-195; Finn Keenan 17-28; Mickey Keenan 3-9; Daegan Katz 2-3; Anthony Dzurilla 3-26.

Streetsboro: Marcus Council 15-124; Janiere Cook 7-56; Manny Gibson 3-28; Colton Cox 5-16; Ayden Knuebel 1-7.

PASSING

West Geauga: Finn Keenan 8-12-1-84.

Streetsboro: Colton Cox 3-3-0-19; Janiere Cook 1-1-0-33.

RECEIVING

West Geauga: Dominic Paros 5-54; Tyler Fink 2-23; Daegan Katz 1-7.

Streetsboro: Manny Gibson 1-33; Marcus Council 1-2; Janiere Cook 2-17.