By Phil Keren

Correspondent

A balanced offensive attack and a stout defense propelled Rootstown to a 40-0 victory over Fairport Harding on Friday .

Rootstown head coach Tom Hannan said he was pleased with his team’s performance on both sides of the ball. In losses to Chagrin Falls and Kirtland during the previous two weeks, the Rovers allowed a total of 85 points. Hannan praised new defensive coordinator Jeff Bruno for the time he put in to prepare the defense for a dangerous Fairport Harding offense.

Rootstown football head coach Tom Hannan speaks to his team following Friday’s 40-0 shutout win over Fairport.
Phil Keren/Portage Sports

“(Bruno’s) a veteran getting to know the kids,” Hannan noted. “The last couple weeks, we’ve had tough opponents, lost a tough one last week. He did a great job of regrouping these kids and putting a nice plan together.”

Hannan offered kudos to offensive coordinator Alan Vanderink for the balanced offense he has constructed just past the halfway point of the season.

“(Vanderink) does a great job of mixing it up,” Hannan said. “I’m an old Wing-T guy and pound it at all costs. He’d probably be the only one that I’d ever turn the play-calling over to, and I’m so glad I did the last couple years because being the head coach and being older, it takes a lot of responsibility off my plate.”

After fumbling on its first possession, the Rovers had scoring marches on each of its possessions the rest of the way.

On its second possession, the Rovers (3-3) drove 67 yards in eight plays (five runs, three passes) to take a 7-0 lead late in the first quarter. Senior quarterback Blake Mullaly was 3-for-3 for 47 yards on the scoring march, including a 19-yard completion to senior tight end Christian Adkins.

After Rootstown’s defense recorded a three-and-out, a 16-yard punt by Fairport Harding gave the Rovers the ball on the Skippers’ 31-yard line. From there, it took just two plays for Rootstown to find the end zone again. Mullaly’s 11-yard run was followed by a nifty 20-yard touchdown scamper by sophomore running back Grayson Rantilla.

A missed extra point meant Rootstown led 13-0 with 30 seconds remaining in the first quarter.

It took Rootstown just three plays to score the next time it had the ball. The trio of plays were a 12-yard screen pass from Mullaly to senior wide receiver Max McEwuen, a 22-yard run by Rantilla and a 22-yard scoring pass from Mullaly to senior running back Kiel Reuting. Mullaly threaded the needle between two defenders and Reuting snared it just as he crossed the goal line. The touchdown gave Rootstown a 20-0 lead at 9:06 of the second quarter.

After mixing it up on their previous drives, the Rovers focused on the running game in their fourth scoring march. Mullaly had a pair of 11-yard runs, and junior wide receiver Carson Saltsman also recorded an 11-yard scamper. Rantilla scored his second touchdown of the contest on a 14-yard run at 3:39 of the second quarter.

Hannan said he believes Rantilla has the potential to take on the lion’s share of carries as his career continues.

“I think down the road, next year and moving forward, Grayson Rantilla is going to be our next bell cow tailback,” Hannan said.

McEwuen then made big plays on both offense and defense to extend Rootstown’s lead.

First, he intercepted a Fairport Harding pass at the Rootstown 34-yard line. Six plays later, Mullaly

dropped back and floated a pass over the Skippers’ secondary to McEwuen, who caught the ball in stride for a 41-yard touchdown and a 33-0 lead.

The second half was played with a running clock in accordance with the Ohio High School Athletic Association mercy rule. Rantilla scored his third touchdown of the game on a 12-yard run.

Noting that Mullaly is in his third year as a starter, Hannan said his senior signal-caller is being

asked to shoulder a higher level of responsibility.

“We’re asking him to do a lot more this year,” Hannan said. “In the first two years, all we asked him to do was play quarterback and kick. Now he’s playing quarterback. He’s running a lot more, he’s a main cog in our running game…Blake just does a great job of leading us. He’s very consistent. Blake’s just a great leader out there.”

Rootstown’s leader tipped his hat to Reuting and McEwuen, who recorded three interceptions Friday night.

(Reuting and McEwuen) have played a lot of football for us,” Hannan said. “They’re seniors and they’re big-play players. McEwuen, any time he gets the ball in his hands, he’s dangerous… Reuting, he’s a mismatch in the passing game, too.”