By Tom Nader

Publisher and Editor

Road games are simply business trips for the Garfield G-Men football team.

Garfield quarterback Collin McGranahan (left) celebrates with Ryder Cain after a second-quarter score by Cain.
Paisley Nader/Portage Sports

In an unprecedented run of success, the G-Men, who notched another road win on Friday, have now triumphed in 38 of their last 39 regular-season games away from JAG Field in Garrettsville.

The latest in that streak came at Freedom Field in Palmyra, where Garfield dominated the host Pirates 47-7 in a Mahoning Valley Athletic Conference victory.

It is the team’s sixth straight to start the season for the G-Men, who are also now 3-0 in league play.

After a relatively non-descript first quarter, which ended with Garfield leading 6-0, the G-Men took full control of the game in the second quarter by scoring 27 points in an 8-minute span to take a commanding 33-0 lead into halftime.

“We were a little bit sloppy early,” Garfield head coach Mike Moser said. “We missed some opportunities, had some penalties, but we definitely got settled in and took control of the game.”

The barrage was jumpstarted by a 1-yard touchdown run by Collin McGranahan at the 9:46 mark of the second quarter. Hannah Timmons’ point-after made it 13-0.

A 59-yard punt return by Nate Baczkowski, who made multiple big plays in the game, that very nearly was a touchdown set up the G-Men on their next possession at the 11-yard line. It resulted in a 5-yard run by Ryder Cain for his second of four scores in the game.

The TD made it 19-0 at 6:57.

Garfield’s defense then provided another boost when Oliver Walker ripped a pass out of the air, then provided a short return to set up another short field for the G-Men at Southeast’s 19.

Cain busted across the goal line from 4 yards out and Timmons delivered again on the extra point for a 26-0 Garfield lead at 4:39.

Garfield senior Nate Baczkowski (25) turns the corner for a big gain in the first half.
Paisley Nader/Portage Sports

The final score before the half, Cain’s fourth of the game, came on a 17-yard run at the 1:36 mark, with another boot from Timmons making it 33-0.

The G-Men added to their lead in the second half on a third-quarter touchdown run by Baczkowski (39 yards) and a fourth-quarter touchdown run by Logan Shirkey (26 yards).

The lone score for Southeast (2-4, 1-2 MVAC) came with 2:59 left in the third quarter on a 49-yard run by Alaunte Massrock.

Massrock took the handoff and ran over the left side of his line, then jump-cut out toward the left sideline before turning on the jets and out-racing everyone down the sideline to the end zone.

Garfield was led offensively by Cain, who finished with 107 yards on only 10 carries. Collin McGranahan had 84 yards rushing on five carries, while also completing 4-of-6 passes for 83 yards and no interceptions.

Baczkowski did a little bit of everything for the G-Men. He had 39 yards rushing and a touchdown, 38 yards receiving and the 59-yard punt return in the second quarter.

“Nate has had a really great year for us,” Moser said. “He is a player who can do a little bit of everything when he is out there, and we are really proud of him. He worked really hard in the off-season and that hard work is paying off now.”

In Week 7 next Friday, Garfield hosts Liberty, which is also undefeated at 6-0 and beat Newton Falls 56-0 on Friday, at JAG Field in a MVAC Gray Division showdown.

Southeast’s Drake Longgood pulls away from a Garfield defender during a first-half run on Friday in Palmyra.
Paisley Nader/Portage Sports