By Phil Keren

Correspondent

Aurora entered this season with a much younger team than the one that made it to the regional semifinals last year.

After graduating 23 seniors who were 22-4 during their final two years wearing the green and white, Aurora (4-4) has experienced plenty of ups and downs during the 2025 season.

On Friday, there were plenty of reasons for Aurora players and coaches to hold their heads high following a 37-0 win over Tallmadge (2-6).

A dominant running attack led by senior running back Xavier Board (166 yards on 21 carries) and a big-play defense were the catalysts in the Greenmen’s shutout victory.

Aurora head coach Bob Mihalik noted both Board and the offensive line played their best games of the year.

“Our offensive line, that was our best game of the year,” Mihalik said. “I thought we dominated up front…Those offensive linemen played really well. Most of them are underclassmen…they really answered the bell tonight.”

While Aurora’s ground game was potent, it was a long pass play that set up the Greenmen’s first touchdown.

On Aurora’s third offensive play of the game, junior quarterback Ryan Ziegler lofted the ball down the middle of the field to senior wide receiver Quincy John for a 40-yard gain to the Tallmadge 3-yard line. Three plays later, Ziegler rolled out to his left and tossed a seven-yard spiral to senior tight end Luke Bonnette for a touchdown and a 7-0 lead at 6:29 of the first quarter.

The Greenmen went to the deep ball due to a tendency that the coaches observed while studying the Tallmadge defense on film.

“Their safeties were aggressive on film and they were aggressive the first series,” Mihalik said. “The safety came down. We had the inside leverage. The corner had outside leverage. We had a free post. We took advantage of it and got it done and punched it in from there.”

Tallmadge responded with a 13-play, 44-yard drive that ended with a 42-yard field goal attempt that was wide left. A fourth-down pass interference penalty on Aurora moved the ball to the Greenmen 18-yard line, but then the defense sacked Tallmadge quarterback Braxton Dente on two of the next three plays to force the field goal try. The sacks were recorded by Bonnette and junior defensive back Luke Hilditch.

Following the missed field goal, Aurora put together a 6-play, 80-yard drive that culminated with a nifty 25-yard touchdown run by Board to put the Greenmen ahead 14-0 at 9:18 of the second quarter. The key play of the scoring march was a 24-yard pass from Ziegler to senior wide receiver Josh Harrell. After hauling in a quick throw from Ziegler, Harrell found some open space and sped away from defenders for the big gain.

Mihalik noted Ziegler, a first-year starter at quarterback, has made steady progress throughout the season.

“He’s getting better each week as he gets experience,” Mihalik said. “He’s had two back-to back really good games. It was hit and miss earlier on in the year, but he’s starting to get confidence and playing really well, and he’s a dual-threat guy.”

Ziegler completed 9 of 14 passes for 124 yards, one touchdown and no interceptions.

The Tallmadge offense put together some solid drives in the first half, but the Aurora defense found ways to keep the Blue Devils off the scoreboard, and then the Greenmen O, in turn, put points on the board. Midway through the second quarter, Tallmadge used a mixture of runs and screen passes to move the ball to the Aurora 31-yard line. On fourth down and 1, Aurora defenders stopped the Blue Devils for a one-yard loss.

Feeding off the momentum generated by that defensive stand, the Greenmen offense marched 70 yards in seven plays, and took a 21-0 lead when Board scored on a powerful 6 yard run.

Aurora then ended the Blue Devils’ final two drives of the first half with interceptions by senior defensive back Ryan Slisz and sophomore defensive back Jack Rachel.

The Aurora defense had three interceptions, two fourth-down stops and kept the heat on Dente.

“Our defense played really well,” Mihalik said. “We thought we could pressure the quarterback. He could throw really well…That was our plan, to put some pressure on him. It worked. Our (defensive backs) covered really well.”

In the second half, Aurora’s points came on a 22-yard field goal by sophomore kicker Matthew Huth, a 9-yard run from Ziegler and a 100-yard interception return by Slisz on the final play of the game.

After Ziegler crossed the goal line to put Aurora ahead 31-0 late in the third quarter, the remainder of the contest was played with a running clock.