By Tom Nader

Publisher and Editor

For the second time in three weeks, turnovers hurt the Rootstown football team against a quality opponent.

On Friday, it was a pair of interceptions and a pair of fumbles lost in a 33-0 Portage Trail Conference defeat to the Warren John F. Kennedy Eagles.

The Eagles jumped ou two an 8-0 lead on a 61-yard pass from Caleb Hadley to Aidan Rossi, with Rossi running in the 2-point conversion.

JFK added to its lead just before halftime on a 44-yard punt return by Devonte Taylor with 1:34 left in the second quarter.

Two third-quarter scores broke the game open for the Eagles, with Hadley accounting for both on a 17-yard pass to Lamarcus Provitt and a 15-yard run of his own.

Thomas Easton scored JFK’s fourth-quarter touchdown, racing 39 yards to the end zone.

Rootstown managed just 149 yards of total offense.

Cody Coontz was the statistical leader, totaling 86 yards on his 24 attempts.

“Unfortunately, the score was not a true measure of how close this game was early,” Rootstown head coach Chris Knopick said. “Ultimately, their kids made big play after big play, and we did not match them.

“We made too many mistakes and they were able to capiltalize on nearly every one,” Knopick added. “We wasted opportunities with two turnovers on special teams and two turnovers on offense. We knew we had to play a complete game to beat them, and we did not do that.

“Turnovers, penalties and mental breakdowns will spell disaster against good football teams, especially ones that are top ranked in the state,” Knopick said.

Warren JFK entered Friday’s game ranked No. 1 in the current Associated Press Division VII poll.