WADSWORTH, Ohio — Walsh Jesuit coach Nick Alexander did not give his players much time to enjoy their 20-12 win Friday last week against Benedictine.
He knew what was ahead.
So did they.
Rival Archbishop Hoban is coming Friday night at Walsh’s Conway Memorial Stadium. It will be a rematch of their two games from last year, both won by Hoban, including one in the OHSAA Division II football regional finals.
Alexander said he typically gives his players 24 hours to enjoy a win before moving ahead to concentrate on the next opponent. He gave them only 12 hours until Saturday this time to prepare for the Knights (5-1), who are ranked No. 3 in the cleveland.com Top 25.
“Respect is earned,” Alexander said, “and we’ve got to be ready to go. We laid an egg in the regular season game last year, and this group is different. I know they’re loaded, and I have a ton of respect for Coach T.”
Like last year, No. 7 Walsh Jesuit (6-0) is undefeated entering the matchup with Hoban. The Knights have beaten the Warriors 11 straight times, including a 57-7 rout in last year’s regular-season encounter at Hoban’s Dowed Field. The Knights raced out to a 50-0 halftime advantage in that one, then took the playoff rematch, 30-6, at the University of Akron’s InfoCision Stadium.
“I think it will be an Ignatius type crowd, if not bigger, which will be great,” said Alexander, referring to the Warriors’ 42-7 win last month vs. St. Ignatius.
Hoban followed the next week with a 45-14 victory against the Wildcats.
The Knights have won five straight games since a season-opening loss to defending Maryland state champion Archbishop Spalding, which is undefeated. Hoban’s last four wins are by 31 points or more, including last week’s 56-13 victory against Illinois’ Mount Vernon.
Sophomore Brayton Feister ran for 103 yards three touchdowns, pacing a Hoban offense that gained 349 yards on the ground. The Knights will bring that ground-and-pound attack with big-play ability from juniors Elbert “Rock” Hill IV, who had a 95-yard kick return last week, and Payton Cook to Walsh’s Conway Stadium.
In their two meetings last year, Walsh found an emerging running back in Lucas Weaver. Now a senior, Weaver has battled injury and missed the last two games. Junior Marty Tobin started in his place and rushed for 211 yards on 30 carries against Benedictine.
Alexander said he believes Weaver will be available Friday night against Hoban.
Regardless, Walsh senior quarterback Keller Moten thinks his team has established options with Tobin’s emergence.
“I think that we have a lot of depth,” he said. “He might be the toughest kid on our team. That kid is tough as nails.”
Moten’s dual-threat ability could be an X-factor Friday night with receivers Milan Parris and Aiden Henry vs. Hoban’s secondary, led by Hill and Tylan “Juice” Boykin, the matchup to watch. Moten has more than a dozen starts since the first time he faced Hoban last year.
“I think I’m matured more,” Moten said. “It helps having experience, especially at the quarterback position. You’ve got to feel it out. Every team is different. Every atmosphere is different.”
RELATED: Full Week 7 schedule.
A look at more top games to watch this week will follow on Thursday.
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No. 3 Archbishop Hoban (5-1) at No. 7 Walsh Jesuit (6-0)
When: 7 p.m. Friday
Where: Conway Memorial Stadium at Walsh Jesuit in Cuyahoga Falls
Next week: Hoban plays host Oct. 11 to Glenville (4-2); Wadsworth plays Oct. 11 at Notre Dame-Cathedral Latin (4-2)
Contact sports reporter Matt Goul on X (@mgoul), Threads (@mgoul) or email ([email protected]).
