OLMSTED FALLS, Ohio – No. 8 Olmsted Falls held No. 9 Amherst to just one score as their defense forced five turnovers in a 35-7 victory in Friday night’s Division II, Region 6 first-round OHSAA playoff game.
The Bulldogs will advance to the regional quarterfinals to play No. 1 Avon, which defeated No. 16 North Olmsted in the first round on Friday.
“Coach Pace and the defensive staff have those guys playing hard,” Olmsted Falls head coach Tom Deluca said. “Man, they run to the ball really, really well. They pursue well, they play with a lot of energy. I was very proud of our defensive effort.”
The defense allowed only 208 yards of offense, while forcing two interceptions, three turnovers on downs, and garnering multiple sacks and tackles for loss. Not counting sacks, the defense had eight tackles for negative or zero-yard gains.
Seniors Brendan “Bear” Hearns and Nate Hrabnicky are the defensive captains for the Bulldogs, and each of them played extremely well in the game. Hrabnicky snagged an interception on the first drive, and Hearns was in on multiple tackles for loss and had a couple of crucial shoestring tackles.
“With Bear, you know his energy and his effort and attitude on the defensive side,” Deluca said. “When God created him, he created a defensive football player. He’s just got that hard nose.
“With Nate, Nate is kind of like our quarterback of the defense. He makes all the calls and puts us in right positions, gets us set correctly. Couldn’t do it without either one of those guys, they’re both pretty special.”
Hrabnicky and Hearns praised their defense’s effort and coaching throughout the game.
“We played amazing on defense,” Hrabnicky said. “Our defensive line smoking their offensive line, opening up the gaps for the middle linebackers, outside gappers containing everybody in, safeties and corners holding over the top. It’s an amazing all-around defense.”
“A good game plan executed by the coaches, just executing every single play and getting it done,” Hearns said.
On the offensive side, it was the Bulldogs’ run game that lit up the scoreboard. The team ran for 278 yards and four touchdowns, with junior back Owen Singleton leading the way with 144 yards and two scores. He also had 89 receiving yards and a receiving touchdown.
Both defenses came out of the gates on fire, forcing a combined four turnovers in the first quarter alone.
On the Comets’ opening drive, senior defensive lineman Don Johnson deflected Amherst quarterback Cole Norris’ pass, which was intercepted by Hrabnicky and returned to the Amherst 11-yard line. However, the Comets were able to make a stand, forcing a fumble by Olmsted Falls quarterback Jimmy Rosol that resulted in a touchback.
Each team’s next drive resulted in a turnover on downs, with great defensive plays made on both sides. On Amherst’s third drive, Norris, who is also an All-Ohio punter, pinned the Bulldogs deep at their own 1-yard line.
However, the Bulldogs drove the length of the field on a nine-play, 99-yard scoring drive capped off with a 22-yard touchdown pass from Rosol to Singleton with 7:02 left in the second quarter. Rosol and Singleton both also had 18-yard runs to keep the Bulldogs’ drive alive.
After forcing a three-and-out, the Bulldogs got the ball back at their own 32 and drove 68 yards for their second touchdown of the game on a 1-yard rush by Rosol, putting them up 14-0 with 2:49 left in the half.
The Comets got the ball back and drove the ball into Bulldogs territory on three consecutive passes from Norris to junior receiver Peyton Leibacher. However, with the ball on the 19-yard line, the Comets could not advance it any further on four attempts. A shoestring tackle-for-loss by Hearns on first down and a batted down pass by senior Mason Cerovac on fourth down resulted in a turnover-on-downs to end the half.
The Bulldogs’ run game was hard for the Comets to stop in the first half, as the backfield amassed 131 rushing yards on 21 attempts, an average of nearly six yards per carry. However, the star of the first half was the Bulldogs defense, which allowed zero points while forcing three turnovers.
The beginning of the second half was a turnaround for the Comets, as senior defensive back Tyler Denn was able to pick off Rosol on the Bulldogs’ opening drive to set Amherst up with good field position at midfield.
Norris then drove the Comets downfield with a 27-yard strike to senior wideout Tristyn Young. Senior back J.R. Bires then punched it in from the 1-yard line, bouncing off of two defenders and reaching for the goal-line to put the Comets on the board for the first time.
However, on the Comets’ next drive, after forcing a Bulldogs punt, Amherst got too tricky, handing it off to a back who then threw it downfield. The pass didn’t go the distance and was intercepted by junior Charlie Krupka in Comets territory.
The Bulldogs took full advantage of the Amherst error, scoring on a shifty 18-yard run by junior Logan Connelly. This put the Bulldogs up 21-7 heading into the fourth quarter.
After forcing another Amherst punt, the Bulldogs got the ball on their own 13-yard line. However, they did not let the long field faze them. Rosol connected with Singleton on a 67-yard pass, setting them up for a 14-yard rushing touchdown by Singleton on the next play, putting the Bulldogs up 28-7 with 8:14 left to play.
The Bulldogs’ defense forced another three-and-out on the following drive after a huge QB hit by Don Johnson forced a wobbly incomplete pass by Norris. Don Johnson finished the game with multiple sacks and tackles-for-loss and was a key contributor on the Bulldogs staunch defense.
Olmsted Falls got the ball back on its own 42 and scored quickly on three runs by Singleton of 42, 4, and 12 yards, which put the Bulldogs up 35-7, effectively ending the game.
According to Amherst head coach Tom Thome, this was the Comets’ first playoff game in 16 years (outside of the irregular 2020 season). Deluca said he felt it was a four-quarter game, and that the Comets played hard the entire time.
“I got to give them a lot of credit,” Deluca said. “I feel they’re going to be a tough team here in the next few years.”
Heading into an away game at Avon next week, Hrabnicky said he’s going to tell his defense to keep it up and do the same thing.
“Gotta keep on rolling and proving every day,” Hrabnicky said.