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6 Medina County Gazotto MctUaa. o.. Sal., Sept. u. 68Highland BowsMinutemenTo 19-12 VictoryBY LEE NELSON Sports EditorBATH — Some football games end with a lopsided score; spectators leave early. Some football games end with a three touchdown difference; partisans depart when one team has the command in the fourth quarter. Other football games are decided in the final minutes; the audience remains until the final whistle.Highland’s game at neighboring Revere last evening falls into category number three of the above as the visiting Hornets saw a 12-all deadlock dissipate to a 19-12 setback.Revere, possessing the ball nearly the full fourth quarter, scored the winning TD when fullback Wayne Sovlansky slammed over the six-yard line with 1:24 remaining in the inter-county struggle.Sovlansky, registering 108 yards in 27 attempts, (four yards per carry) was a menace to the Medina County team the entire evening. It was the process, not the end result, which had Granger Twp. loyalists and Highland coach Bob McFarland buzzing after the game.A good percentage of Revere’s plays were tried, with repeated success, at the middle of the Hornets’ defensive line.McFarland, commenting in the showery silence of the Hornet dressing room, said, “1 thought they would go to the outside, not the middle.” The first year coach added that his entire middle is composed of juniors.Praise, on McFarland's part, was extended toward his offensive, but the defensive unit has much patch work ahead, he indicated.As for Sovlansky, McFarland felt he was just too quick to be handled by an unseasoned preservative unit.Meanwhile, Homer Pyle, Revered first year mentor, mid. “1 wasn't about to go to the outside where Highland has its experience.”The first year coach (he was head coach at Rittman before stepping into the Revere position this year) conceded that the game could have gone the other way — Highland finishing atop in total points.Revere waited until the second quarter before scoringtne game’s initial touchdown.The Minutemen got their handson the ball after Dick Kuhnreturned Jim Ranftl’s puntfrom the 34 to the 40 for asix-yard return.Taking 16 plays. Reverescored when quarterback DougWisnieski banged over from theHornet three.George Letosky’s attemptedplacement for the conversionwas blocked as the Minutemenheld a 6-0 lead with 9:07showing in the opening halfHighland, after taking thefollowing kick-off, respondedwith a scoring march of itsown. with a mild interruption.Using a combination ofshort • yardage advances byGary Jacobs, Bobby Youngand Gary Green, the drive wastemporarily silenced when JimKanftl, attempting to punt,fumbled the snap and Revererecovered on the Hornets'43-yard lineHowever, two plays later theHornets resumed the attackwhen Bill Searcey pounced ona hobbled ball on Highland's33.In four plays. Highland advanced the ball to Revere's48. At this point, quarterback Brett Reardon, who completed two of nine passes for the night, lofted an aenal to Kanftl on the 25 who then, leaving three enemy pursuers behind, scampered into the end zone for the scoreKanftl, when catching the pass, was forced to reach behind his head to snare the floating bombHighland, knotting the county at 6 6, was unable to take the lead as Green was halted about one yard short of the goal line on the PAT try On the following kick-off. Revere received a break when Highland was charged with a grabbing the face mask penalty. The Minutemen. taking poaieaiiion on Highland’s49, moved the leather to the 43 when a fourth down pass, intended for Richard Snyder, was broken up by YoungMeanwhile, Highland failed to make any spectacular offensive advance as Ranftl, on a fourth • and • ten fromRevere’s 47, punted to the opponent’s five-yard line with no return as Dave Kozman and Bob Winter guarded the ball. Revere originally had the ball on its 15 but decided to accept an illegal procedure penalty.Taking control with :47 left before intermission, Searcey recovered a fumble on Revere’s nine-yard stripe with nine seconds showing.On the first play, Reardon found Ranftl open in the end zone, but the latter was unable to hold the pass. The half ended on the next play when Young was caught, for no gain, trying to sweep his right endposition.Looking back at the pre-halftime situation. Pyle felt this was the turning point since Highland was unable to push the ball across the goal after the fumble recovery.3lfti.BRETT REARDON (Icarrier who is somewhYet many observers, including McFarland, think the game took its main twist shortly after play began in the third period.Young grabbed the kick-off and raced to his own 37, where Highland commenced a brief offensive thrust.Faced with a third - and -nine confrontation, Young took a pitch-out from Reardon and found brief daylight before being slammed out - of -bounds on the Hornets’ 49.On the next play. Highland had a first • and • ten on its own 49, Young fumbled the hand-off from Reardon and the Minutemen recovered.WadBY BEN SPF.CHALSGrinding toward the Homet goal, Revere used 16 plays as Sovlansky cracked over from the three, giving Revere a 12-6 margin with 3:20 remaining in the third period.The score remained in tact as Wisnieski was thrown for a proportional loss while attempting to increase the score by two more points.Apparently still si from their scare of Iasi the Wadsworth Grizzlie back with a vengean night as they demolis) Coventry Comets. 90 the losers’ field.So complete was tl that eight different ( broke into the scoring via the TD route One hi back quite a number c to find a score such reached by a local te fact, it may be a record.'Hie closest one to it writer’s memory was t clobbering of Plymout LOdi team in the lateRetaliation, on Highland’s part, was immediately in order as the Hornets, after the kick-off, took possession on their 37-yard line.Holding the ball when the third quarter ended. Highland climaxed a 15-play drive when Green ran off his left side from the five and in to the end zone.At this point, with the PAT upcoming and the score tied at 12-12, McFarland called a special play.Reardon faked to a back going ink* the line, then he to his right, tried to dodge several tacklers, but was stopped .2 of an inch short of the white goal marker.The Hornet tally was registered with 10:50 left in the fray, but they waited over nine minutes before seeing the ball againPlunging toward Highland’s middle. Revere took 20 plays before Sovlansky, from the six yard line, dashed into the end zone, untouchedThere was very litt that Coach Lorrell Ma have done to prevent I outcome, as the Grizz mentor cleared his ben. in the game and still score mount with little slowdownThis was evidenced fact that the fourt offense scored threeA'I Ml li \\I ram Urlroll H.tltlint.r *HowtonI I 4 \ I I \ \ II\*yyO.iL lituilWinnrnilnI .ilUnrnlM ( hifNg*W RkllillglllH M.rtinr* Ht-lllli'l••IU 7H Mil i M7fi ft* ► I S!Aft1 4I. \ Ift I«»*t7 it•qn;q iI \ - » Mf.HI lt;l.t:% M \ v l» III. Il.ilttm llowft.ii T, Ml *'t* M\t*yy \»»rk l-t, \\ m whine tll.tr.nt A Oukltfl»4 ••« Mlt; us*. *, lt;aliform* ITill K'llAY Ml.I Mifthlngt.iit «. HttMitimr**Only gam*ionI » 4 % V•hum,NrKoii tl» l»|Srvt \mrk * t \ p m.—Dim niftg • ft n *Minnpaiitg at H f huiii r til'll*OaiklMMtl AI IN'11.|| || Letosky booted the ball through the uprights as the Summit County club held a 19-12 advantage with 1:24 to play.Highland took the ball on its 37 when Reardon started unlimbering his arm. Twice, receivers were interfered with and Highland gained yards by the penalty route.There is one play which will long be remembered since Kanftl hauled a Reardon aerial from Reveres 33 to 13, but the Hornets were called for an ineligible receiver downfield The ball went back to Highland's 48, and the game ended several seconds later as two more Reardon passes, one intended for Young and the oiher for Jacobs, fell to the turfI * Ilf orttta \% rig hiTOMORMOU I I 4 \ » I. W II y * ft* It in•I mm. !;ll p tn OrfUI*ml a I II. Irml N. yy lnrk *! \\ **hing!«•MtiinrftotN *1 Bowtnni * It f*. t hi* mi lt;hk’fti*P*S£ MASTER QUARTtRBA MORE. THAN ■ TO HIT TH^fired molt;McFarland, looking ahead to next week, commented “The kids hustled tonight, but the challenge of another 1C championship is ahead ofthem”How well the Hornets respond to their conference agenda won't be known for another seven weeks Yet they have won the last two crowns, losing a game each year to non-conference foe RevereSCORINGRevere 0 6 6 7 - 19Highland 0 6 0 6 - 12R — Wisnieski 3 run, placement blockedH — Ranftl 48 pass from Reardon, run failed.R — Sovlansky 3 run. run failed.H — Green 5 run. run failed. R — Sovlansky 6 run, Letosky kick.
Newspaper Details
Medina County Gazette
Medina, Ohio, US
Sat, Sep 14, 1968
Page 3
Full Page
Clipped by
Amanda L.
USA 25 Dec 2022
Other Publications Near Medina, Ohio
Medina Sentinel
Medina County Gazette
The Gazette
