12/4/2009 4:00:00 AM
St. John's to battle Norwalk St. Paul for Division VI state title
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| Times Bulletin file photo
St. John’s Jordan Leininger (25) fights for extra yardage during the Blue Jays game against LCC on August 30, in Lima. |
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BY DREW BITTNER
Times Bulletin Sports Editor
sports@timesbulletin.com
MASSILLON - One final victory. That's all that stands in the way of Delphos St. John's and back-to-back Division VI state championships.
The Blue Jays advanced to Saturday's state final game in Massillon by outlasting the Marion Local Flyers in overtime last weekend in Wapakoneta, 13-7.
Now another squad of Flyers - this time from Norwalk St. Paul - will try to ground the Blue Jays and foil their attempt at a 15-0 perfect season.
By now, most in the area know all about this St. John's team. This is one of the the absolute best teams in Ohio's Division VI and throughout the state, period. The Blue Jays' roster is stocked full of star players who are all capable of stepping up in big games, as they've already proven this season.
Quarterback Wes Ulm is the leader on the offensive side of the football - commandeering an offensive unit that features tailback Jordan Leininger, fullback Mitchell MacLennan, a strong corp of receivers/tight ends, and with Austin Vogt, Joey Grubenhoff, Alex Recker, Derek Klaus, and Chris Pohlman up front, St. John's possesses one of the best lines in the state.
And even with the explosive offense that St. John's can throw out on the field, the Blue Jays' defense might be even better. Through 14 games this season, the Jays have only allowed 9.4 points per game. Considering they play in the powerhouse Midwest Athletic Conference (which placed a state-record five teams in the playoffs this season), that 9.4 number is absurd.
From the defensive line to the linebacking corps to the defensive backfield, this unit is stockpiled with playmakers and shutdown defenders. Chris Pohlman, who has been honored with numerous defensive honors and distinctions this season, leads the Jays in tackles (124) with another Pohlman, Joel, only a few takedowns (113) behind him. Dylan Dancer, the third-leading tackler (106), completes the linebacking trio.
The linebackers don't have many sacks between them (five), but that's because the defensive line creates so much pressure of their own. Derek Klaus, Chris Ulm, and Cody Brinkman have combined for 20 sacks on the year, and Jay Clark adds another four. Another defensive lineman, Nate Webb, wreaks his own havoc on the opposing quarterbacks, having broken up 11 passes this season.
And then you have the defensive backfield, featuring Justin Backus (6-3), Tyler Bergfeld (6-3), Evan Burgei (5-11), and A.J. Klausing (5-11). This group is incredibly tough to pass on with the size they possess and the fact that all four have hands like a wide receiver and can pull down any errant passes that come their way - evident in the 11 interceptions they've combined for.
St. John's defense should be put to the test on Saturday, when they meet Norwalk St. Paul. The Flyers live up to their moniker, as this is a team that has a high-flying offense which can pile up points quickly. Norwalk St. Paul has not encountered a team in the postseason yet that can slow them down, as they've piled up 43.3 points per game in the playoffs so far. During the regular season, they scored an average of 46.3 points per contest.
The Flyers will be led by their running game, which produced 275 yards per game during the regular season. Brian Griffin, the leading rusher on the team, put together a 1,349 yard season on 195 regular season carries (6.9 ypc), while scoring 26 touchdowns during the first 10 games of the year. And he's been just as good in the playoffs, as well, upping his season totals to 1,457 yards and 28 touchdowns.
Quarterback Eric Schwieterman was injured for part of the season, but when he played, he was very effective. Schwieterman has passed for 1,283 yards on the year, while completing 82 of his 111 passes. He has thrown 18 touchdowns versus four picks on the year. His leading target on the season is Dan Tracht, who has caught 40 passes for 728 yards and nine touchdowns on the year.
St. Paul's defense is also a stout unit. The Flyers have only allowed 8.8 points per game in the postseason, after only allowing 6.0 points per game during the regular season. They have only allowed 76.4 rushing yards per game and 57.8 yards in the passing game per contest throughout the season. Mitchell Gross' 132 tackles lead the team, with Adam Smith's 99 following close behind. Joel Boose and Smith provide quarterback pressure, with 9 and 8 sacks, respectively.
Playing into St. John's favor is that the Flyers are a small team that uses great team speed to mask their lack of height. This season, St. John's has been able to maul and control teams of that description, something that should play favorably on Saturday.
However, it's always interesting when two teams that rarely see each other face off at this level, and Saturday's matchup should be no different when these two squads clash in Massillon. The contest promises to be a great state final championship game.
St. John's will battle Norwalk St. Paul on Saturday, December 5, at 3:00 p.m. in Massillon, Ohio at Massillon Paul Brown Tiger Stadium.
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