by After an exciting 2022 regular season the 5th seed Olmsted Falls Bulldogs (8-2) welcome in the 12th seed underdog Toledo St. John Jesuit Titans (5-5) for the first round of the playoffs. Both teams entered this contest with a win the previous week.
The Bulldogs got the ball first and utilized their old school triple option offense getting their play makers out in space where the Titan defenders can’t find them. It only took three plays and a 39-yard touchdown run by running back Jack Pinchek to give the Bulldogs a quick six to nothing lead.
The Titans had a running game of their own with the big sophomore running back Aaron Lovett, Lovett was given two quick carries to get his squad on the Bulldogs side of the field. The Bulldogs tried to slow down the Titans attack but could not prevail. Blake Lichtenberg took it himself to give his squad the early lead seven to six.
The Bulldogs wasted no time, not just regaining the lead, but extending it. A 60-yard run by Conti got them the lead while a four-yard run by Neckar gave them a 21-7 lead. The titans followed up with a long 75-yard touchdown pass from Lichtenberg to Matty Swift made this a one possession ballgame.
Rocco Conti and the Bulldogs made sure that was the last time this game would be withing a touchdown. The second quarter we saw three straight scores from the Bulldogs, all three came from Rocco Conti to extend the lead 42-14.
St. Johns were able to get on the board for the first time in the second quarter with seconds remaining in the half. Lichtenberg tossed one up to Tommy Gallagher in the back of the endzone for a touchdown making it a three-possession ball game to end the half.
The Titans got the ball back to start the half as it only took them one play and 71 yards from Lichtenberg to Gallagher to put the Titans with two possessions. This one play touchdown started the madness that made up the third quarter.
In the third quarter both teams scored 14 points even giving us late game excitement. The Bulldogs scored the next two off a Rosol 41-yard run and a 67-yard run from Rocco Conti who scored his fifth and final touchdown on the night. “It was an awesome effort from our team, I thought all of our backs did well… all around our rushing attack was very good.” Olmsted Falls SR running back Rocco Conti on his team’s performance.
St. Johns punched in one last score from a touchdown pass to Swift, believe it or not this score halfway through the third quarter would be the last from either squad. This was a game with two explosive offenses, the difference is that St. Johns stopped Olmsted Falls only once all game. “They kept playing… they tried to keep the ball out of our hands, it looked like they couldn’t stop us in the second half, we couldn’t stop them all game.” Coach Larry McDaniel on what he liked from his offense in this game.
The final score of the contest ended at 56-35 in favor of the Bulldogs of Olmsted Falls. The Bulldogs will face the 4th seed Whitehouse Anthony-Wayne in the second-round while this will be the end of Toledo St. Johns season.
Leaders for both teams were Rocco Conti with 15 attempts, 1 catch, 254 all-purpose and yards 5 touchdowns and Blake Lichtenberg going 13-24 with 318 yards, 4 touchdowns, and 1 rushing touchdown.
Player of the game is Rocco Conti
