by The Mayfield Wildcats defeat the Copley Indians by a score of 37-14 in a late season dog fight.
The 6-2 Indians fell on their home turf against the undefeated Wildcats in a matchup with heavy winds, light rain, and freezing conditions. With this victory, Mayfield will improve to 9-0, with a perfect regular season dream alive while Copley will fall to 6-3 in their home loss.
These programs are no stranger to one another as they share a conference and could very well be seeing each other again this winter in the post season. This matchup really comes down to seeding, as both teams have done more than enough to ensure their shot at taking home a state title.
This penultimate week 9 regular season clash exhibited hard nose football as both teams fought to establish their run game early. Copley operated heavily from the shotgun formation, as junior quarterback #17 Dane Wininger, executed a masterful run pass option system. This system provided immediate success as the Indians scored within the first two plays from scrimmage, as Wininger used his legs to sell a beautiful playaction call concluding with a shot to pay dirt.
Conversely, Mayfields offense struggled to get going in the early stages, as multiple false start penalties took the Wildcats positive plays off the field before quarterback #27 Dario Dagostino was able to take the top off the defense and hit his reciever for a spectacular 65 yard touchdown pass.
The game would eventually settle in to a grueling ground and pound affair accented with phenomenal deep balls from Mayfield as Dagostino would hit senior receiver #1 Jayden Haynes on multiple shots that forced Copleys defense to not stack the box. Mayfields offense perfectly displayed how the pass game can be used to setup the run game which proved to be pivotal in a game with such miserable weather.
Copleys defense was able to hold firm for the most part, providing their offense time to settle in before losing control of the contest. Both offenses were only able to move the ball through big splash plays with neither side being able to establish any kind of offensive identity in the early goings.
Copley’s bend don’t break defense would be tested as Mayfields senior running back #12 Ben Korey would cash in for 6 in a 30 yard touchdown run before Dagostino would hit a successful 2 point conversion, taking the lead at 14-7.
The unforced errors were wreaking havoc for both teams, and would become detrimental in their efforts to sustain an offensive drive. There were plenty of splash plays throughout, but there was an equal number called back due to holding, false starts, and illegal blocks. At this point in the season it would usually be a bad sign when the team repeatedly shoots themselves in the foot, but tonighto ought to be an exception due to the inclement weather.
The lack of offensive success was not entirely due to the conditions however, as Mayfield sophomore defensive back #2 Logan Eady picked off Wininger for a crucial drive killing play to keep the Indians out of the end zone. The Copley defense would respond by forcing a 3 and out, clearing the way for a 50 yard touchdown run by the Indians senior running back #2 Jalen Owens, tying up the game before halftime.
The second half would showcase more of the same as both teams battled hard in the trenches desperately clawing for the upper hand. Both schools did a fantastic job playing through the monsoon in Copley, and it’s a true testament to the grit and determination required to compete at the highest level.
The Wildcats seized the advantage in the second half as the rain picked up, executing a running back by committee approach led by junior #44 Brody Colello, senior #12 Ben Koret and junior #20 Cj Melaragno, all of whom would be responsible for a methodical and grueling run game that the Indians would struggle to keep up with. The splash plays became few and far between, but there was much more consistency despite the relatively low final score.
#12 Ben Koret would cap off Mayfields opening second half drive by finding the end zone for his second touchdown of the game, putting Mayfield firmly in the drivers seat, and securing the Mayfield player of the game award in the same process.
The Indians defense continued its bend don’t break mantra, but were unable to consistently get off the field, and were ultimately unable to pick of the slack for the offense.
The Indians defense was led all night long by sophomore defensive back, #23 Danny Niemczura, who would finish the game as the teams leading tackler, with multiple grown man hits and expert block shedding throughout the game. Niemczura was far from the only bright spot on the Indians defense, but he shined bright enough to secure the player of the game award for Copley.
Despite the loss, this game demonstrated remarkable discipline and grit from Copley, attributes that should they be honed, should prove crucial for a potential post season run.
This victory pushes Mayfield closer to the covetted perfect 10-0 regular season, and watching them tonight, it’s abundantly clear how they got here. The Wildcats have no quit in them, as they responded to being punched in the mouth on a miserable rainy road game with multiple scoring drives that the Indians simply couldn’t keep up with.
It felt as if the Wildcats could execute on every level of offense, exhibiting not only phenomenal game planning and play calling, but also remarkable resiliency and depth on both sides of the ball.
Overall, both teams should take alot of pride in how they executed tonight. Although the results didn’t fall in their favor, the Indians should hang their hat on the hard nose brand of football they displayed tonight. The victorious wildcats should be thrilled with how their offense responded to the early adversity, and showcased exactly how they found so much success this season.
Next weekend the Mayfield Wildcats will be back at home hosting Twinsburg as the Wildcats will fight for their undefeated season. The Copley Indians will travel to Aurora to take on the Greenmen as the Indians will fight to secure their spot in the post season.
