The 2021 addition of the game between Bay Village and Westlake for the Little Brown Jug was the 71st matchup head-to-head. The series was tied at 34-34-2 and both teams were hoping to break that tie.
Bay Village were coming into the match up off a 21-13 win over Hunting Valley.
Westlake, on their homecoming night, secured a narrow victory against Parma 21-18. The Demons were sitting on a two game win streak.
Bay Village struck first behind the run game. Running back Pawie Ault gave the Rockets their first lead of the game on a 5-yard TD run (7-0 Rockets).
After another bad drive by the Demons, which ended with a fumble after a botched trick play, Bay Village would fumble in the red zone and Westlake recovered it.
With 39 seconds to go in the first quarter, Westlake running back Will Ostrowski took it to the house on a 77-yard run. The touchdown tied the score at 7.
After another fumble by Westlake, the Rockets capitalized and scored again.
Ault would score his 2nd touchdown from five yards out to make the score 14-7 with 6:24 left in the 1st half.
Westlake moved the ball a little before being stalled out again by the Rockets defense. They would then try to run a fake punt on a 4th down but failed to gain any yards.
At half the score remained 14-7.
After a Rockets three and out on their first drive of the second half, Westlake returner Josh Bauer muffed the punt and the Rockets pounced on the ball.
Bay continued to run the clock down and Westlake continued to fail at moving the ball.
Running back Brendan Spellman of Bay Village burst through a hole and picked up 51 yards, putting the ball at Westlake’s 26-yard line with 1:43 left to go in the third. This play set up Bay for a go ahead score in the 4th quarter. Spellman was rewarded with a 4-yard TD (21-7 Rockets).
On Westlake’s next drive, quarterback Christian Rogers was sacked for 15 yard loss and unfortunately sustained an injury. Quarterback Mackey Keenan replaced him and threw a 12- yard pass to running back Matt Porcelli on a 3rd and very long with 9:35 left to go in the game.
Westlake would settle for a punt and Bay Village simply drained the clock.
Bay Village not only takes the Little Brown Jug, but also the all-time series lead 35-34-2.
Players of the game:
Bay Village: A tie between Brendan Spellman and Pawie Ault. Spellman finished the night with 14 carries for 111 yards and a TD. Ault tallied 22 carries for 147 yards and 2 TDs. These 2 players are thunder and lightning. They complement each other so well and make the running game quite dangerous.
Westlake: Will Ostrowski had 12 carries for 123 yards and a TD. If not for his 77-yard run, the Demons would have easily been shutout in front of their home crowd. He helped keep them in the game.
Westlake’s Coach was selling the officials life insurance or something. That fellow should consider changing his approach.