by Both teams entered the matchup 5-4 hoping to sneak their way into second place in the GCC and punch their ticket to the playoffs. Both teams had their up and downs throughout the season, but they looked to end the year on a positive note.
Both offenses started off slow as the defenses got off the field quickly. Points finally came when the Blue Devils hit a 30 plus yard field goal to strike first (3-0 Blue Devils). The Mustangs wouldn’t wait long to respond.
Michael Kenny would lead his team in the passing attack as they drove down the field on two big hitting completions. Michael Novak punched in the touchdown on a direct snap for the Mustangs (7-3 Mustangs). This would be the only lead on the night for the Mustangs, as the Blue Devils started to find their pace.
Brunswick’s senior quarterback Ethan Fritz would control the game behind center. Fritz dropped a 12-yard pass into the corner of the endzone where a diving Connin Som hauled it in for a touchdown (10-7 Blue Devils).
Brunswick would score again on a 15-yard back shoulder throw to JD Serwatka. Senior wide receiver Serwatka had himself a game on senior night with a stat line of 4 catches for 57 yards and one touchdown. He also contributed on defense with two interceptions that changed the game in the first half.
The Blue Devils would tack on one last touchdown in the half with their only rushing touchdown on the day, courtesy of Luke Petrowski. The first half would make up the majority of the points for the Blue Devils (24-7 Blue Devils).
Strongsville’s last drive of the half resulted in a touchdown, cutting the Mustangs’ deficit to ten at the break. This would swing some momentum in the direction of the Mustangs. Sadly for the Strongsville, this would not put the game in their favor.
The second half would be a defensive showcase as both teams struggled to move the ball down the field. No points were put on the board the entire third quarter.
The Blue Devils focused on a steady passing attack with short completions. The mix of 5-10 yard passes and QB runs would be enough to score once again in the fourth quarter to ice the game (31-14 Blue Devils). Strongsville attempted to respond but were halted again, resulting in being shut out in the final two quarters.
Strongsville ends the season with a GCC record of 2-3 and a total record of 5-5.
Brunswick ends the regular season on a high note, finishing with a 6-4 record and a conference record of 4-1 to end the season. The Blue Devils are ranked in the top 10 in the region with a chance to move up. They now wait to see where they fall in the playoffs.
The player of the game is senior QB Ethan Fritz, as he went 17-31 with 134 yards and 3 TDs on the day. He also did damage with his feet, rushing for 63 yards on the day.
