Highland Hornets Suffocate Aurora Greenmen for First Conference Title Since 2013

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AURORA, OH𑁋 Two critical contests remain for the Highland Hornets (8-0) and the Aurora Greenmen (6-2). A win for Highland grants them their first Suburban League American Conference title since 2013. 

For Aurora it’s a tight race for a Division III, Region 9 home playoff game in the first round. After an ugly loss to Barberton, it has put them in a trickier spot heading into the final week of the regular season. The Magics are waiting in the wings, so a Greenmen victory would certainly assist their chances for home-field advantage to begin the postseason. 

They might have totally lost grip on that opportunity as the Hornets went on to win the contest and the conference comfortably 30-3.

The Greenmen had their work cut out for them on both sides of the ball. A deadly Hornet offense features a deep running back room leading them to swarming opposing defenses with an average of around 44 points per game. 

Highland’s defense is just as dominant. The unit is surrendering 5.0 points each game, a true testament to how far this team can go when the playoffs are underway. 

An immediate and terrorizing presence put Aurora in checkmate in the first half. The Hornets had possession first and went straight to their running attack. Lukas Stiles, a true three-down back, bulldozed defenders for a 16-yard gain to start. 

That run set the tone early and translated for most of the game. After the ball flipped back to Aurora, the visiting Hornets snatched it away instantly. Senior linebacker Michael Good poked it loose on a rushing attempt from Enzo Catania. 

Stiles took control on the ensuing drive that started at the Greenmen’s 13 yard line. He rumbled his way into the end zone 1:16 later. 

Aurora would continue to slide with yet another fumble, this time from quarterback Matt Geier. Unfortunately it came at a cost as Geier went down in pain after the play had subsided. The 6’1 senior was questionable ahead of kick off but it was a sure thing that he would not return. 

It is a crucial blow to this offense since Geier has had a solid year under center. He has tossed 13 touchdowns to just one interception while completing 59 percent of his throws. 

In the short term, the Greenmen are now going to battle with one of the best in the state with fourth string Sam Retton. 

Sam did show some flashes running the football especially to the outside. Obviously though, with the lack of experiences in an exhibition setting he did make some mistakes. 

Following two rushing scores from Noah Robinson and Stiles and a score of 23-3, Aurora decided to see what sort of passing ability Retton had. His lone completion of the night went for seven yards to Zach Nemet. 

It spiraled out of control from there with three straight incompletions and two interceptions. Robinson and Matt Ciryak were responsible for those turnovers. 

Highland’s defense and powerful running scheme was too much in the end for a wounded Greenmen squad. Geier’s status moving forward will certainly be looming over Aurora and whether or not he returns will drastically affect how far this team can go come playoff time.

Next Friday concludes the 2022-2023 regular season. Aurora now 6-3, will travel to Richfield to take on Revere. Highland (9-0) will head back home to Medina to try and remain perfect against Copley. 

PLAYERS OF THE GAME

Highland Hornets

RB Lukas Stiles- 23 carries, 114 YDS, 3 TDS

RB Noah Robinson- 7 carries, 94 YDS, 1 TD

Defense- 2 forced FUM (1 REC), 2 INTS, 97 YDS allowed, one play of 20 YDS+