Defensive plays key to Cedarville win, 6-0 record
Peter Jakey–
Managing Editor
Posen defeated Cedarville last Friday and improved to 6-0 in front of one of the most enthusiastic football crowds in many years in P-Town.
The fans were treated to some huge second-half plays that cemented the Vikings’ first victory over the Trojans in more than a decade.
Posen had a 28-26 lead with two minutes remaining when linebacker Skyler Tulgetske stripped the ball from Cedarville’s speedy running back Kurt Matkovich to give the red and white the ball.
Fellow senior Evan Schuch, who scored two second-half touchdowns, put the icing on the win with a 40-yard run.
Posen head coach Greg Pietsch was doused with the water bucket following the game and thrusted his fist in the air as he ran through the tunnel of fans waiting for him
“I told the guys, I was at a loss of words,” said Pietsch. “We kept playing and believing and they made it happen on the field.” Posen is second in the state with 53.333 playoff points and well on their way to finishing in the top 16 and earning a playoff game.
In a second half filled with big plays on offense and defense, it was sophomore Levi Romel’s defensive play on a Trojan two-point conversation midway through the fourth that was the difference in the game. He got in the backfield and blew up the play to keep the score at 28-26.
Cedarville dominated time of possession in the fourth quarter, as Posen could not answer the Trojan’s score at the 7:20 mark. The Vikings went three and out, but senior Travis Sharpe had a tremendous night punting the ball and pinned Cedarville back to their own 15.
The Trojans started driving again, getting it to midfield in five plays and to Posen’s 37 in eight, with two minutes remaining on the clock.
Facing second-and-10, Matkovich ran to his left and was met by Tulgetske behind the line of scrimmage and yanked the ball from his arms.
“That’s our number-one key to winning is playing great defense,” said Pietsch. “The kids stepped up and did that in the end. We told them to stay intense and continue to tackle. We told them all week, when you are hitting, you gotta to be a hammer.” Tulgetske used the other end to do some prying.
Earlier in the second half when the score was tied at 14, Posen was pinned back deep in their own facing a second-and-10 at their own 10 with not much offensive to show. They called Schuch’s number and he found an opening along the Cedarville sideline and sprinted 90 yards for the score to make it, 21-14.
Cedarville answered with an 80-yard drive to get it back within one, 21-20.
Posen countered with a long kickoff return of 25 yards by Schuch. Two plays later, he was off to the races again for a 33-yard touchdown run. Max Schultz made all four of his extra points.
In the first half, Tulgetske scored on a 65-yard touchdown run on Posen’s first offensive play and made it look easy. It was far from easy for Posen. Except for the final minute, Cedarville went on long time consuming drives throughout the first half; however, turnovers were costly
Posen now faces Onaway (4-2) in a Friday night homecoming game. It’s the first meeting between the schools since the late 1980s, both won by Onaway.
Statistics
Offense: Evan Schuch 5/173/2 TDS; Skyler Tulgetske 10/144/TD.
Passing: Travis Sharpe 2-for-3, 21.
Receiving: Schuch 2/21.
Defense: Evan Schuch 19 solo tackles; Skyler Tulgetske 11, forced fumble, fumble recovery, Interception returned for TD; Levi Romel 10; Darren Dubie 10; Travis Sharpe 7, Int