North Royalton’s ground game powers 48-39 victory over previously perfect Nordonia
North Royalton’s football team delivered the upset of the season Thursday night, defeating previously undefeated Nordonia 48-39 in a thrilling Suburban League contest that saw the Bears rush for 254 yards and completely control the ground game.
The victory snapped Nordonia’s perfect 5-0 start and marked North Royalton’s biggest win of the season, improving the Bears to 2-4 overall and 1-2 in conference play. The Knights fell to 5-1 overall and 2-1 in league action.
North Royalton running back Hannah dominated the contest, carrying 35 times for 219 yards and three touchdowns, including scoring runs of 1, 1, and 72 yards. His 72-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter helped seal the victory for the Bears.
The Bears established their ground attack early and never let up, finishing with 46 rushing attempts for 254 yards. Quarterback Nolan Klingbeil complemented the running game with an efficient passing performance, completing 13 of 22 attempts for 217 yards and three touchdowns.
Klingbeil’s favorite target was receiver Piazza, who hauled in seven catches for 154 yards and two touchdowns, including scoring receptions of 25, 14, and 70 yards. The 70-yard touchdown connection in the third quarter helped the Bears pull away from the Knights.
Nordonia quarterback Steven Fakult put up impressive numbers in the losing effort, completing 34 of 49 passes for 518 yards and three touchdowns. He also rushed for two scores. Despite the gaudy statistics, the Knights’ inability to stop North Royalton’s rushing attack proved costly.
The Knights’ leading receiver was Jackson, who caught seven passes for 158 yards and two touchdowns, including a 54-yard scoring strike and a 30-yard touchdown reception. Kaminski added five catches for 125 yards and a 36-yard touchdown.
North Royalton controlled the game’s tempo by dominating time of possession through their commitment to the running game. The Bears’ 46 rushing attempts compared to just 18 for Nordonia told the story of the contest.
The victory represents a major breakthrough for North Royalton, which had been searching for signature wins this season. The Bears’ balanced offensive attack and commitment to controlling the line of scrimmage proved to be the difference against a Nordonia team that had been averaging over 40 points per game.
Nordonia will look to rebound next week when they travel down the road to Twinsburg, where they’ll face a Tigers team (4-2) coming off a 35-0 shutout loss to Hudson last night. Both teams will be looking to bounce back from disappointing performances. North Royalton will try to build on this momentum when they welcome Solon on October 3.
The loss serves as a wake-up call for the Knights, who had been cruising through their early schedule. Despite the setback, Nordonia remains in good position for playoff contention with the bulk of their conference schedule still ahead.
Final Score: North Royalton 48, Nordonia 39
