View more pictures – photos by Garvas: https://photos.garvas.org/garfieldhts-2022
If the path through the OHSAA football playoffs is supposed to be a marathon and not a sprint, the Nordonia Knights did not get the message. They began their playoff quest by scoring touchdowns on each of their first three drives, putting the Garfield Heights Bulldogs into a hole that they would not be able to climb their way out of, and coasted to a 30-0 victory Friday night at their home stadium.
Nordonia received the opening kickoff and methodically worked their way downfield for a touchdown. The Knights were their own worst enemy on their first drive, overcoming 4 offensive penalties, successfully converting three separate 3rdconversions, and even executing perfectly on a 4th down conversion that kept their drive alive while still on their own side of the field. The drive finished with a pass from QB Joey Palinkas to WR Devin Tufts, and the Knights were off and running with a 7-0 lead. Logan Villamagna and the Knights would block the Bulldogs first punt and recover at the 7-yard-line, allowing Palinkas to find Mike Ebert for a 9-yard strike on 3rd down to push their lead to 14-0. On Garfield Heights next drive, the defense would make their presence known again by making tackles for loss on 4 consecutive plays and forcing a turnover on downs. Taking possession only 9 yards from the endzone, RB Rocco DeLorenzo would scamper in for the score on the Knights first play, increasing their lead to 21-0 after PK Connell Rafferty added his third extra point of the evening.
Midway through the second quarter, with Garfield driving and looking to put points of their own on the scoreboard, the defense again continued to hold strong. With the Bulldogs facing 4th-and-7 at Nordonia’s 31, the Knights secondary forced an incompletion and took back control of the football. The half would come to a close after the teams traded turnovers on downs.
The Knights came out for the 3rd quarter prepped to kick the ball off to the Bulldogs, only to see themselves recover their own kick. On their first offensive play, it appeared that the Knights took a 26-0 lead on a great TD pass from Palinkas to WR Israel Petite, but the play was called back for offensive holding. The Knights would add in two more penalties throughout the drive, and landed up turning the ball over on downs after the drive stalled when Palinkas was sacked on 4th down at the Bulldogs 35-yard-line. After again stopping Garfield Heights on 4th down, Nordonia would take possession at Garfield’s 29-yard-line, and after being unable to move the ball, the 4-play drive would end with an unsuccessful 41-yard field goal attempt. With the aid of a defensive pass interference penalty, the Bulldogs next drive would take them all the way inside of the Knight’s 30-yard-line before the defense again stiffened and forced a turnover on downs.
Beginning their first drive of the 4th quarter, the Knights would recover their own fumble on the first play from scrimmage before working the ball 70 yards downfield for a 9-yard run by RB Jeremy Olszko to make the score 28-0. The drive was aided by several nice chunk plays, including a 21-yard pass play to Tufts, a 24-yard catch and run by Petite, and 12-yard run by Olszko. Nordonia would add a safety late in the 4th quarter on a Garfield Heights punt for a final score of 30-0.
The defense was led by Logan Villamagna (8 tackles, 3 for loss, and 1 sack) and Brandon Hermensky (6 tackles, 1 for loss). Asher Wilson and Jordan Jackson would each add multiple tackles of their own behind the line of scrimmage. Kieran Bell, Vinnie Schiavone, Israel Petite, and Luke Kraus would all add one tackle for loss. Jeremy Olszko helped to secure the Knights victory with an interception late in the 4th quarter
With the win, the Knights will move on to play at Painsville Riverside this Friday, November 4th at 7:00. In order to continue their trek deeper into the playoffs, the Knights will have to play a cleaner game this week, and cut down the 15 penalties they racked up for 125 yards against the Bulldogs. The Painsville Riverside Beavers scored 63 points in their opening round win against Ashtabula Lakeside, so Nordonia sustaining their own drives and keeping the Beavers offense off of the field will be one of the surest ways to victory.
