The Nordonia Knights’ football season came to an end on a Friday night when they lost to the Twinsburg Tigers 22-10 in the first round of the Region 5 playoffs. The Knights finished the regular season with an 8-3 record but couldn’t overcome the Tigers’ defense and offense, which scored 16 points in the fourth quarter.
The first quarter of the game ended with a 0-0 score, highlighting the defensive battle. Nordonia’s defense remained strong, setting the stage for a closely contested battle.
In the second quarter, Nordonia took a 3-0 lead with a 22-yard field goal by Connell Rafferty. The third quarter saw the Twinsburg Tigers respond with a touchdown pass from Donovan Robertson to Jaden Dye, making it 7-3 at halftime.
As the fourth quarter began, Mike Ebert’s thrilling 33-yard pass and a successful kick by Rafferty briefly gave Nordonia a 10-7 lead, sparking hopes of a comeback. However, Twinsburg remained determined, and Joseph Pollock’s 12-yard pass to Cameron Wright for a 29-yard touchdown, along with a successful extra point, put Twinsburg back in the lead at 14-10. In the late stages of the game, the Twinsburg Tigers earned extra points by sacking DeLorenzo in the end zone for a safety, resulting in a final score of 22-10 for the Twinsburg Tigers.
The Knights’ defense made notable contributions, with Brendan Hermensky recording 13 tackles and a sack and Caleb Aiken adding six tackles, a sack, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery. However, the Knights’ offense struggled to generate sufficient points and maintain drives to match the Tigers’ scoring.
Key performances during the game included RB Rocco DeLorenzo’s 54 rushing yards, WR Mike Ebert’s 43 receiving yards and a touchdown, LB Brendan Hermensky’s impressive 13 tackles and a sack, and LB Caleb Aiken’s six tackles, one sack, one forced fumble, and one fumble recovery.
Despite the loss, the Nordonia High School football team can look back on the 2023 season with pride. They fought tenaciously to reach the playoffs, demonstrating their dedication and passion for the game throughout the season.
