HARWELLPHOTO.COM
Southeast's Emily Willis and Alexis McPeak keep the ball in play against Waterloo. Southeast is 2-1 thus far in the volleyball season.
Just a couple weeks into the fall sports season it is clear that the Southeast Pirates are going to make their presence felt in the Portage Trail Conference County Division after competing in the Metro Division for the league’s first six years.
The Pirates football, volleyball and boys and girls soccer teams all currently boast winning percentages of at least .500. The soccer and volleyball teams have also already faced the defending champions in their respective sports and put up solid showings in those games.
That doesn’t even count Southeast winning its season-opening football game last Thursday, 50-0 over Newton Falls. The Pirates gained almost 500 yards on offense and had five different players account for six rushing touchdowns. Tylor Brokaw led the way with 182 yards and a score on 19 carries. That victory will make Southeast’s seven league opponents take notice. If the Pirates can duplicate that ground game and turn it into a win against Field this week, Southeast will show themselves as true contenders.
Both soccer teams faced defending champion Woodridge in their first match in the County Division. Greg Miller led the Pirates with two goals and four assists, including an assist in Southeast’s 2-2 tie with the Bulldogs. The Pirates scored both of their goals in the second half.
Melissa Riemenschneider scored two goals for Southeast in a 3-0 win over Woodridge, as the Pirates have started the season 2-0.
Finally, Southeast met defending champion Waterloo on the volleyball court Tuesday and came away clearly showing they will be a contender. Both teams were happy with how things went for an early-season match, while acknowledging they have things to work on. The loss came after the Pirates swept a triangular match to bring their record to 2-1 on the year.
Maybe the biggest news from Southeast entering the division is the Pirates' chance to give Woodridge its biggest threat to date in cross country. On the girls side, cross country newcomers junior Katelyn McCullough and freshman Miranda Hughes finished fourth and fifth respectively at the Dick Malloy Invitational, as Southeast finished third overall.
Senior Dusty Sartor placed third at the Malloy. Sartor paced Southeast to a second-place team finish.
Football: Looking back and what lies ahead
What a weekend it turned out to be for PTC County Division teams in Week 1. The eight teams went 6-2 and came within less than a minute of winning a seventh game. East Canton was winning 27-20 in the fourth quarter against Canton Timken when the Trojans struck for a 40-yard scoring strike and then converted a 2-point conversion for the win.
Timken will see another County Division team next week when it travels to Waterloo. The Vikings are coming off a terrific offensive showing against Chalker, winning 49-14. Waterloo running back Tom Saviers made the most of his opportunities, gaining 281 yards with five touchdowns on just 10 carries from the Vikings crowded backfield. As a team Waterloo gained 438 yards on the ground
On top of Waterloo and Southeast, Garrettsville Garfield also lit up the scoreboard to the tune of 49 points when it defeated Middlefield Cardinal. The G-Men were led by running backs Bob Bright and Kevin Stock, who both tallied 100 yards and two scores. Now Garrettsville Garfield must prepare for former County Division rival Streetsboro in Week 2. The G-Men defeated the Rockets 34-6 last season. Also facing a Metro Division opponent is Southeast, which will attempt to duplicate its explosive running game from Week 1 against Field on Friday night.
The Mogadore Wildcats began their campaign for a sixth straight County Division title with a 14-7 win over Crestwood in Week 1. Mogadore broke in junior Gary Strain as the feature back to follow Jake McAvinew and Kodey Chance, with a rushing and receiving touchdown. Coach Matt Adorni knows the Wildcats need to clear up four fumbles if they are going to make it to 2-0 when they face Smithville.
The Windham Bombers will take on future Northeastern Athletic Conference opponent Mathews after losing 27-6 to Jackson-Milton in Week 1. Jackson-Milton will host Rootstown this weekend after the Rovers defeated Sebring McKinley 30-12 in their season opener.
Finally, Woodridge scored a victory over nearby Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy behind the strong leg of kicker Hunter Niswander’s three field goals – including a 53-yard kick. Now the Bulldogs get another perennial playoff contender from the Principals’ Athletic Conference in Manchester.
Volleyball: PTC season begins on high note
It didn’t take long to confirm that the sport which may be effected the greatest by Streetsboro and Southeast switching divisions is volleyball. Both schools have been perennial contenders in their respective divisions since the inception of the PTC and nothing seems to have changed on that front.
Southeast took defending champion Waterloo to its limit in a five-game match in what was both teams first County Division match of the season. With Alana Woodard leading the Pirates and Megan Forney taking charge of an experienced Vikings group, both teams should give everyone plenty to watch this season.
Girls soccer: Bulldogs struggling to score
A year after the Woodridge Bulldogs won the PTC County Division led by soccer standout Brittany Charles’ 20 goals, Woodridge is finding goals hard to come by in 2011. The defending champions have scored three goals in their first four games.
The Bulldogs (1-2-1, 0-1-1) have been shut out twice in their first four games – after being shut out four times all of 2010 – and have yet to pick up a win in two County Division games. Including its loss to Southeast, Woodridge has also tied Garrettsville Garfield 2-2. The Bulldogs' lone victory came in a 1-0 victory over Hillsdale in the season opener.
Cross Country: Woodridge still top ‘Dogs
Another cross country season has begun, and the Woodridge boys cross country team has won another event. What else is new? The Bulldogs won the McDonald Billy Goat Challenge last Saturday as Drake Sulzer and Matt Wojcik paced the field with a 1-2 finish, respectively. The girls team placed fifth at the same event.
Woodridge has won five straight Division II boys cross country state titles, the third longest active streak in any sport in the state, and the second longest streak all-time in boys cross country. Caldwell won eight straight titles from 1985-1992.
If the Bulldogs can capture a sixth straight title it will vault Woodridge to a five-way tie for the 10th longest streak in any sport all-time in the state of Ohio.