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The Rootstown Rovers football team is 2-0 for the third straight year. Now the Rovers look to extend their winning streak to three games against Hanoverton United on Friday night.

The Rootstown Rovers football team is getting used to starting the season 2-0.  The last three seasons Rootstown has accomplished that feat, it’s what comes next that they hope to change. 

In both 2009 and 2010, the Rovers entered Week 3 undefeated, only to fall to Hanoverton United (0-2) – before finishing the season 5-5.

Prior to the season fourth-year coach Randy McCoy said his team is setting its goal much higher than another .500-record.

“I look for this to be a special year,” McCoy said over the summer.  “This is the most competitive group of kids we have had.  Our goal is to play Week 11.

“Another 5-5 season would be a disappointment.”

Rootstown hasn’t made the playoffs since the 2004 season, but currently sit seventh in Division V, Region 17 – good enough to make one of the region’s eight playoff spots.

One of the Rovers biggest reasons for not surpassing 5-5 is an inability to escape the middle of the Portage Trail Conference County Division.  The last two seasons Rootstown has finished 3-4 in league play.  They’ve lost to three teams in both years – Mogadore, Garrettsville Garfield and Streetsboro – also losing to East Canton (2009) and Woodridge (2010).

Interestingly, the Rovers defeated the Bulldogs in 2009 to force Woodridge into a split of the division crown with Mogadore.

Rootstown’s path to improvement may have also improved by subtraction with Streetsboro now in the Metro Division.

After their road contest with United on Friday night, the Rovers open league play against Windham and Woodridge before facing Garrettsville Garfield, Southeast and Mogadore in consecutive weeks, only the game with the Pirates is on the road.

The Rovers have utilized a punishing running game and stiff defense to outscore Sebring McKinley and Jackson-Milton 56-12 in the first two weeks of the season.  Junior running back Danny Lashley has gained 373 yards with five touchdowns to date.

Maybe the biggest surprise of the football season is the management job 13-year old freshman Sam Todd has done at the quarterback position.

More Football: Final non-league test

A look at the rest of the PTC County Division slate, showcases plenty of intriguing football matchups on Friday night.  Besides Rootstown, the Southeast Pirates are the only other County Division team still without a loss.  After defeating Field 21-14 last week, Southeast will take on another familiar Metro Division team in Crestwood (0-2) this week.  Last season, the Pirates gave up 15 fourth quarter points and a 32-20 lead, to fall to the Red Devils 35-34 – a game that left both teams with 5-5 records.

The Mogadore Wildcats and Garrettsville Garfield G-Men (both 1-1) are trying to recover from disappointing losses in Week 2.  Mogadore gave up 17 second quarter points and had an Alex Roebken 37-yard field goal attempt blocked as time expired to fall 30-28 in their first non-league loss since August 24, 2007.  The Wildcats will now turn their frustrations to the 0-2 Northwestern Huskies.  Junior running back Gary Strain continued his bright start, scoring four touchdowns.  Strain has scored all six of Mogadore’s touchdowns this season.

The G-Men were crushed by former County Division rival Streetsboro 30-3 and will look to take their frustrations out on Warren Champion to rise above the .500-mark.

The East Canton Hornets probably can’t believe they are 0-2, after winning the first half of each of their first two games, only to have disappointing breakdowns after halftime.  One week after losing to Canton Timken in the final moments, the Hornets surrendered a 26-13 halftime lead to Sandy Valley, by allowing 16 third-quarter points, en route a 36-32 defeat.  East Canton will try to put an entire 48 minutes together Friday night against undefeated Malvern.

The Woodridge Bulldogs and Waterloo Vikings are both County Division teams looking to survive the non-league portion of their schedules with winning records.  Woodridge faces Norton, after defeating the Panthers 69-0 in Week 3 last year.  On top of a complete offensive performance, the Bulldogs held Norton to negative offensive yards in the 2010 encounter.

Waterloo defeated Lutheran East in 2010 26-6 and hopes to replicate that performance.

Finally the Bombers are looking to make their way to the positive side of a result after two straight losses against Fairport Harding.  Windham edged Harding 14-11 a year ago in what would turn out to be their last win in 10 tries.

Boys Cross Country: County Division gets crack at Bulldogs

Boys cross country teams across the PTC County Division will come together at the Woodridge Bulldogs home course for the league’s “Super Duals” event in the first element of determining the County Division champion in the sport. 

Last season Woodridge swept the top five spots at the Super Duals, and surely the other seven teams in the division have been waiting to answer that performance.  Of course, last year’s top Bulldog, Vibushan Sivakumaran, has graduated.  Will Drake Sulzer and Matt Wojcik be able to carry Woodridge to a repeat performance?

Come out on Tuesday to find out whether the Bulldogs can remain on top.

Soccer: Crowded races look to gain separation

Next Tuesday will be a big night for PTC County Division soccer teams as top contenders will come together in both girls and boys soccer.  Those contests should offer separation of what has been a murky title race as the conference season reaches its halfway point.

First, Rootstown (2-0-1 in County Division) girls team will host Southeast (1-0-2) in a battle between the final two undefeated teams in league play. 

On the boys pitch, it will be Waterloo (2-1-0) travelling to defending boys champion Woodridge (1-0-1).  A win by the Vikings would put Waterloo in control of the division race.

In 14 boys or girls County Division contests, five of those games have ended in a draw, leading to the crowded division races.