DON McCORMACK
Paying another visit to the variety store...
Kicking it off
It’s full steam ahead and all systems go for the collaboration of SS. John and Paul High School and Grand River Academy on the gridiron.
The first portion of the schedule for the club football squad — which will be known as the Ashtabula Heralds — was released the other day by GRA Athletic Director Scott McNevan.
Here’s what’s on tap as far as where games are lined up for the Heralds, all of which will be played on the road, at least to this point:
n Saturday, Sept. 12 — Cardinal High School, 10 a.m.
n Saturday, Sept. 19 — Perry High School, 10 a.m.
n Saturday, Oct. 3 — Southington High School, 10 a.m.
n Monday, Oct. 12 — Western Reserve Academy, 4:30 p.m.
n Saturday, Oct. 17 — Mathews High School, 10 a.m.
The Heralds will be coached by Dave Ridell, who will be assisted by former Ashtabula High School and Boston University standout Matt Demshar, Mark Thomas, Les Anderson, Rob Fortune and Tim Bisaroe.
In addition to students from SJP and GRA, the Heralds will be adding some young men who are being home schooled to fill out their roster.
The Heralds were born after SJP had to call off its 2009 high school season because of a lack of players. The school, which began playing high school football in 1955, had fielded a team every fall since — with the exception of the 1997 season — when that campaign was called off for the same reason.
On the other side of the coin, GRA — formerly known as Grand River Institute — fielded teams that competed against pretty much every high school squad in Ashtabula County from before the turn of the 20th century — long before most public high schools in the county began playing organized team sports — through 1928. That team, coached by Lyle Biehler, went 3-4-1.
GRI’s team of 1910 went 7-1-1 in nine games, losing only a Thanksgiving Day game to Jefferson, 22-0, in a game played at Bula Field, which later became known as Guarnieri Field. The only other blemish on that squad’s record was a tie against Harvey.
Trivia time
What school did Ashtabula and Harbor play in their final football games and how did the Panthers and Mariners fare?
Answers below.
Getting his kicks
Mitchell Lake not only had quite a game for the Grand Valley Mustangs on Friday night with his hands — 3 catches for 112 yards ( a whopping 37.3 yards per grab), including touchdown receptions from fellow sophomore A.J. Henson of 26 and 77 yards — but also his feet... at least one of them.
The young man who Mustangs coach Tom Henson says could very well have the best hands in the history of Grand Valley football (the school fielded its first team in the fall of 1962 under the direction of coach Joe Shoaf) also had a big game with his right foot.
Lake was 6-for-6 on point-after attempts for the Mustangs, which flogged visiting Fairport, 47-7, at Grand Valley Stadium, and also made good on a 28-yard field-goal.
Lake will take his hands and feet to Jackson-Milton on Friday night when he and his GV buddies will look to cage the Bluejays and improve to 2-1 on the season.
Leagues of their own
Here’s how the conferences that area football teams call home stand collectively through Week 2, based on winning percentage:
n NEC — 5-1 (.833).
n CVC Chagrin — 11-5 (.688).
n CVC Metro — 6-3 (.667).
n CVC Valley — 3-4 (.429).
n NAC — 3-7 (.300).
n PAC — 2-10 (.167).
Trivia answers
Though no one knew it at the time because then-superintendent William Licate had not yet announced his decision to consolidate Ashtabula and Harbor into Lakeside, the Panthers and the Mariners played their final football games Friday, Oct. 27, 2000.
That night, coach Jay Corlew’s Panthers dropped a 21-0 decision to Jefferson at Falcon Pride Stadium.
Coach Mike Hassett’s Mariners also came out on the short end, being edged by visiting Pymatuning Valley, 7-6, at Wenner Field.
At least Ashtabula won its final game at Guarnieri Field the week before, blanking the Geneva Eagles, 14-0, on Friday, Oct. 20, 2000.
McCormack is the sports editor of the Star Beacon. Reach him at donmac@suite224.net.
