EASTLAKE —
Sometimes, all it takes to change the face of a football game is one play.
One play was all it took to change the fortunes of two teams, Riverside and North, Friday night at North. That play sparked a 28-10 Beavers’ victory over the Rangers and signified the paths the teams’ seasons have taken.
Riverside is 4-1 (2-0 in Premier Athletic Conference) for the first time since 2000 and North is 0-5 (0-2) and has had trouble finding the end zone.
“We did feel it,” Riverside coach Dave Bors said. “I can't say enough about the guys. We went out, continued to focus and we are proud of the way they continue to fight. North came ready to play, they were motivated but I'm really proud of our guys and the way they came through.”
The Beavers, ranked 32nd in the state by MaxPreps, entered the game sky high after recording their first shutout — against Lakeside last week — since 2006.
It appeared Riverside would extend that scoreless streak to five quarters, but it ended in a flash. After playing nip and tuck for an entire quarter, with no time left on the clock, Anton Vraba found Ben Josipovic with a pass on the outside.
Seemed like a routine play, but Josipovic raced 65 yards for a score to make it a 7-0 game in favor of the Rangers.
Maxx Brubaker, who has been the focal point of Riverside's offensive unit this fall, was held to just 17 yards passing in the first half and just 141 for the night.
And if facing the Rangers defense wasn't bad enough, then came the rains.
Which brings us back to one play.
Just five seconds into the second half, Riverside recovered a Jeff Scavnicky fumble. One play later, Marcus Jones rushed 9 yards up the middle to make it a 7-6 game. But just when the pendulum seemed to switch, the Beavers missed the extra point.
Opportunity struck again. Riverside recovered yet another fumble by Scavnicky, this time at the 20. The Beavers capitalized, as Brubaker hit Joe McDonald from 3 yards out just minutes later and Riverside had taken a 12-7 lead. Bors decided to go for two, but John Watson's run failed.
With the fields wet, the remainder of the game continued to be a battle of defenses as both sides exchanged blows.
Chandler Smith nearly made it an 18 -7 game with what appeared to be a stunning catch with 11:34 left in the fourth quarter. But North's T.J. Hartman made a great play. North then held the Beavers on the next play before Adam Horvat hit from 30 yards out, to help cushion the Beavers’ slim lead.
North did have its chance again, this time in the fourth as a kickoff return put the Rangers in good field position. After driving to the 3, they were stuffed by the Beavers defense and settled for a Vrabec 30-yard field goal, making it a 15-10 game.
Brubaker found Matt Milostan on a flair pass. It, too, appeared to be a routine play, but Milostan turned on the burners, got some great blocking and did his best impression of Barry Sanders, zig-zagging through the Ranger defenders. He then raced across the field and down the sidelines for a 64-yard touchdown. It was the difference-maker as it took any wind the Rangers had left.
“Again, its different guys stepping up each week,” Bors said. “We still haven’t found the three phases of the game yet, defense still is our strength of this team. But the guys showed some swagger tonight, and I am really proud of them.”
Riverside then made it a 28-10 game with 2:38 left when Brubaker hit McDonald from 25 yards out.
Pawlikowski is a freelance writer from Parma.
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