Lutheran West senior Mark Petro is known more for his leg as one of the top D-V kickers in the state of Ohio, but here he blocks a Brooklyn punt that he returned for a touchdown in the Longhorns 38-8 pasting of the rival Hurricanes. (Photo by Larry Bennet)

The best kept secret in town,
the Longhorns are a good football team
By Zachary Dzurick
Sports
PublishedOct. 26, 2005

Click here for an archive of West Life Sports Editor Zachary Dzurick's "Red Right 88" weekly columns.

It was spooky at Alumni Field minutes before kickoff. You could almost hear a pin drop. The band was silent, the crowd very sparse.

While it was the public school in Rocky River that many expected to make a playoff run, the private school has turned out to be a very good football team.

It is time for the community wake up on the Longhorns. Lutheran West continued its dominance in the Stripes division of the Patriot Athletic Conference with a decisive 38-8 win over Brooklyn. The Longhorns defeated all four division rivals. Their varsity defense allowed just one touchdown in those games. West is now 7-2 and with the win moved to sixth in the computer ranking for D V region 18. The top eight teams make the playoffs. (More on that below)

Next week, the Longhorns take on Keystone, a PAC Stars division team.

"Defensively, I am very proud that our first team defense gave up just one touchdown in Stripes division play," coach Troy Fehrs said. "We didn't play one poor game in division play. We played excellent football every single game. We talked about playoff teams getting better every week. We hit a little bit of a plateau early. In the last three weeks they have really come back to practice and gotten better fundamentally every week. They are a pretty good football team right now."

The Longhorn defense coached by Dave Geye made an early statement. Senior kicker Mark Petro kicked the ball out of the end zone to start the game. After quick three and out, the offense took over at the Brooklyn 48 yard line. Three plays, three handoffs and it was 7-0 West. Senior Kenny Sanger had a first play 32 yard run and then took it the last 13 yards for the touchdown.

After another three and out, West took over on the Brooklyn 45 yard line. Sanger rushed for 15 yards on first down but the snap was fumbled on second down and Brooklyn took over.

The Hurricanes did mange one first down but were again forced to punt. Sanger was again key on the six-play 76 yard drive. He had 60 more yards on three carries but it was quarterback senior quarterback John Stock who crossed the goal line on a one yard run.

On the next possession, Brooklyn again managed one first down before settling for a punt. Petro broke through the line, blocked the punt, scooped it up and ran in it for a 28 yard touchdown return. Petro would later add a 27-yard field goal to make it 24-0 Longhorns at the half.

Fehrs was ecstatic that his kicker got to score a touchdown.

"We have the best D-5 kicker in the state," Fehrs said. "I would take him over any kicker in any size school. It was awesome to see him score. He is a great all around football player. He plays on the return team and blocks well. Also he is surrounded by players playing great on special teams."

Senior Brad Berardinis incepted a pass and for the second straight week returned it for a touchdown. Junior DeMario Collier then ran 35 yards for West's final touchdown. Brooklyn closed out the scoring with an Aaron Ritchie two-yard run in the fourth quarter.

With teams doing everything they can to stop their talented running game, Fehrs credits the defense's strong play all season with giving the offense time to adjust each week.

"Our defense has been so solid all year so that even when you have to make some offensive adjustments, you have time," Fehrs said. "People have thrown the book at us offensively and they are bringing people. They are taking chances. Our defense has allowed us to make adjustments. We have great special teams too."

Sanger said the team has truly gelled during this five week winning streak.

"We are doing great," Sanger said. "The coaches are making us practice hard every play with no slacking. We have great camaraderie and are really coming together. Everything is riding on next week. If we win, we can go to the playoffs. If we lose, it ends our senior year."

West spilt its first two games against the bigger school Stars division. Playing at Keystone will be a difficult task.

"Our goal was to make it to the playoffs," Petro said. "We have to win to get in and hopefully Brooklyn will keep their four wins."

It was announced on Monday that Brooklyn was found to have changed a player’s grades improperly and will have to forfeit their four wins. This is devastating to the Longhorns chances to make the playoffs as they dropped all the way to 10th in the rankings. Fehers took the news with class.

“I am disappointed. It isn’t fair to us but sometimes what is right isn’t fair,” Fehrs said Monday. “We have a lot of empathy and respect for the Brooklyn administrators. Today at practice we will talk to the kids and say the only unchangable thing is Jesus Christ. It is a life lesson. Our job is to get ready to give Keystone the great game they deserve.”