North Olmsted running back Damien Kirks drags Berea defender Derrick Paster into the end zone in the second half of last Friday night’s game at Finnie Stadium. The Eagles rallied for a 28-16 win. (West Life photo by Larry Bennet)

Eagles rally past Braves
By Jeff Gallatin
Sports
Published Sept. 17, 2008

Fundamentals and basics.

North Olmsted used that simple approach to overcome a 10-0 halftime deficit and beat host Berea, 28-16, in both squads’ Southwestern Conference opener last Friday night.

In notching its third win in four games, North Olmsted used a strong ground game to notch three fourth-quarter touchdowns and key defensive plays to subdue Berea, which dropped to 2-2 overall. The Eagles mounted their comeback without completing a pass in the second half.

North Olmsted head coach Mike Ptacek said the squad knew going in it wouldn’t be easy.

“Berea’s a good football team,” he said. “They had two wins coming into the game and have some good athletes. We knew this would be a good game.”

Two of the aforementioned athletes, senior quarterback Derrick Paster and senior wide receiver Steve Sensel, combined for both Berea touchdowns on scoring passes of 37 yards in the second quarter and 38 in the fourth.

In falling behind early, Ptacek said the Eagles simply weren’t playing good football.

“We weren’t executing properly, we weren’t playing good football and it showed,” he said. “Berea was able to take advantage of that.”

North Olmsted quarterback Joe Vitali listens intently as head coach Mike Ptacek gives instructions during the Eagles’ game with Berea last Friday night. (West Life photo by Larry Bennet)

Both squads traded unsuccessful drives to open the game before Berea moved the ball into field goal range on its second drive to notch a 30-yard field goal by senior Aaron Gulan and take the lead in the first quarter.

Ptacek said both squads were playing physical football.

“It’s what you expect in this conference,” he said.

North Olmsted fans also received a brief scare when standout senior defensive lineman John Taylor went down holding his leg. After being checked by athletic and medical staff at the game, he got up and went to the sidelines. He returned to register several important plays, including a key sack late in the game to protect the lead North Olmsted had fought back to take in the fourth quarter.

“He’s going to be fine,” Ptacek said after the game.

In complementing the Braves’ field leader Paster after the game, Ptacek said the Berea staff said the quarterback would also recover from some bruised ribs he received late in the game while scrambling and trying to make a play.

Paster and Sensel had teamed up for their first scoring strike in the second quarter to give Berea a 10-0 lead at halftime. A North Olmsted touchdown by Patrick Tomko had been nullified by a penalty.

Ptacek said North Olmsted knew at halftime what it had to do.

“We always emphasize fundamentals and good sound football,” he said. “We knew we had to execute and play good fundamental football in the second half.”

Eagle running back Damien Kirks got the second half comeback rolling by carrying a half-dozen times to start the first touchdown drive before Nick Gessner opened the scoring for North Olmsted with a 15-yard run. John Rodriguez’ kick made it 10-7, which the score remained through the end of the third quarter.

North Olmsted got moving again early in the fourth quarter and took the lead for good on an 18-yard run by Kirks. Gessner added to the Eagle margin with a 43-yard burst which along with the conversion moved the score to 21-10.