When you are a writer, you see things from different angles than the public, particularly fans that follow one high school team.
On Saturday, Canton McKinley defeated Massillon, 35-21, which is always special in and of itself. Here were the Bulldogs, a team that had blown a 34-2 lead two weeks earlier in a 38-34 loss to North Canton Hoover, reaching the playoffs on third level points.
It was a glorious moment for McKinley coach Ron Johnson, who has been roasted this season by Bulldog fans as if he was the most evil character a writer could concoct. After the game, he told me that the players never quit and that is what made him so proud of the kids.
So McKinley heads to Toledo Whitmer Saturday hoping to pull off another upset and go further into the playoffs.
For Hudson players and fans, the McKinley victory was a crushing loss because the Explorers were the team bumped out of the playoffs. On the face of it, this is ridiculous. Hudson is 8-2 and McKinley is 6-4.
What killed the Explorers were some opponents who just had awful seasons. Jackson, normally a .500 team at least, took the pipe and was 0-10. Lakewood, the worst Division I program in Northeast Ohio and frankly is a waste of time watching, had its usual one win season. The Rangers were Hudson’s opponent in Week 10, giving virtually nothing in computer points to the Explorers.
Hudson coach Tom Narducci, quarterback Richie Piekarski and the Explorer seniors
People talk about win or go home themes for the playoffs. As Hudson now knows, sometimes you go home early when you win because you lose. Life is not always fair.
{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
I do feel bad for the Hudson players and coaches. But hey that is life. Not everybody gets a trophy.
Hudson had a very special class of seniors this year. They were 8-2 and there only two losses came againist (Solon/Twinsburg) which made the playoffs as top seeds. The two loses of Hudson both came in the 4th quarter of each game. Also Hudson would have beat Lakewood or Jackson even if they won a few extra games (which they always normally do). For them to lose in a tie carried out to the hudreth decimal point and to be tied after the first tie-breaker , then the second tie-breaker and to lose in the rarely used third tie-breaker is heartbreaking! Hudson would have went very far in the state playoffs. They were on a roll..
I agree with rrggmm. Hudson had a great senior class of 32 strong. Most of them played together from 3rd grade on. Although they did not make the playoffs, they had an excellent season and are to be commended. Their future is extemely bright. Several of them have been offered opportunities to attend the Naval Academy, and others have received the Army ROTC scholarship. Others will be going to serve our Country straight to the Marine Corps, and many others will be attending some of our nation’s best colleges. I wish them all the best of luck and success!