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.

Tom Narducci hopes to be working next week. The Hudson football coach knows that Senior Night at Dante Lavelli Field against Lakewood might be the team’s swan song. Even if the Explorers beat the Rangers, it might not be enough to get them into the playoff. Coming into the is week, Hudson sits in the eighth and final spot in Division I, Region 2.

“We need a few things to happen, like Perrysburg, Toledo St. John’s and some other teams too lose and maybe get lucky that Medina knocks off Brunswick (No. 6 in the region), which is possible because they’ve played pretty well in the second half of the year,” Narducci said.

The coach also Richie Piekarski ’s numbers are down in the passing category because of the weather.

“Of course, it will probably rain. The last four weeks have hurt Richie’s stats because we haven’t thrown with all the rain,” the coach said.

Hey everyone! This is my column that’s running in the Akron Beacon Journal Friday, but it’s posted on Ohio.com now, as you can see. Thanks to everyone who submitted votes for their favorite high school nicknames. If there are other crazy nicknames from out of state, post them so we can all get some laughs. Thanks again!

What a week that was and what a game coming up. As you read my thoughts, remember this – to reach the football playoffs, eight teams in each of the four regions in each division get their ticket punched. The top four teams host first round home games.,

Let’s go:

Roll 7, please!

I have beeen watching high school sports longer than some of my colleagues have been alive. So when I tell you that Ravenna coach Jim Lunerdi took one of the biggest gambles I’ve ever seen in defeating bitter rival Kent Roosevelt, 29-28 in overtime, I believe that is a big statement.

Here was the situation – Kent had just scored the go ahead touchdown in the OT to go ahead 28-21. Ravenna quarterback Zach Thomas, who wears No. 7, then counters with a 6-yard touchdown run to cut the lead to 28-27. Conventional wisdom is to kick to the extra point and play another overtime.

Instead, the Ravens come out from a time-out and Lunerdi, convinced by his assistant coaches, go for the 2-point conversion. Thomas barely falls over the goal-line and Ravenna wins 29-28.

What was on the line? The Ravens came in 3-0 in the Metro Division of the Portage Trail Conference and Kent was 2-1, and both teams desperately needed playoff points. Ravenna and Kent now are 13th and 14th in Division II, Region 5 and now must win out for a hope of getting to the post season in this brutal division, one of the best in the state.

Surprising Spartans

Springfield’s 5-2 season now becomes the focus for both Ravenna and Kent. Kent hosts the Spartans this week, which is No. 12 in Division III, Region 13. so the winner’s chances of the post season improves.

Two of Ravenna’s last three games are against the Spartans and Field, which is 6-1 and also 4-0 in the division and No. 4 in Division III, Region 9. The  Falcons have already defeated the Rough Riders, so the Oct. 23 game at Ravenna could be for both the division and a playoff berth.

The big game

As each week as passed, it became apparent that Week 8 would gives football fans a big game in the River Division of the Northeast Ohio Conference. As  Twinsburg plays at Hudson Friday night, the stakes could not be bigger.

Face it – in an otherwise weak division, the winner will bring home the division crown. The winner also grabs a huge number of critical playoff points, which neither can get in the remaining two weeks of the schedule. It appears Twinsburg is the No. 4 team in Division I, Region 5, Hudson is No. 8. The Explorers obviously need this game more.

Stow coach Marty Tinkler says it simply.

“We just a need break; a big break,” Tinkler said. “The kids are doing everything they can to get better; they are practicing and preparing as hard as they can.”

The Bulldogs are facing the probability of not having starting quarterback Duane Mitchell and tailback Jon Markulis again Friday night against Lakewood. Both missed last week’s 14-7 Homecoming loss  against Hudson with injuries.

“It was 0-0 at halftime, then 14-0 going into the fourth quarter. We scored with three minutes left and we had a chance if we get the onside kick. We didn’t, but at least we were in position to have the shot,” Tinkler said.

It has not been an easy season for Marty Tinkler. The Stow football coach is hoping his 0-5 team can recover from its latest loss, a 27-14 setback to Garfield Heights (4-1) and knock off invading Hudson (4-1), which suffered its first defeat of the season, 28-14, to undefeated Solon.

“Obviously, you never think about being 0-5 despite our schedule. Its our Homecoming came and we’ve played with them the last two years, winning at home two years ago and we lost a good game at their place last year,” Tinkler says.

The coach hopes that injury-plagued senior running back Jon Markulis is finally on a roll, having rushed for over 300 yards the past two games.

Here’s my thoughts on high school football now that we are at the halfway point of the season.

*I was disappointed that only 2,500 people came out to the first City Series game at InfoCision Stadium at Summa Field, though North and Kenmore aren’t big schools. Still, I would bet that crowd was two or three times bigger than it might have been at the Rubber Bowl.

*I will say this after seeing North, Kenmore, Buchtel and Ellet – there is a lot of talent in the City Series. The key for the future of the football in Akron is to get more kids to come out for these teams. The other thing coaches need is for the players to get into better shape, though with a bad economy and kids from poorer families it is sometimes impossible for them to have the time to get to the weight room in the off-season. 

*Ricky Powers is doing a nice job rebuilding the Buchtel program, which was nearly destroyed by former Claude Brown because of his conviction involving a Buchtel female student. Powers, an alumni and former Michigan star running back, is trying to bring discipline to the program, teach younger volunteer coaches what needs to be done and get the community more involved.

*Circle the Week 8 game Oct. 16 in the River Division of the NOC with Twinsburg at Hudson will be for all the marbles – a division title and tons of computer points. Both schools are in Division I, Region 2; the Tigers are fifth and Hudson seventh, according to the JoeEitel.com website.

*Who would have thought Springfield would have four wins in five games and Green would be 0-5?  Bulldog coach Tom Stacy  is drawing a lot of fire both for having too tough a schedule and, obviously, the team’s record.

*It seems that the most balanced conference this year is the Suburban League, which few fans realize has for 20 years been putting as many, if not more, teams in the playoffs each season.

Besides the red hot Wadsworth team, Barberton, Cloverleaf, Copley, Revere and Highland have comparable talent, which makes this league so hard to predict. Only Tallmadge and Green seems out of both the league title and playoff contender.

Suddenly Friday’s gane with Wadsworth (5-0) at Copley (4-1) has a lot riding on it.

*How much will Walsh Jesuit be hurt by have this week off? Yes, the Warriors will get an average of their weekly points for this week, but they will lose their playing edge going into the Oct. 9 rivalry game witth visiting St. Vincent-St. Mary. Walsh is 3-2 and 1oth in Division II, Region 5.

Hudson coach Tom Narducci was getting ready for a second overtime period Friday at Strongsville. The Explorers had taken a 35-28 lead in OT as quarterback Richie Piekarski scored on a run up the middle, but the Mustangs scored a touchdown and just need an extra point to tie the game.

“I was talking to my offensive coordinator about the next series and I looked up and the poor kicker pulled his kick left. He could have made 100 kicks that night, but I swear that was the only one he was going to miss,” Narducci said.  “This is was a big win for our program. This is the first time we have beaten them.”

“This was not your typical 0-4 football team. They have played a tough schedule.” The Mustangs’ four opponents have a combined record of 13-3.

Next up for the Explorers is Friday’s home game with Solon. The Comets are also undefeated, coming off a 42-6 pasting of Parma. At stake beyond one team remaining is a huge number of computer points to the winner. That could mean the difference between hosting a home game or being the visitor in the opening round of the Division I playoffs.

“It’s another big game for us. They have been improved this year because their quarterback, Jake Voigt, is a senior now and runs the options and throws well. As a sophomore, he came into our stadium as a sophomore and beat us. He did a great job of managing the game for them,” the Hudson coach says.

We are week from the halfway point of the high school football season. And it has been thrilling and exciting, let alone unpredictable. Here are some observations:

*It was great to have over 10,000 fans attend the first high school football game at Summa Field at InfoCision Stadium to watch the Holy War between St. Vincent-St. Mary and Archbishoo Hoban. It was one of the most physical games in recent memory.

*How about those unbeaten Explorers of Hudson? They are 4-0 and won at Strongsville on a missed extra point. And the always tough Mustangs are a starting 0-4, in part because of a tough independent schedule.

*Go figure this one – Cuyahoga Falls is 0-3 and playing at Brush. The Arcs, who were 0-10 last (despite only having 14 turnovers all season) come into the game a 3-0. So what happens? The Black Tigers win 16-13.

*So far, a young Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy has to be one of the great stories of the year. With few starters returning, the wing-T offense beats a very good Tusky Valley 35-14. It is the second time this season the Royals have come from behind in the second half; they won in the waning seconds of their two-day opener against East Canton, 19-18.

The eighth anniversary of the tragic events of Sept. 11, 2001 were in evidence Friday night prior to the Hudson at Jackson football game.

A haunting reminder of those attending events days and weeks after 9-11 was a policeman at the entrance of Robert Fife Stadium checking bags and other such items.

A moment of silence, a color guard and Jackson players holding flags over their heads running onto the field showed the class of school officials and the proper reverence for the occasion.