GENOA — During the regular season Genoa out-scored their opponents 537-24, including 207-0 in its last four games. Edison actually held a 7-0 lead in the Division IV quarterfinal game. That good feeling on the Edison sideline did not last long, as the Comets shook off the score and responded with a vengeance, blasting Edison 62-7.
Edison coach Jim Hall tipped his hat to Genoa.
“We knew coming in that they were physical,” he said. “They made some mistakes early and we took advantage but they came back and did what they did. “Our kids fought and they were prepared but we just didn’t have enough for tonight. We are proud of our seniors. They had a lot of success in our program. The game tonight is tough for them to handle but they have a lot of things to look back on that they have done for this program. That is what they have to focus on.”
Genoa fumbled on two of its first three possesions. After an Edison three and out to start the game, the Comets muffed the punt and the Chargers recovered on the Genoa 40-yard line. But the Chargers went three and out again. On second down Greg Hillabrand fumbled and Edison took over on the 25-yard line. But again on three plays, the Chargers could manage just one yard. After a timeout, Edison head coach Jim Hall elected to go for it on fourth down. It paid off as Zach Yovanov completed a 24-yard touchdown pass to Kale Divers.
Genoa coach Mike Vicars said the pressure put on his team, a state semifinalist last season, by the community was heavy.
“We had to get our poise back,” he said. “This group of kids feels a lot of pressure. There are a lot of expectations from the community to get back to where they were last year and give it another go. That’s a lot for 16 and 17-year-old kids. You could see they were tight, but we have good senior leadership and they responded. Even our coaches were tight. I had to tell them to relax. Just settle in and we will be fine, and we did.”
It did not take long for Genoa to settle down and deliver. Dylan Howard returned the kickoff 40 yards to get the ball on the Edison side of the field. Eight plays later, the Comets scored on a 1-yard run from Connor Wendt. Edison muffed the kickoff and started on their own 12. After a three-and-out, it took Genoa six plays to move 48 yards and score on a Hillabrand 3-yard run. Again Edison muffed the kickoff and started on their own 4. The Chargers got one first down, but were forced to punt again. Genoa used two timeouts to force Edison to punt into the wind at the end of the first quarter. Once again Genoa got great field position at the 43-yard line.
On first down quarterback Matt Bassitt found Wendt, who broke several tackles and scored on a 57-yard reception for a 21-7 lead at the end of the first quarter.
Edison would go three-and-out to start the second quarter. Another big return from Wendt gave Genoa the ball on the Edison 30. Two plays later, Hillabrand ran 28 yards for a touchdown. The Comets scored twice more in the second quarter. One was a two-play drive and the other a one-play drive. Genoa out-gained Edison 241 to 127 in the first half.
Up 42-7, the Comets called timeout with 56 seconds left in the first half so they could get the ball one more time. They ran a hurry-up offense and their crowd screamed with a blood thirst when an official was slow to mark the ball allowing seconds to tick away. Edison responded and stopped Genoa that time as junior Garrett Scott came free and hit Genoa quarterback Matt Bassitt forcing him to fumble. It was one of the few times Edison stopped Genoa.
In the second half, Genoa took the opening kickoff and went 68 yards down the field, then scored on a 8-yard run by Chris Cuevas. On the following possession, Genoa senior Jon Lester tipped and intercepted a pass. After a 17-yard run by Devin Sibbey, Genoa kicked a 36-yard field goal on first down. Later in the quarter Tyler Pickard made a 40-yard field goal on a first down.
Genoa will play Orrville next week in the second round of the playoffs.
