Kenston bests Perry
Bombers sink Pirates in CVC clash
BAINBRIDGE TOWNSHIP - The Kenston football team has been riding high since defeating rival Chagrin Falls to take control of the Chagrin Valley Conference Chagrin Division race two weeks ago. Perry looked to steal a victory on the all-weather turf at Kenston Bombers Stadium.
The Bombers (5-2, 4-0) are still in control of first place as they dominated the Pirates, 34-14.
First-year Kenston coach Jeff Grubich and his hurry-up, no-huddle offensive machine is tallying huge numbers. Led by 6-foot-7, 275-pound offensive tackle and Northwestern commit Sam Coverdale, the Bombers feature two explosive backs and quarterback Darryl Richards (13 attempts, 79 yards), who hurt the Pirates. Richards ran for scores of 15, 1, and 21 yards while diminutive halfback Nick Lombardy added a 23-yard touchdown run and a team-high 94 yards on just 10 carries in the first half. He did not see second-half action because of an ankle injury.
Grubich used sophomore Jeremy Wyers (12 carries, 29 yards) in place of Lombardy and he had an 11-yard TD run in the first quarter.
The Bombers outgained the Pirates 335 to 224 with 280 of those yards coming via the ground game.
The Pirates (3-4, 2-2) and veteran head coach Matt Rosati were just not able to cope with what Kenston brings to the table.
"They really are (a very good team)," Rosati said. "They are very well-coached. They've got everything in speed, some size, very athletic — a tough team to match up with. I wish them all the luck in the world. Coach Grubich has done an excellent job. I really tip my cap to them. There were some athletes making some plays. They were just more athletic than we were."
"We needed to make a statement that this was a CVC game," Richards said. "We needed to come prepared because we still have some tough teams to play."
The Pirates punted three times in the first quarter and fumbled once in the second period.
Kenston scored in just three plays with 7:35 left in the first after Andrew Soltay returned a 27-yard punt to the Pirate 31. In just three snaps, Lombardy scored his TD, but the PAT failed and Kenston led, 6-0. Perry actually intercepted a Richards' pass on the first play from scrimmage to start the game by Zak Hurd at the Perry 5.
The Bombers then went 52 yards in 10-plays with Wyers taking a pitch to the left and T. J. Kestranek booted the extra point with 2:34 left for a 13-0 lead after one quarter.
At 11:19 of the second, Richards waltzed in from the 15 on a keeper and it was 20-0.
Perry got on the board with just 4.6 left before halftime as it drove 67 yards in 11 plays.
Kyle Beyer hauled in a 27-yard pass from Cale Burdyshaw (8 for 13, 1 INT, 99 yards) and the Pirates trailed, 20-7.
The Bombers scored 14 points in the third quarter. They took the opening kickoff of the second half and marched 10- plays, 60 yards with Richards, on 4th-and-goal at the 1 going into the end zone. The Bombers made it 34-7 with 41.9 to go as once again Richards used his speed to coast to a 21 yard TD run.
Perry in the fourth quarter had a 9-play, 65 drive as Mason Martin (16 carries, 58 yards) went in from a 1 yard out.