SmeeSports

Bruins Lose in a Shootout with Howland, Falling 4-2

Parma, OH – On Saturday, September 6th, the undefeated Howland Tigers faced off with the 3-1-1 Padua Bruins. The Bruins looked to build on to their momentum, as they’ve won two of their last three. For the Tigers, they hoped to keep their undefeated start alive.

As the game got underway, the Tigers jumped out to an early lead, scoring in the first five minutes of the contest. Howland held a 1-0 lead until the end of the first half when Padua’s Garrett Nowicki scored on a penalty kick, making it 1-1 going into the half.

The second half began similar to the first, with a Howland score in the first five minutes. However, following the Tiger’s goal, Garrett Nowicki scored again, tying the game 2-2. Unfortunately for Padua, the Tigers gained momentum and went on to score two goals in the final ten minutes of the game, going up 4-2 with a few minutes left. The Bruins were unable to match, and would go on to lose by a final of 4-2. Howland remains undefeated to start their season. For Padua they will fall to 3-2-1 on the year.

I talked to Garrett Nowicki following the match. I asked him what was the key behind his performance was and he said, “The coaches gave me a great game plan and my teammates always put me in good positions to score.” I also talked to Caleb Zolkowski following the game, and I asked him how the team can bounce back following the loss and he told me, “We just have to take away only good things from our last game, and be ready to start fast in our next game.”

The Bruins will be back in action on Tuesday, September 9th to take on CVCA at home.

Mikey Maloney Dominates in First Career Mount Union Start as the Purple Raiders Defeat Wheaton 37-29

Alliance, OH- For the 38th consecutive season, the Mount Union Purple Raiders get a win in week one by downing the Wheaton Thunder 37-29. With it, the NCAA’s longest regular-season win streak increases to 76. The last time UMU lost in the regular season was in their last game against John Carroll in Alliance.

Mount Union got the ball to begin the game and wasted no time driving down the field. Mikey Maloney picked up a first down by connecting with returning wideout Nick Turner. Maloney followed this up with a 55-yard run, putting UMU at the Wheaton seven-yard line. Three plays later, Wyatt Stiehl caught his first touchdown pass since returning to Mount after a year at Southern Florida. Ivan Maric would miss the extra point, so the score remained 6-0 with 13:17 left in the first quarter.

The Thunder would pick up nine yards on their opening drive as Mark Forcucci found Seth Kortenhoeven. However, back-to-back incompletions forced Wheaton to punt. Mount Union used the short yardage game as a launching pad during its second drive. Seven out of the nine plays on the drive went for less than 10 yards. The exceptions came in the form of a 21-yard pass to Turner and a 17-yard touchdown pass to Elmherst transfer Jacob Cockrell. Maric was able to redeem himself as he made the extra point, making it 13-0 with 7:24 left in the first quarter.

The Thunder responded on the following drive as they went 51 yards on four plays to get on the board by way of a 10-yard rushing touchdown from Matt Crider. The Purple Raiders would also respond, taking eight plays and 75 yards to find the endzone. This time, Maloney connected with Shaun Thomas on a wheel route for the 42-yard score. This made the score 20-7 as the first quarter came to a close.

Wheaton looked for an answer with a mythodical drive, but a Forcucci incompletion on the 12th play ended the drive at Mount’s 27-yard line. To make matters worse, Maloney found Cockrell for an 81-yard touchdown after being sacked on the prior play. With the Purple Raiders up by 20, the Thunder needed to get back in the game. However, another mythodical drive stalled out as Wheaton turned the ball over at UMU’s 11-yard line. From there, Mount Union would have a drive stall out after 9 plays, which was followed by a Thunder three-and-out. After trying to get down the field quickly at the end of the half, Maloney was dragged down for the second time, and the Purple Raiders opted to run the clock out. Through 30 minutes, it was Mount Union up 27-7.

The Wheaton offense would continue to have its struggles as the second half began. They would go three-and-out for the second consecutive series, this time with negative eight yards of offense. Maric would hit his first field goal of the season on the ensuing drive, making it 30-7. Keenan Cruz would get his first career interception at Mount Union on the first play of the Thunder’s next drive. This gave Maloney and the offense a short field. Turner would get into the endzone for the first time this season on a one-yard touchdown pass from Maloney. This would round out the Purple Raiders’ offense for the day as they led 37-7.

Down by 30 as the fourth quarter began, things looked bleak for Wheaton. Once again, the Thunder opted for a mythical drive. However, Forcucci was able to find the endzone on a 21-yard scamper. This made it 37-14. Junior quarterback Chase Copper would come in for Mount Union, along with sophomore running back Kayden Minner. They were able to move the ball 19 yards before a loss of two on a rush and a loss of five on a delay of game penalty, forcing Michael Franklin back onto the field to punt. Overall, two of Franklin’s punts ended up inside the 20-yard line. He averaged 44.3 yards per punt, improving on his 41 yards per punt in 2024.

With 8:15 left in the game, the Thunder offense finally clicked. Forcucci took 4:28 off the clock before finding Kortenhoeven for a 19-yard touchdown. This made it 37-21. Then, Wheaton recovered an onside kick out of nowhere. Yet again, Kortenhoeven punished the Purple Raiders as he caught a 15-yard touchdown pass from Forcucci. With a successful two-point conversion, a 30-point game became a one-possession game. Maloney and the starters were forced back onto the field given the circumstances, and they got the job done. On a crucial third down, Maloney found Matt Anderson for his 19th completion of the day. However, the tight end fumbled the ball. Still, UMU was able to pounce on the rock, sealing the 37-29 victory.

“The Machine is the consistency of the program,” remarked Mount Union head coach Geoff Dartt after the game.

It’s no secret that players want to come to Alliance to play for UMU, as shown by the sheer number of players on the roster. However, Coach Dartt doesn’t want just any player.

“I think that [35 OAC losses since first title back in 1985] speaks more to the players that are choosing to come here and want to be coached hard and become the best versions of themselves…and I think it’s even more important when you recruit people, they’re good people that want to be coached and want to be developed.”

One of the best pieces of recruiting this past offseason, staying in line with Coach Dartt’s mantra, was bringing in Jacob Cockrell from Elmherst. In his Purple Raider debut, he caught three passes for 106 yards and two touchdowns.

“Meeting these coaches and players, I really wouldn’t want to be anywhere else,” proclaimed Cockrell after the game.

Circling back to Mount Union’s lone interception, senior Keenan Cruz was glad to see his hard work pay off in a big way.

Cruz said, “Yeah, it’s amazing. A lot of preparation and work was put in. To see some of that pay off and finally get that [interception], that’s awesome.”

As for the Purple Raiders’ new QB 1 in Mikey Maloney, he had the definition of a dream debut. He went 19/24 with 307 yards and 5 touchdowns. He was also second on the team with 44 rushing yards.

Last season, the Riverside legend went down with an injury that ended his campaign in the win against Wilmington. However, he found comfort in God as he attributed his success to Him.

“The biggest thing being injured is the mental side of it, and I think I grew a lot as a person. My faith in God really helped me find myself, helped me be confident in His plan for me. So, I just put my faith in Him.”

During the postgame press conference with Coach Dartt, he even joked that Maloney could run for Mayor of Riverside [Painesville], showing not only that he is an excellent quarterback, but also a good person.

Next week, it’s on to Grove City as Mount Union takes on the Wolverines in their second and final 1 PM kickoff of the season. This week, Grove City made a statement as they knocked off #10 Courtland 31-14 on the road in New York.

As for Wheaton, it is another road trip next week as they take on Augustana College in Rock Island, Illinois. The Vikings earned a thrilling win, 42-41, in overtime on the road against Simpson in Iowa. This matchup will begin College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW) play for the 2025 campaign.

Mount Union had a task heading into week one-keep The Machine rolling and get the win. In the end, it’s mission accomplished for one of the prides of Alliance, albeit in a closer game than once expected. As the saying goes, a win’s a win. 13 more wins, and Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium will host the Purple Raiders in the Stagg Bowl to close out the season.

Marlington Volleyball Continues to Roll in EBC Play, Defeats Minerva in Straight Sets

Alliance, OH- Fresh off a state championship game appearance, the Marlington Dukes were always going to have a chip on their shoulder heading into 2025. With losses to Twinsburg (3-0) and Olmsted Falls (3-1), Marlington had plenty to prove in the Eastern Buckeye Conference. Tonight, they earned their first home win and third conference win with a 3-0 victory over Minerva.

In the first set, it was all Marlington. After taking a 4-0 lead, the Lions got back into the frame with two quick-fire points. However, a 5-0 run followed for the Dukes, which made it 9-2. Tiffany Oaks, the head coach for Minerva, called a time-out to talk things over. Minerva got some points on the board after the break, but Marlington continued to control the frame. In the end, the Dukes got the win 25-9.

Set two started with plenty of back-and-forth play. The Lions kept Marlington within three or four points for the most part. However, the Dukes began to pull away as a timeout was called with the score sitting at 13-6. Minerva made things interesting after the break as they got within three. However, the pedigree of the Dukes showed as they sealed the set 25-17.

Just like the prior set, the Lions held Marlington at bay early. After going down, the Dukes took a narrow lead. The narrow 9-8 lead widened quick as Minerva called time with the score sitting at 15-8. This remained par for the course as Marlington cruised to a 25-12 victory, sealing the 3-0 win overall.

After the game, Danica Sarchione said,

“We worked really hard this Summer. We knew we lost some seniors, but this is a really good rebuilding year, and tonight we really proved ourselves.”

Sarchione is one of the biggest returners from last season. As a junior in 2025, Sarchione looks to be a two-year captain for the Dukes. In this match, she chipped in 7 kills along with 6 aces, 1 assist, 10 digs, and two blocks. Additionally, Marlington scored on 16 of her 18 services. Only Justine Doringo had more serves leading to points, but a lower total serve point percentage.

Looking into the priorly mentioned former seniors, Claire Battershell (Tiffin), Layne Graffice (YSU), and Jacsyn Hilliard headlined the class. However, the statsheet looked very similar to last season.

“Hey, these stats are very similar to last year,” remarked head coach Stephanie Tortola regarding what was said on the bench after the game.

The energy was the same from last year; just a few new faces were introduced. Senior setter Cali Young echoed this as she proclaimed,

“We have a good youth program at Marlington. A lot of the girls who were coming up freshman year have made an impact.”

Giana Bogunovich echoed the sentiment as she said,

“I feel like our energy and our determination just shows in everything we do.”

Bogunovich led the team with 17 kills. She also provided one assist and seven digs. Young also provided a spark, earning a total of 28 assists.

The Dukes, now 4-2 on the year, head to Salem on Thursday as they hunt for a seventh consecutive undefeated EBC season in a row. As for Minerva, they travel to Alliance again, but to take on the Aviators. The latter will be streamed live on the SmeeSports YouTube channel.

SmeeSports Player of the Game: Danica Sarchione

Link to Rewatch Marlington Vs Minerva Volleyball: https://www.youtube.com/live/bx6QRqcwC5k?si=lO7CTC0oRfEuu-m2

Link to Watch Alliance Vs Minerva Volleyball: https://www.youtube.com/live/8MfuNvVqKDo?si=8jHWb6udk289eigv

Will Xavier Make it to the NCAA Tournament Under New Coaching Staff and with a New Team?

Cincinnati, OH – What does this NCAA basketball season have in store for Xavier University? Last season and the post-season were quite a roller coaster for the Muskies.

Last year they went 22-12, which was a significant difference from the 2023-24 season where they went 16-18. Since last season however, the Musketeers have changed in multiple ways. For one, the coaching staff.

Sean Miller was the coach from the beginning of the 2022 season from the end of the 2025 season. He was a good coach, but after 3 years of not making it to the Sweet 16, he decided to depart from Xavier University. He is now the head coach of the University of Texas’ men’s basketball team. Now, Richard Pitino will be in the position of the head coach of the men’s basketball team. Pitino recently was the head coach of the men’s team at the University of New Mexico. Pitino has 13 seasons under his belt, winning an NIT Championship and has made 4 NCAA Tournament appearances. Xavier is very excited to have Richard Pitino as their head coach and hope he and the players can work as a cohesive unit and bring the team to a championship.

Other changes to the team were the loss of many, game changing players. Most were due to being graduate students, or seniors and having to leave the team due to graduation. Those players were Marcus Foster, Jerome Hunter, Ryan Conwell, Cam Fletcher, Dayvion McKnight, Dante Maddox, Zach Freemantle, Bob Nunge, and Brad Colbert. Each of these players gave a big part of themselves to the basketball team for years.

In the upcoming weeks the 2025-26 season will begin and this new team’s story will unfold.

Bruin’s Show Flashes but it Wasn’t Enough, Falling to Benedictine 7-0

Parma, OH – On Friday, August 29th the Benedictine Bengals traveled to Parma to take on the Padua Bruins in a rematch from last year’s playoffs. In the 2024 Regional Semifinal the Bruins ended the Bengal’s season, winning 42-28. However, the 2025 matchup wouldn’t end the same the same for Padua. After a gritty, hard fought contest, the Bengal’s walked away with the 7-0 victory.

Following a disappointing Week 1 loss to Alliance, the Bruin’s looked to get in the win column. For Benedictine they won a close battle against Gilmour Academy, starting their season 1-0. This game also meant more for Benedictine, as they hoped to get revenge after last seasons playoff loss to Padua.

In a packed Padua Stadium, the Bruin’s student section was electric as the game got underway. Padua would win the toss but elected to defer, giving Benedictine a chance to jump out to an early lead. The Bengal’s would have a strong opening drive, relying on their run game with back’s Corde Blair and Kayden Forte. It would be Kayden Forte who would put the Bengal’s on top, punching in a 2-yard rushing touchdown with 5:19 to go in the First Quarter, putting the Bengal’s up 7-0. While this would be the only score of the game, both team’s played well on both side’s of the ball as the game continued.

As Benedictine kicked it away following their scoring drive, the kick would take a bounce around the 15-yard line causing Padua to have some trouble receiving it. Padua’s Brady Devore was able to recover the ball off of the bounce, taking it to the 30-yard line, preventing the Bruin’s offense from being pinned deep inside their own 10-yard line. QB Landon Hanover and the Padua offense would take the field, hoping for an improvement from Week 1. The Bruin’s would end up going three-and-out on their opening drive, being derailed by penalties.

Benedictine couldn’t get into a rhythm through the air, relying heavily on their running game. However, Padua’s defense would hold the Bengal’s offense in check. While Benedictine started the game with Gio Lacampo as their starting QB, they would eventually make the change to Matthew Furst in the Second Quarter. Even with the change at quarterback, not much would change for the Bengal’s passing game.

For the Bruin’s, QB Landon Hanover looked sharp, hitting his receivers on target, but they weren’t able to hold on, making it tougher for Padua to move down the field. Neither team would show much life offensively until late in the first half when the Bruin’s offense executed a fantastic 1-minute drill. The drive would start with a screen pass to RB Justin Gillispie, who managed to get out of bounds stopping the clock with just under a minute to go. From their own 48-yard line Hanover hit Brady Devore over the middle of the field for a 16-yard reception. The Bruin’s wasted around 25-seconds while they tried to set up their first down play. The play would be a deep shot to Jose Caban that fell incomplete, stopping the clock with 22-seconds to go in the half. Hanover threw another incompletion across the middle of the field, stopping the clock with 16-seconds and a 3rd & 10. On 3rd down Hanover looked deep but couldn’t connect with his man, leaving the Bruin’s with 10-Seconds and a 4th & 10, setting up Kicker Caleb Zolkowski for what would be a 54-yard field goal.

However, the Bruin’s got creative, running a trick play that set up the holder Brady Devore to throw to Tight End Athan Miday. Devore would scramble right and hit a wide open Miday on the left sideline, executing the trick play to perfection, picking up the first down. Hanover rushed onto the field, bringing the Bruin’s offense to the line, quickly spiking it leaving 3-seconds on the clock. Caleb Zolkowski would come out for what would be a 40-yard field goal attempt. Unfortunately, Zolkowski would miss the kick right, keeping the score 7-0 going into halftime.

The second half started with an incredible kick return from Devore. He would take it all the way to the Bengal’s 44-yard line before going down, giving the Bruin’s sideline and student section a burst of energy. However, Padua’s offense was unable to capitalize on the great starting field position as the Bengal’s defense forced a turnover on downs. The Bengal’s made the change back to QB Gio Lacampo to start the second half. Even with the change back to Lacampo, not much would change for the Bengal’s offense as the Bruin’s defense held strong, forcing a punt on the Bengal’s opening drive of the half.

The Bruin’s would try to get the ground game going with their QB Landon Hanover. This payed off for Padua’s offense as they got up the field with Hanover keeping it himself. Unfortunately the Bruin’s drive would stall, resulting in another turnover on downs with only a few minutes remaining in the third quarter.

At the start of the fourth quarter, the Bengal’s put together a good drive, getting into the red zone. Luckily for the Bruin’s defense, Lacampo had trouble with the snap, leading to a fumble that was recovered by Padua Linebacker Josh Vetrick. The Bruin’s offense came onto the field, hoping to capitalize off of the turnover. Penalties would yet again stall the drive for the Bruin’s as they got backed up to their own 5-yard line. On 3rd & 17, Hanover hit Devore over the middle of the field. While Devore made a great effort, he was just short of the first down. The Bruin’s would punt it away, giving the ball back to Benedictine with around 6-minutes left in the game.

The Bengal’s brought Matthew Furst into the game yet again, hoping he’d be able to close the game for the Bengal’s. Benedictine utilized their dynamic backfield to run the clock down. Eventually the Bruin’s defense started to slow down the Bengal’s run game, forcing a 4th & 1 with 3:26 to go. Furst caught the Bruin’s defense off guard, rushing for the first down. Padua had no timeouts left following the fourth down conversion, allowing the Bengal’s to coast to their second victory of the season.

This loss takes the Bruin’s to 0-2 on the season. After the game I talked to QB Landon Hanover. I asked him how the offense can continue to improve going into their week three matchup with Bedford and he said, “One thing we talked about in film was minor details, a lot of missed assignments and confusions we had last week against Alliance were cleaned up in practice, and most of what happened against Benedictine was smaller things which we can definitely fix. So honestly is we just stay focused and continue fixing the small things this week we will definitely be in good shape next week.” Despite the loss, the Bruin’s proved that their defense can be formidable, as they held Benedictine to only seven points. I asked Athan Miday what the difference was for the Bruin’s defense this week and he said, “Defensively we were locked in after a good week of practice and we all understood our assignments.”

The Bruin’s will take on the Bedford Bearcats next Friday, September 5th where they’ll try to prevent an 0-3 start.

2025 MAC Football Schedule Week 1

As we begin the road to Detroit for the 2nd time in conference history this week, every team in the MAC will begin their season this week. With five games on Thursday, two on Friday, and six on Saturday. Let’s take a look at each team’s matchup for the 2025 season. During a 3 year cycle, each team will play another 12 home and away contests which allows for new teams to face off and rivalries to continue.

Broadcasts for games will vary depending on the team, date, time, and opponent. We have some of the games broadcast plans listed below and we will give updates here with a written weekly recap of each game.

Another notable event for this season is University of Massachusetts will return to the MAC for the first time since 2015 and this will be the concluding season in the MAC for Northern Illinois Football. Overall each team will play non conference matchups with the first conference game being September 13th on Saturday when Buffalo will travel to Kent State to battle the Golden Flashes.

So with all that information, here are all the MAC football games for the 2025 season.

Thursday 8/28

Ohio Bobcats @ Rutgers Scarlet Knights 6:00 PM ET

Big Ten Network, Ohio Sports Network, WRSU-FM (88.7)

Lafayette Leopards @ Bowling Green Falcons 6:00 PM ET

ESPN+, Falcon Media Sports Network, Lafayette Sports Network

Wyoming Cowboys @ Akron Zips 7:00 PM ET

ESPN+, Cowboy Sports Network, WZIP Radio

Buffalo Bulls @ Minnesota Gophers 8:00 PM ET

FS1, The Varsity Network, 100.3 KFAN, KTCN 1130 AM

Miami Redhawks @ Wisconsin Badgers 9:00 PM ET

Big Ten Network, Redhawk Radio, iHeartMedia Wisconsin

Friday

Western Michigan Broncos @ Michigan State Spartans 7:00 PM ET

FS1, Bronco Media Network, Impact 89FM

Central Michigan Chippewas @ San Jose State Spartans 10:30 PM ET

Big Ten Network, WMHW FM, KLIV 1590 AM

Saturday

Ball State Cardinals @ Purdue Boilermakers 12:00 PM ET

Big Ten Network, Purdue Broadcast Network

Merrimack Warriors @ Kent State Golden Flashes 12:00 PM ET

ESPN+, WMCK Radio

Toledo Rockets @ Kentucky Wildcats 12:45 PM ET

SEC NETWORK, 88.3 FM WXUT

Temple Owls @ University of Massachusetts 3:30 PM ET

ESPN+, 1210 AM WPHT, UMass Sports Network

Holy Cross Crusaders @ Northern Illinois Huskies 3:30 PM ET

ESPN+, WCHC 88.1, WDKB 94.9 FM, NIU Huskies App, TuneIn

Eastern Michigan Eagles @ Texas State Bobcats 8:00 PM ET

ESPN+, 89.1 FM, KTSW 88.9

Overall these games will be the stepping stone for how the year goes along. Some games are projected to be more lopsided such as Kentucky having a 81.9% chance to win over Toledo as well as NIU being projected with a 88.8% chance to win over the Holy Cross Crusaders (Both Probabilities as per ESPN). What we see as well is games that could go either way and are very close such as Akron being projected with a 50.5% chance to win over the Wyoming Cowboys (as per ESPN). Overall the closest game by probability is Akron vs. Wyoming as the most likely game for victory is Bowling Green vs. Lafayette where BGSU has a 95.5% chance to win. All these probabilities will be up for discussion as well depending on how the game goes, as we are prone to see upsets with the MAC. A notable upset being Northern Illinois upsetting CFP finalist Notre Dame in week 2. Enjoy the first week of college football, Smee Sports will be doing a schedule breakdown similar to this every week during the college football season. As well as a breakdown each week for Volleyball then Men’s and Women’s soccer starting next week. More to come for week 2 here on Smee Sports!

*Please note we have highlighted all student media to our knowledge as well as the major networks where games have been announced. If Dan Ridenour has missed any MAC or other conference student broadcasting, let him know at dridenourbroadcasting@gmail.com

Bruin’s Soccer Bounce’s Back with a Blowout at SVSM, Winning 9-0

Akron, OH – On Tuesday, August 26th the Padua Bruins traveled down to Akron to face the St. Vincent-St. Mary Fighting Irish. The Bruin’s came into this match with a 1-1 record, following a loss at Avon Lake on Saturday, August 23rd. SVSM would come into Tuesday’s game with a 1-1-1 record, with their most recent game being a tie against Boardman.

The Bruin’s came out of the gate red hot, scoring six goals in the first half alone. It was a group effort for Padua with multiple Bruin’s scoring. In the first half Junior Eli Christine led the way scoring two goals. Senior’s Garrett Nowicki, Caleb Zolkowski, and Kevin Ontaneda followed right behind all chipping in one goal respectively. Sophomore Max Bulat also contributed to the Bruin’s high scoring half, adding on to Padua’s lead, making it 6-0 going into the half.

It was more of the same for the Bruin’s in the second half. SVSM was unable to get back into the game and Padua capitalized. The Senior’s led the second half for the Bruin’s with Garrett Nowicki and Kevin Ontaneda scoring their second goal of the game. Jacapo Del Paggio also contributed, scoring his first goal of his Senior campaign. Junior Goalkeeper Gregory Dudick and Senior Goalkeeper Joseph Belfore held their own, keeping the Fighting Irish scoreless the entire game. This allowed Padua to coast to the finish line, winning 9-0, taking their record to 2-1 on the season.

Padua’s Kevin Ontaneda was voted “Most Valuable Bruin” by Coaches following the game. I asked Ontaneda what it means to be chosen as the game’s ‘MVB’ and he said, “It feel’s amazing to be named the MVB. Coach said after the game that MVB could’ve gone to majority of the player’s out there because we all played as a team, and contributed into all nine of our goal’s. But at the end of the day being named the MVB feel’s great.” I also talked to Garrett Nowicki after Tuesday’s game. I asked him how it feel’s to get a big win on the road and he told me, “It feel’s great. Winning on the road can be tough but everyone stepped up and found a way to put nine goal’s past them.”

The Padua Bruin’s will host their home opener this Saturday, August 30th at 1:00 PM vs Olmsted Falls.

Padua Football Struggles Under the Friday Night Lights in Week 1, Losing to Alliance 25-3

Parma, OH – On Friday, August 22nd the stage was set for a rematch between the Padua Bruins and Alliance Aviators. Last season these two teams met in Week 1, with Padua walking away with a 34-6 victory. This year’s matchup had different results, this time it was Alliance getting the best of Padua, winning 25-3.

The Bruins came into this game following a 5-5 regular season. However, Padua surprised many with a deep Playoff run, making it all the way to the Regional Final where they would eventually fall to Toledo Central Catholic. On other side, Alliance finished their 2024 season with a 4-6 record. Alliance started their 2024 campaign slowly, resulting in a change at Quarterback mid-season, benching Bo Davis for JR Jackson. The Aviators were hoping to start their season strong, and that would start by getting an upset on the road at Padua.

As the game began neither team could get much going, struggling to make their presence felt on offense. It wasn’t until the 1:49 mark in the 1st Quarter that we would have our first score. Aviators Running Back Ravhan Hawkins would punch in a 6-yard rushing touchdown, putting Alliance up 6-0 following a missed PAT.

Padua was unable to answer the Aviators scoring drive, and had a trouble finding a rhythm on offense in the early portions of the game. The troubles only continued for Padua when Quarterback Landon Hanover was unable to connect with his man on a screen pass, instead throwing an interception early in the 2nd Quarter. Following the turnover Alliance drove down the field, putting quarterback JR Jackson in position for a 2-yard rushing touchdown putting Alliance up 13-0 with 5:48 remaining in the half.

Following Alliance’s second score of the game Padua was unable to answer yet again, giving the Aviators another opportunity to score before the end of the half. Alliance would make their way down the field, getting inside the 20-yard line setting the Aviators up for another scoring drive. However, Padua’s defense would come up big forcing a turnover on downs with 1:05 remaining in the half.

The Bruins would have one last chance to put points on the board before the end of the half. Hanover began to get in a rhythm, hitting Receivers Reed Cervenka and Brady Devore to get the Bruin’s offense to midfield. With 25-seconds left in the half Hanover kept it himself, rushing for 10-yards and getting out of bounds to stop the clock. Padua’s offense continued to get up field setting up Kicker Caleb Zolkowski for a 41-yard field goal. Zolkowski sent it right down the middle, putting Padua on the board for the first time of the night, making it 13-3 going into the half.

Following a lackluster 1st Half, the Bruins hoped to carry their momentum from the end of the half into the 3rd Quarter. Unfortunately for Padua, JR Jackson and the Aviators had other plans. Jackson was able to put two more touchdowns on the board in the 3rd Quarter. The first was a 5-yard rushing touchdown with 5:15 left in the half. The second was a 15-yard passing touchdown to Receiver Tajie Nicholson. with under 11-seconds left in the 3rd Quarter. Alliance would roll into the 4th Quarter up 25-3 following two unsuccessful 2-pt conversion tries.

Not much would change for the Bruin’s offense as they would put up another scoreless quarter, allowing Alliance to coast to the finish line on the road. With a final score of 25-3, the Aviators would take their first game of the season, starting off on the right foot. For Padua, it was a disappointing start to their season in front of a packed student section.

After the game I talked to Lineman Bo Barney about how the team is going to move forward following a rough Week 1 loss. Barney said going forward the team has to ‘fix the easy mistakes up front, lead the young guys, and finish drives.’ I also talked to Receiver Brady Devore about how the team will keep their moral up after a disappointing opening loss and he said, ‘We need to keep our heads up, focusing on learning from our mistakes, sticking to the basics, but realize that we have a lot of football ahead of us.’

The Bruins will be back in action next Friday, August 29th at home against Benedictine, where they’ll look to get in the win column.

Holy Name Football Dominates Thursday Night Lights, Defeating Parma Rivals Normandy 55-12

Parma, OH- After a round one exit in the 2024 season, Holy Name looked to begin the 2025 campaign on a high note. They did just that, beating Normandy 55-12. This win is the first week 1 win since 2022 for the Green Wave.

The game started with a bold play from Normandy-an onside kick. After the ball was bobbled by HN, the Invaders quickly pounced and took the football. However, the Normandy offense could not get rolling. Nick Nemeth had a TFL while Kae’Leon Cleveland sacked the Invaders quarterback Jakob Muniak.

Holy Name wasted no time on their opening drive as the offensive unit found good rhythm and balance. Eso Gonzalez helped Holy Name quarterback Connor Jamison by making a big 15-yard catch. That reception would set up Xavier Rodriguez to score the Green Wave’s first touchdown of the new year on a 27-yard rush. With 8:38 on the clock in the first, HN led 7-0.

Muniak was able to find a receiver to begin the Invaders’ second drive, but Blake Troy and Tommy Ontko forced a fumble that was recovered by Noah Wallace. Receptions from Brendon Preisel and Nemeth set up Kayden Parker for a one-yard rushing score, putting Holy Name up 14-0. To follow it up, the Namer defense remained strong, forcing a three-and-out.

On the following drive, Gonzalez would make two catches. The first went for 12 yards while the second was a 21-yard touchdown. This score gave Holy Name a 21-0 lead heading into the second quarter. For context, the Green Wave averaged 14 points per game in 2024. Additionally, they scored 21 points the last time they played Normandy.

The Invaders’ fortunes would seemingly change for the better as Cameron Hayden would catch a long throw from Muniak, getting a 43-yard gain in the process. Jai Hebebrand would take his only carry to close out this drive with a one-yard touchdown run. Normandy opted to go for two, but came up short. With 9:12 left in Q2, Holy Name led 21-6. Parker would run for a first down on the following drive, but a sack from Fernando Acevedo stalled the HN offense. A Nemeth punt pinned Normandy within its own 10-yard line. Nemeth wouldn’t be done as he ended the Invaders’ drive with an interception. However, Ray Brown would force a fumble, giving his offense a chance to strike back.

Normandy would get their second big break of the second quarter as Nick Williams caught a 54-yard pass from Brown. This set up Acevedo for a two-yard rushing score. Just like the first attempt, the two-point try was unsuccessful for the Invaders. With 4:07 on the clock in the first half, HN led 21-12. Both sides would trade fumbles, bringing the Namer offense back onto the field. Nemeth had a few knocks in this game, but he bounced back nicely with a 20-yard rushing touchdown. Then, he returned an interception 60 yards for a touchdown. At halftime, Holy Name led 34-12.

Williams would come back for another highlight reel play in the third quarter as he hauled in a 33-yard reception. Once again, however, HN had the last laugh as Preisel would pick off Muniak. Nemeth would continue his stellar game as he had 14 and 12 yard receptions along with 19 and 4 yard rushes, with the latter rush being a touchdown. Luke Hudak would join the INT parade with one of his own on the following drive. Parker would find the endzone after Holy Name got the ball back. Just like his first touchdown, his second came on a one-yard rush. That put Holy Name up 48-12.

The Green Wave would end their excellent scoring night with some fireworks. Noah Wallace returned an interception 30 yards for a pick-six, the second of the game for HN. However, it would be Troy who caught the final interception of the game for the Green Wave. Troy’s INT marked six on the night for the Namers. Hudak would come in for Jamison to close out the game as Holy Name earned its first win of the next season, 55-12.

Last season, Jamison had some trouble with interceptions. In total, he had 12 in 10 games during the 2024 season. He looked more comfortable and adjusted in the pocket and had good awareness. After the game, Holy Name head coach Dan Wondowlowski talked about the fact that Jamison should be nearing some division one offers, as he has the talent and frame. The rest of the Namer offense was improved as well. Players such as Parker, Rodriguez, and Nemeth acted as ‘gadget guys’ who moved around given the different formations.

As for the Invaders, Muniak had a couple of good passes downfield. Mario Stewart, Hayden, and Williams proved they have the talent and ability to be big weapons for the junior quarterback this season. The bulk of Brown’s carries came late in the game, potentially indicating a change in game plan heading into week two against Ravenna. Holy Name will have its penultimate home game at North Royalton’s Serpentini Chevrolet Stadium next Friday against 2024 standouts Gilmour Academy. The Lancers open up their season on Saturday against Benedictine.

The Healthiest You Chiropractic Center Player of the Game: Nick Nemeth (Holy Name- 3 Touchdowns, 2 INT’s)

Watch the Full Game Here: https://www.youtube.com/live/WuZMgh6qFDI?si=fjfJdn1obiS7IDsw

Padua Boy’s Soccer get the Ball Rolling to Start the Season

Parma, OH – The Padua Bruins took on the Normandy Invaders on the road on Monday, August 18th. The Bruins would leave victorious, winning 3-0 starting their season off right with a win.

Following a disappointing 2024 campaign, finishing 5-10-4 and a 1-0 loss in the district semifinal to Twinsburg, the Bruins looked to start their 2025 season in the win column. The team in their way would be the Normandy Invaders who also had a rough 2024 season, finishing 3-11-2.

As the game started the Bruins would seize the early momentum following a goal from Sr. Captain Garrett Nowicki, assisted by fellow Sr. Captain Caleb Zolkowski. The Bruins would end the half up 1-0 and looked to carry the momentum all the way to the finish line. Fr. Sawyer Bulat contributed to the Bruins effort, scoring off a corner kick early in the second half, putting the Bruins up 2-0. Then, in the final minute of the contest Caleb Zolkowski would be fouled in the box, resulting in a penalty kick for the Bruins. Garrett Nowicki would capitalize on this penalty kick opportunity, scoring his second goal of the day and putting the finishing touches on the Bruins 3-0 win vs the Invaders. Padua’s goalkeeper, Jr. Gregory Dudick would finish the day with 3 saves, shutting out Normandy.

Following Monday’s win I asked Sr. Captain Garrett Nowicki what it meant to start the season off 1-0 and he answered, “It feels great to get that first win, and shows that the hard work that we put in all off-season pays off. It shows that we can compete at a high level.” I also asked Sr. Captain Kevin Ontaneda the same question and he shared a similar sentiment saying, “Starting 1-0 feels very good, and we can see that there are some things we can improve on before big games. But for now we are happy with the result.”

The Bruins will look to continue their hot start on the road against Avon Lake on Saturday, August 23rd at 2 PM.