Newark Catholic
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Green Wave set to atone for 5-6 season
By KURTIS ADAMS
ThisWeek Staff Writer
Not that the members of the Newark Catholic
High School football team are making excuses,
but everyone seems to realize how much of a
toll injuries took a year ago during an atypical
5-5 regular season.
“Even our running back (Mark Nichols), who
had a great year, had some dings,” senior mid-
dle linebacker and fullback Matt Lott said. “I
don’t even think he was healthy all year, hon-
estly.”
The first of several key injuries came in the
opening scrimmage when quarterback Mark
Elwell broke a collar bone. Nevertheless, the
Green Wave repeatedly regrouped and eventu-
ally found familiar territory by qualifying for
the Division VI playoffs for a state-record 30th
time, falling to former MSL-Cardinal Division
rival Fisher Catholic 42-10 in a regional quar-
terfinal to finish 5-6 and post a losing season for
the first time under coach Bill Franks.
“Our guys hung in there and withstood all the
injuries and made a nice mid-season run,” Franks
said. His sixth season begins Friday atAmanda-
Clearcreek, which prevailed 22-14 in last year’s
opener as Newark Catholic dropped the first of
three overtime games in a 2-3 start that threat-
ened to keep it out of the postseason for the first
At a glance
NEWARK CATHOLIC GREEN WAVE
Colors: Green and white
Coach: Bill Franks, sixth season
Key players: Marcus Baker, Casey Cunningham, Mark
Elwell, Clay Harris, Ryan Lewis, Matt Lott, Mark Nichols,
Kevin Pattelos, David Putterbaugh and Tony Weisent
On the Web: newarkcatholic.org
2007 SCHEDULE
Aug. 24..............Amanda-Clearcreek ...............Away
Sept. 1...............Bainbridge Paint Valley.........Home
Sept. 8...............Fisher Catholic ....................Home
Sept. 14 ............Granville...............................Away
Sept. 22 ............Lakewood ...........................Home
Sept. 28 ............Heath...................................Away
Oct. 5 ................Columbus Academy...............Away
Oct. 13 ..............Bexley ................................Home
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1-800-GIVE-LIFE S www.BloodSavesLives.org
BEXLEY
Continued from page 63
“We want to throw the ball as much as we
run. We have to establish the running game.”
Defensively last year, the Lions held oppo-
nents 18.3 points a game and finished plus-12
in turnovers. But in losses to Licking Valley
(41-17) and Academy (27-0), Bexley had trou-
ble stopping the run. Licking Valley’s Storm
Klein rushed for 284 yards and five touchdowns
on 30 carries and Academy’s Chris Crockett
rushed for 278 yards and three touchdowns on
18 carries. Both players are back.
The Lions will run a shade 50 defensive with
Edelstein and Brandt at tackle. Morton and
Porter are competing time at nose guard and
Myers and Haenszel will share time at defen-
sive end. Coleman, Dingman and Luchsinger
will rotate at linebacker.
The defensive backfield will consist of White,
Lieber, Thomas and senior Nick Gardner (6-0,
175) at cornerback and Schnitz, Bartlome, senior
Jeff Kiser (6-0, 170), junior Andrew Scott (5-
11, 154) and sophomore Adam Leeds (5-11,
151) at safety.
time since 1996. wood a week after the heartbreaking loss to Patterson (6-0, 238), Luke Webster (6-2, 205)
The other two overtime setbacks were to Granville. and Lane Hartfield (5-11, 195); and sophomore
Granville (37-36) and Mogadore (20-14), an Up front, some of the other key linemen on Clay Harris (6-2, 230). Pattelos, who plays cen-
eventual Division VI state semifinalist. both sides of the ball include seniors Kevin Pat- ter, and Putterbaugh, a guard, are the only return-
“Our kids stayed positive through an awful telos (5-11, 190), Ryan Lewis (5-11, 195), Alex ing starting offensive linemen. Ditto for Rhodes
lot,” said Franks, whose 69-46 career record Roth (5-7, 180) and Nick Rhodes (6-1, 185);
includes a 49-20 mark and three regional cham- juniors Casey Cunningham (6-2, 255), Jacob See GREEN WAVE, page 68
pionships with the Green Wave. “Hopefully, the
ones we’re bringing back won’t have to endure
anything like that again.”
They include Elwell (5-foot-11, 170 pounds),
now a senior who had directed two winning
efforts during the playoffs in 2005, and class-
PARK NATIONAL BANK
mate Nichols (5-11, 190), a bruising tailback
Everyone has a goal!
who made first-team all-district last season after
rushing for 1,204 yards and 12 touchdowns on
212 carries (5.7 average) in the newly-imple-
mented pro-set ‘I’ formation. Special-mention
all-district senior tight end Tony Weisent (6-1,
200) is a big target, and senior receivers Matt
Grieb (6-0, 175) and Marcus Baker (6-1, 200)
should be a load to handle downfield as well. Whether you make every effort toward
Baker caught 16 passes for 223 yards and two
touchdowns a year ago as the Green Wave fin- a victory over the rival team or securing
ished fourth (4-3) in the MSL-Ohio won by
Licking Valley (7-0) but scored nine points in financial success, you have our support.
the fourth quarter points to upend Heath 21-14 Park National Bank is a proud
in the seventh game and defeated playoff-bound
Columbus Academy 30-19 a week later, a key supporter of Ohio high
stretch that also included a 29-0 win over Lake-
school football.
Oct. 19 ..............Licking Valley ........................Away
Oct. 27 ..............Whitehall ............................Home
Best of luck for a
2006 RESULTS
(5-6 overall, 4-3 MSL-Ohio)
successful 2007
Amanda-Clearcreek.............................L, 22-14 (OT)
Bainbridge Paint Valley ................................W, 20-0 football season.
Mogadore ..........................................L, 20-14 (OT)
Whitehall..................................................W, 42-12
Granville.............................................L, 37-36 (OT)
Lakewood...................................................W, 29-0
Heath ......................................................W, 21-14
Columbus Academy ..................................W, 30-19
Bexley.........................................................L, 33-7
Licking Valley...............................................L, 35-0
PLAYOFFS
Fisher Catholic ..........................................L, 42-10
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