By Colin Harris
Record-Courier staff writer
MOGADORE " Playoff football is a time for upperclassmen to shine.
It's where boys become men and school history is written " a fact no one understands better than the perennial playoff-bound Mogadore Wildcats.
Which is why Friday night's performance by a pair of sophomores, Jake McAvinew and Kodey Chance, was just so darn impressive.
McAvinew and Chance physically controlled the Leetonia Bears on both sides of the ball, leading the Wildcats to a decisive 30-14 victory in the Division VI regional quarterfinals.
While Mogadore (10-1) spent the regular season working a rotation of backs, the two sophomores seemed comfortable handling the load on Friday. McAvinew finished with a game-high 127 yards rushing on 17 carries, while Chance touched the ball 13 times for 96 yards.
The pair also combined for Mogadore's first three touchdowns, including two on the night by McAvinew.
On the defensive side, both players made life extremely difficult for Leetonia quarterback Josh Selway. McAvinew and Chance each compiled impressive stat lines: Chance had eight solo tackles and one sack; McAvinew had eight solo tackles, a half-sack and two tackles for a loss.
McAvinew and Chance have grabbed the headlines throughout the year, but youth abounds from top-to-bottom on this Mogadore team. From the two super-sophomores to juniors like linebacker Michael Simonetti, tight end Landon Trainer and running back Mike Leymon, the Wildcats are younger than any team they're likely to meet in the postseason.
Extreme youth might scare a lot of coaches, but Mogadore mentor Matt Adorni said class standing is just a number for this group.
"When these juniors were in eighth grade, they were on a youth team that went to Florida and won the Suburban Youth title," he said. "Kodey and Jake were on that team, and they were seventh-graders.
"These kids just expect to win," Adorni said. "You'll hear other coaches say they have to teach their kids to win, but our kids just expect it."
It certainly has been an interesting road to Friday night's playoff performance for McAvinew.
After a 12.5-sack freshman campaign, the graduation of senior running back Cody Destro meant that the talented defensive end would see increased time on the other side of the ball.
An early-season leg injury, however, forced coaches to ensure that McAvinew's hand stayed down " and not on a ball " when on the football field.
Finally armed with a clean bill of health near the end of the regular season, McAvinew showed Friday why there is a bright future ahead of him at Mogadore.
"The coaches helped me out so much (during the injury process)," McAvinew said. "They got a knee brace for me, which I don't wear anymore, but they helped me get strong and better. I got through physical therapy and got back on the field."
And how does that injured leg feel after Friday night's win?
"I feel wonderful right now," said. "I really feel like 100 percent."