Sun Feb 12 2012
By Jim Manion
Record-Courier correspondent
MOGADORE " The Leetonia Bears are a battle-tested and playoff-experienced team. The Bears have been in the Division VI playoffs four of the last five years.
However, Leetonia had never visited Mogadore for November football until Friday night. Even though it was Halloween night and the October page will not be ripped off the calendar until today, the Mogadore coaching staff refers to the playoffs as November football.
No matter what you call it, the Wildcats understand how to win in the postseason. And Friday night was no exception as Mogadore rolled to a 30-14 win over the visiting Bears in a Division VI regional quarterfinal clash.
Mogadore (10-1), playing in its 10th straight playoffs, jumped out to a 21-0 second-quarter lead and held off the scrappy Bears with a strong defensive performance in the second half.
Sophomores Jake McAvinew and Kodey Chance set the pace for the Wildcats on both sides of the ball. McAvinew, who is listed in the program as 5-foot-9 and 185 pounds, plays much bigger than that and seemed to spend more time in the Leetonia backfield than most of the Bears players.
As a running back, McAvinew never appears to be an easy tackle, always grinding out extra yards. He punched his way to 127 yards in 17 carries with a pair of touchdowns against Leetonia, while Chance picked up 96 yards in 13 tries and also scored a touchdown.
Chance, from his linebacker position, and McAvinew, at defensive end, led the Mogadore defense with eight solo tackles each.
Mogadore head coach Matt Adorni was happy with his team's execution of the game plan.
"We challenged the kids after last week's loss at East Canton," he said. "They had an awesome week in practice and really responded tonight. The kids know they have to focus more in November. They know that every team is going to be good."
The first play from scrimmage for Leetonia saw the shotgun snap sail over quarterback Josh Selway's head and roll back to the 1-yard line.
Selway ripped off a 34-yard run to gain a first down, but following a pair of sacks by McAvinew and Adam Jordan, the Bears were forced to punt.
McAvinew's first score came on a 23-yard blast over left tackle. Freshman Alex Roebken converted the PAT and the Cats led 7-0.
McAvinew had a 9-yard sack on the Bears' second possession to halt a Leetonia drive.
Then, midway through the second quarter, McAvinew bounced off a pile on the left side of the line and scored from the 3.
The third Mogadore score was set up by senior quarterback Chad White's 23-yard pass across the middle to Landon Trainer. Chance followed with a 22-yard TD ramble and a 21-0 Wildcat advantage.
Leetonia (8-3) got on the board with seven seconds remaining in the half when Selway hit Justin Collella for a 22-yard touchdown.
Selway finished the night with 76 yards rushing, running option keeps all night long. The 5-11, 170-pound senior gained that yardage in 26 running plays " with eight of those going for negative yardage because of Mogadore's defensive pressure.
"That quarterback is a real player," said Adorni. "He is all heart, and I told him after the game I would like to kidnap him and use him this week against Hopewell-Loudon."
The second half saw White hit tight end Kyle Arnold with a 14-yard TD pass for a 27-7 lead. Arnold dragged two Leetonia defenders into the end zone from the 3-yard line.
Roebken, who earned the field-goal chores midway through the season, booted a 26-yard field goal with 4:15 remaining in the game to put Mogadore up 30-7.
Selway finished the Leetonia scoring with a 16-yard TD pass to running back Andrew Trummer with 2:57 left in the game.
Mogadore will now face Bascom Hopewell-Loudon in the regional semifinals next Friday at a site to be named later. Hopewell defeated Columbiana 41-14 on Friday night.
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