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Undefeated West Geauga, Chagrin Falls set for showdown
(by Steve Novak - October 14, 2009)
Undefeated West Geauga, Chagrin Falls set for showdown
By STEVE NOVAK
The showdown in the Chagrin Valley Conference is set for week eight between Chagrin Falls and West Geauga.
This is how the teams enter Friday night's 7 p.m. game at West Geauga's Howell Field: both are 7-0 overall and 3-0 in the CVC. West Geuaga stands atop Division II, Region 5 in the computer poll, while Chagrin Falls leads Division IV, Region 13.
The rivalry has extra special meaning for West Geauga quarterback Joe Drenski and Chagrin Falls wide receiver Marc Geraci, who played on the same grade school Lions Club municipal football team four years ago.
"To be honest, I've had dreams," West Geauga running back Kevin Sonnie said. "Way back in summer, I had dreams of us being 7-0 and Chagrin would be 7-0 and they'd come to our field to play, and then I figured the odds are one in a million that would happen. Maybe that one chance just came true."
Sonnie is one of the keys to West Geauga coach Dave Bors' triple-option offense, which the team began using this season. With Drenski directing plays at quarterback, Bors has what he calls "a three-headed monster" with Sonnie, Andy Powers and Anthony Catalioto all being candidates to get a handoff or a pitchout.
Catalioto leads the team with 550 yards on the ground, while Sonnie has rushed for 484 yards.
Over on Chagrin Falls' side, quarterback Chris Trinetti has the more than capable services of running backs Chris Gorman and Bobby Winkelman. Gorman leads his team with 722 rushing yards. Trinetti has passed for 826 yards.
Both teams have put up big numbers this season. West Geauga has amassed 2,454 offensive yards. Chagrin Falls is just a shadow behind with 2,440 yards on offense. Both teams have held their combined seven opponents to fewer than 1,500 yards of total offense.
In the scoreboard department, West Geauga is averaging 37 points per game and the Tigers are averaging 34 points. Both teams have shut out one opponent.
But, putting all the numbers aside for a moment, there are the players to consider. Many more are like Sonnie, in that they never figured last summer that they would be undefeated going into this game.
Drenski chuckled when he was reminded that Geraci used to be his teammate on their grade school team.
"Yeah, I was the quarterback and he was my receiver," Drenski said. "Yeah, we love playing against each other."
Sonnie said, "The majority of times, when these two teams play, it's usually for the CVC championship. It's one of the biggest nerve-wracking things of the season. But we are excited to be able to play them."
Geraci said he and his team have no problems in the fact that this year's annual matchup will be played on the Wolverines' home field.
"It's definitely exciting to be playing in a big game like this," he said. "We've tried to play each team one game at a time. But we just have to go in there and show that we're the better team."
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