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Undefeated Comets return to state playoffs
(by Steve Novak - November 04, 2009)
Undefeated Comets return to state playoffs
By STEVE NOVAK
Ever since the two-a-day workouts began in early August, Solon coach Jim McQuaide has been saying his team's goals were to win the conference and to get back in the playoffs.
Last Friday, with the Comets' 35-17 defeat of Strongsville, McQuaide nailed down his first two objectives. The 6-4 season record Solon posted in 2008 is only a fading vision in the rearview mirror.
With a 10-0 record this year, Solon was a hands-down champion of the Northeast Ohio Conference. The team's undefeated mark and its strength of schedule placed the team second in computer rankings in their region of Division I teams, second only to Cleveland St. Ignatius. This is the 15th year the Comets have reached the playoffs.
With this second-place rank in computer listings, the Comets are assured of hosting a home game at the start of the playoffs. Solon is scheduled to host Euclid (6-4) Saturday night at Stewart Field in its opening postseason contest.
"This is huge," McQuaide said, following last week's win over Strongsville. "We wanted to win our league, and we went 10-0, and there's not a lot of teams that have done that.
"Now, we want to be 1-0 again," he said. "But Euclid is a very good team. They run well. They're very athletic, and they have a quarterback who is good at running and throwing the ball."
In the game against Strongsville last Friday, Solon got its first two touchdowns on pass plays. Senior quarterback Jake Voigt connected on an 8-yard pass to Tres Barksdale and on a 17-yard touchdown to Darryl Baldwin.
Voigt scored in the second half on a quarterback keeper and Solon got two other touchdowns on a 17-yard run by Kyle Hammonds, and another touchdown reception by Barksdale.
The 6-foot, 185-pound Voigt has thrown for more than 1,500 yards this season, with a completion rate of nearly 65 percent. Barksdale and Hammonds are the team's two leading receivers this season.
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