PAC football race tightens as Triway, Manchester and Northwest eye conference crown

Just like that, the Principals Athletic Conference title comes down to a big clash in week eight and another big one in week 10. On Oct. 10 Triway, which is 3-1 in the conference, hosts unbeaten Manchester (3-0). For the Titans, it’s their last shot at a PAC title, and even then, they still need just a little bit of help. First, though, Triway will need to handle business of its own against Manchester and again in week 10 against rival Orrville.

“We need to play a clean game offensively, taking care of the ball and establishing a run game to pair with our pass game,” Titans coach Cody Kelly said about the matchup with the Panthers. “Defensively, we need to stop their running game. They have a tremendous team and should be a fun challenge.”

The Titans are counting on their early nonconference slate paying dividends. That included some tough matchups with rival West Holmes and one of the Wayne County Athletic League’s premier programs in Norwayne — two battles that tested Triway early on.

“We like playing the tough nonconference,” Kelly said. “It has prepared us for these tough games ahead in the PAC, and we find out quickly who we are and where we need to improve. With the expanded playoffs, it only makes sense to schedule tough opponents because that’s who we want to measure up against.”

One of the matchups the Titans will watch closely as spectators will be when Tuslaw (0-3) travels to Northwest on Oct. 10 and when Manchester hosts the Indians in the season’s final week. One thing that has been learned this year is this Mustangs team is tough, gritty and no doubt will be a tough out for Northwest. Outside of a loss to Orrville, Tuslaw has dropped games to Triway (21-14) and the Panthers (28-21) by just one touchdown apiece. The Panthers are 6-1 overall heading into week eight and no doubt have their eyes set on at least a share of the PAC crown, no matter what happens on Oct. 10.

Red Riders give their best shot

In week seven Orrville paid a visit to Northwest and tried its best to spring an upset. The Red Riders jumped out to a 14-7 lead in the second quarter and just missed carrying that into halftime as a pick-six evened matters up before Northwest put it away in the second half 28-14.

“We played to the end,” Orrville coach Brent Besancon said. “I thought in that third quarter, they capitalized on some things and made some big runs and established themselves at the line of scrimmage. Northwest is a good football team.”

The Red Riders kept battling as the defense hung tough, and Trey Mosley highlighted a strong return game with some nifty run backs. Mixing it up, Orrville just simply couldn’t build enough momentum to draw even in the conference clash.

“I am very proud of our play and the kids' effort,” Besancon said. “Our defense got another score, and that was big. You know what? We got a pretty good football team as well.”

On the game’s final play, one of Orrville’s bright young sophomores, Josiah Kleine, was injured trying to reel in a pass down the Red Riders' sideline. Instead, he ended up breaking his tibia after an acrobatic attempt to haul in the pass.

On Oct. 4 he had successful surgery to repair the tibia and is now resting and healing. Looking at a three-month recovery process, the sophomore is looking to heal before resuming his athletic prowess.

Racking up saves

Northwestern girls soccer junior goalkeeper Haley Harper continues to grow in leaps and bounds. That was never more present than in a morning matchup with Chippewa on Oct. 4. At times she was simply a human highlight reel with leaping saves, diving snares, sliding tackles and covering all four corners of her box in a tough 7-0 setback to the Lady Chipps.

“She’s become quite an asset to the team,” Lady Huskies coach Tim Boggs said. “She’s gotten better, more solid over the years, and is chasing her own personal goals.”

As for how much she has grown since last year, he couldn’t help but smile.

“She is coming into her position well,” he said. “She’s learned to be more confident in the way she handles herself, but more importantly is her attitude. When I say that, I mean she isn’t getting down on herself. A year ago she thought everything was her fault, and it's hard to explain that it isn’t. This year when goals happen, they happen, and she just bounces back and keeps going. That’s where she has grown the most.”