In a highly anticipated clash of unbeaten teams, the Conneaut Spartans triumphed over the Edgewood Warriors with a score of 20-17 on Friday night at Corlew Stadium. The victory improved the Spartans' record to 3-0, while the Warriors fell to 2-1, marking a significant moment in the early part of the season.
After struggling to establish a passing game in the first half, Conneaut shifted its strategy to rely on a powerful ground attack. Running backs Wyant Dobran and Isaiah Boles combined for an impressive 143 rushing yards, primarily in the second half, which helped the Spartans rally for the win. Spartans head coach Rocco Dobran emphasized the importance of teamwork, stating that the mantra of “Team over Me” was pivotal in their success. "We have a lot of talent this year, but we couldn’t get our receivers the ball and the line wasn’t throwing great blocks, so instead we went double-tight [formation] and ran the ball, and nobody was mad about it,” he explained.
The first half was challenging for the Spartans, who initially returned the opening kickoff for a touchdown, only to have it called back due to a penalty. The Warriors capitalized on this momentum when Zaiden Fox intercepted a pass from Wyant Dobran, leading to a 1-yard touchdown run by JJ DuFour. However, the Spartans responded with a 99-yard drive, culminating in a 9-yard touchdown reception by Alden Goudge, giving them a brief lead at 7-6.
Edgewood regained the lead with a 25-yard field goal from Noah Drake, followed by a touchdown pass from DuFour to Nolan Standle, which put the Warriors ahead 17-7. Despite these setbacks, the Spartans remained resilient. They committed to a running game in the second half, highlighted by an extensive 17-play drive that was initially thwarted by a blocked field goal attempt. However, a roughing the kicker penalty against the Warriors gave Conneaut new life, allowing Dobran to score on a short run, narrowing the deficit.
Coach Olajuwon Cooper of Edgewood expressed frustration over the pivotal penalty, noting its impact on the game's momentum. “I’m not an excuse guy,” he said, “but, roughing the kicker on fourth and 17 when the game is completely in our control... that completely changed the course of the game.”
With the game tied at 17-17, Dobran scored again early in the fourth quarter, putting the Spartans ahead for the first time at 20-17. The Warriors had two more chances to respond, but the Conneaut defense stood strong, forcing turnovers on downs and allowing the Spartans to run down the clock with their ground game.
DuFour finished the game with 182 passing yards, while Standle was a key target, recording two catches for 55 yards. Both teams will look to bounce back in their upcoming home games next Friday, with Conneaut facing Berkshire and Edgewood taking on Geneva.
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