The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
Sites for regional semifinals announced
Dave Bors would have settled for a parking lot if he had to.
Instead, Riverside’s head football coach and his team are fine with the familiar setting of Wildcat Stadium at Mayfield.
For the first time in school history, Riverside is in the second round of the high school football playoffs. The Beavers (9-2) will face Maple Heights (11-0) in a Division II, Region 5 semifinal on Nov. 9
Bors and his staff waited — patiently or impatiently — for the phone call early Nov. 4 to find out where they’d be playing.
“Actually, it’s just a formality,” Bors said. “We just need to know where the buses are supposed to go. We’d play in a parking lot at 3 a.m. if we needed to. We’re just excited for this opportunity.”
Riverside rallied from a halftime deficit to beat Nordonia in a 43-38 thriller. Michael Wojkowski hauled in an acrobatic 22-yard pass from Andrew Keller in the waning moments of the game to give Riverside its first playoff win in program history.
Prior to this season, Riverside was 0-6 in playoff games, its most recent appearance in the postseason being 2013.
“It’s extremely cool in so many ways,” Bors said. “It’s been a long time coming. A lot of people worked extremely hard to get to this point - the kids, their families, the coaching staff, community, administration. It’s really special.”
Bors said he has watched the game-winning drive a number of times, and each time it gets better.
“It was a real storybook type of thing,” Bors said, “and I’m probably understating it.”
Riverside is one of seven News-Herald area teams alive in the high school football postseason.
Pairings and sites for the second-round games were confirmed on Nov. 4.
Besides Riverside and Maple Heights playing at Mayfield, matchups including area teams (along with the venue in Week 12) are:
• Mentor and Canton McKinley at Brunswick’s Auto Mart Stadium. The Cardinals (10-1) and Bulldogs (9-2) play in a Division I, Region 1 semifinal at 7 p.m. on Nov. 9.
• Euclid and St. Edward at Byers Field. The Panthers (9-2) and Eagles (7-3) play in a Division I, Region 1 semifinal at 7 p.m. on Nov. 9.
• Kenston and Medina Buckeye at Bedford Bearcat Stadium. The Bombers (101) and Bucks (10-1) play in a Division III, Region 9 semifinal at 7 p.m. on Nov. 9
• Perry and Girard at Lakeside. The Pirates (10-1) and Indians (10-1) play in a Division IV, Region 13 semifinal at 7 p.m. on Nov. 10.
• Gilmour and Orrville at
Twinsburg Tiger Stadium. The Lancers (11-0) and Red Riders (9-2) play in a Division V, Region 17 semifinal at 7 p.m. on Nov. 10.
• Kirtland and Creston
Norwayne at Strongsville’s Pat Catan Stadium. The Hornets (11-0) and the Bobcats (10-1) play in a Division VI, Region 21 semifinal at 7 p.m. on Nov. 9.