Aurora gets back to basics in playoff win over Alliance
AURORA, Ohio - Aurora got back to what head coach Bob Mihalik calls “Aurora football” in a 41-7 win over Alliance in OHSAA Division III, Region 9 play on Friday night at Veterans Stadium.
The Greenmen pounded the ball on the ground on offense and played stellar defense in the win.
Aurora ran for 263 yards on 37 attempts and held Alliance – a team averaging 390 yards and 39 points per game – to just 260 yards and seven points.
“We thought maybe we had an advantage up front on both sides of the ball,” Mihalik said. “And what can you say about our defense?”
The Alliance offense was led by Oklahoma commit Brendan Zurbrugg at quarterback, something the Greenmen knew all too well.
“Like I told them, they're averaging 39 points a game, quarterback going to Oklahoma, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, that’s all we heard all week,” Mihalik said. “I think our kids got a little ticked off about that because you know, we're a defense giving up 10 points a game, and we felt a little disrespected, so I think they answered the bell tonight.”
Zurbrugg finished 14-of-27 for 153 yards, one touchdown and one interception.
Offensively, senior running back Enzo Catania was the catalyst early, scoring the first three touchdowns for the Greenmen and picking up 155 yards on 15 carries in the first half. He finished with 210 yards on 24 carries.
“We knew we would come out and pound the ball and we knew they were going to stack the box,” Catania said. “We have trust in our line and the two guys in front of me to get to get through the holes.”
The offensive line was strong for all four quarters for the Greenmen, led by center Rocco Courtad, who is flanked by guards Ewan D’Acres and Brody Markle with Justin Burick and Matt Copley at tackle.
“(Rocco) is so good, we're able to single block with him even with a nose, we don't have to get any help with a guard,” Mihalik said. “So it opens up our schemes to do other things. And so those five with our two tight ends (Alex) Brooker and (Jayce) Unverferth, that’s seven guys, we were in our stack-I for much of the first half just grounded it out.”
Behind that offensive line, Catania’s first carry of the game went for 43 yards and he scored three carries later.
“It gave us confidence when we needed it,” Catania said of that first drive. “We knew it was going to be a hard game, but we knew if got the first one in and struck fear in them, it would be good.”
Aurora running back Enzo Catania looks back after scoring a touchdown in the first quarter of Aurora's 41-7 playoff win over Alliance on Friday, October 27, 2023. (Photo credit: Ryan Isley, SBLive Sports)
Ryan Isley, SBLive Sports
When Aurora needed to go to the pass game late in the first half, junior quarterback Ryan Dwyer was ready to answer the call. Dwyer, making his first start for injured Brandon Liepins, entered the game against Highland last week and threw a touchdown pass.
And then on Friday night under the bright lights of the playoffs, he calmly led a 2-minute drive that went 52 yards in six plays and resulted in a 6-yard touchdown pass from Dwyer to Unverferth with just 26 seconds left in the second quarter to give Aurora a 28-7 lead at halftime.
On Alliance's first possession of the second half, Aurora's Dom Trivisonno intercepted Brendan Zurbrugg and Aurora capitalized with a 17-yard touchdown pass to Dylan Crasi to make it 34-7.
Dwyer finished the game 5-of-8 for 60 yards and two touchdowns.
“He hit some passes when he needed to and he ran the team really well,” Mihalik said. “That's a kid that came in when we're down on the last drive last week and his first play, threw a 25-yard touchdown pass. He's got ice in his veins.”
Tommy Tartabini scored on a 3-yard run to end the third quarter to push the Aurora lead to 41-7 and institute a running clock.
Aurora, the No. 3 seed in Region 9, will stay home to host No. 6 Gilmour Academy in the second round on Friday, Nov. 3.
-- Ryan Isley | ryan@scorebooklive.com | @sbliveoh
