Mistakes End Chardon's Football Playoff Run

By Patrick Thornton
The Geauga Times Courier

Chardon punted the ball just once and was able to move the ball well, but the Hilltopppers won't be advancing to the state semifinals.

Usually when a team is able to move the football and rarely punt, it wins easily, but that was not the case for the Hilltoppers. Chardon got its offense working but was haunted by four turnovers -- three fumbles and an interception -- that killed drives and allowed Nordonia to crawl out of a 10-0 hole to win, 27-18. The Knights scored 27 unanswered points before Chardon scored a late touchdown.

Chardon knew going into the game that the defense had to stop Jordan Mabin. The Hilltoppers limited one of the state's premiere running backs to 53 yards on 15 carries and two touchdowns.

Nordonia quarterback Zach Boedicker out-gained Mabin with 84 yards on 18 carries and a touchdown. He was also a proficient six of 11 through the air for 92 yards with a touchdown and no interceptions.

Chardon head coach Jim DiPofi praised the opposing quarterback after the game. "I think Boedicker is underrated," he said. "He scared us as much as Mabin."

The Knights knew Chardon would be keying on Mabin and expected other players like Boedicker to step up, and they did in a big way.

"We knew Jordan was going to have trouble running the football," said Nordonia head coach and Zach's father, Keith Boedicker. "We relied on our other guys to get the job done, and they stepped up and made plays."

To make matters worse for the Hilltoppers, they racked up an impressive 237 yards on the ground and out- gained Nordonia 273 to 234 in total offense. Chardon had three ball carriers with 10 or more carries, and seven runners touched the ball altogether. It was a typical Wing T night for the Hilltoppers, where a lot of players touched the ball and the team was able to confuse its opponent.

Isaiah Charlton and Kyle Petterson led the way for Chardon with 66 and 63 yards, respectively. Charlton and Lee Thomas scored Chardon's two touchdowns on the night.

It was just one of those nights for the Hilltoppers where basically everything goes according to plan, except a few mishaps, and the whole night falls apart. The game came down to one simple truth: Chardon turned the ball over four times, while Nordonia didn't commit a turnover.

The Hilltoppers came out fast and furious. Thomas got Chardon on the board in the first quarter on a three-yard run to give the Toppers a 7-0 lead. Early in the second quarter, Chardon extended its lead to 10-0 on a 22-yard Sam Marcotte field goal.

But after that, Chardon began to slow down. The Hilltoppers began making uncharacteristic turnovers, and the Knights began to decipher their offense.

"It took us a quarter and a half to get adjusted to their offense," Boedicker said.

Chardon was unable to knock off a third state-ranked team in as many weeks but played better than many expected this season. The Hilltoppers finished with a 10-3 record and another postseason run.

The Knights will take on Pickerington Central for a shot at the state title. Both teams are 12-1 and should make for an interesting night. Boedicker said this opponent isn't as big and physical as Chardon, but they have more speed.

For him, the recipe for success is simple. "We have to keep mistakes to a minimum, limit turnovers and play disciplined," he said.