GRAFTON -
The Grafton Bearcats won it all in 2008, then they missed the playoffs the next two years. Coach Mark Yoho swears this team doesn't remind him of his champion team of four years ago, but for the fourth playoff appearance they'll be playing a familiar postseason foe, the Wayne Pioneers, with faces who've seen the playoffs before, so shades of 2008 can't completely be overlooked.
"These kids that are seniors were freshman when we won the state championship so they understand how important it is to be in the playoffs and what a good feeling it is, so I'm just happy for them," Grafton head coach Mark Yoho said.
The Bearcats got off to a hot 5-0 start and managed to finish 7-3, but if you've ever seen a Grafton game, the improvement in the running game from start to finish has been outstanding.
"If you go by the last few games we've run the ball really well, I don't know how many yards per game, I don't know the last time we've been held under 300 rushing so we've run the ball well, but that's Wayne's strength too and usually when you play a team that's good at rushing, they're good at defending it, so that will be a big challenge," Yoho added.
It certainly will, the Pioneers averaged 53.5 points per game in their eight wins, so a solid ground game may be a little bit of an understatement. Wayne hasn't forgotten the previous match ups with Grafton in their 13 straight playoff appearances, and know a tough squad will be waiting to play them on Friday night.
"We know that football is very important in Grafton and we know they're pretty much a fixture in the playoffs, maybe took a year or two off there but their coaches know what it's about and they're a very well coached team, we know their kids play with a ton of pride and have against a tough schedule," Wayne head coach Tom Harmon added.
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