Here’s What You Need to Know:

1. Who Can Join? Boys and girls aged 5 to 12. All are welcome!
2. What’s Happening? Weekly practices and fun games every Saturday morning or early afternoon. You’ll learn new skills, make new friends, and have lots of fun.
3. Who’s Leading? The practices and scrimmages are led by the experts at Rookie Sports Club LLC. They know all about soccer and will make sure everyone learns and enjoys the game.
4. What to Wear? You’ll get a cool T-shirt when you join, but you’ll need to bring your own shin guards to keep your legs safe. Soccer cleats are recommended but not required.
5. Where? All the fun takes place at Hutchinson Field, located at 350 W. Grace St.
6. When? The program begins on September 2, weather permitting. So mark your calendars!
7. Any Changes? Keep in mind that dates, times, locations, and fees might change. But don’t worry; you’ll be kept in the loop!
8. How to Sign Up? Don’t miss out; registration ends on Friday, August 18. So be quick and sign up now!

This fall soccer program is going to be a blast! It’s a great way to stay active, learn new skills, and make new friends. So what are you waiting for? Grab your shin guards, lace up your cleats, and join the Bedford Parks & Recreation Department for a season full of soccer fun! See you on the field!

Registration Deadline August 18
– Register online at www.bedfordoh.gov/departments/parks-recreation
– In-person at Bedford Parks & Recreation, 124 Ellenwood Avenue – Office Hours M-F 8:00 PM-4:30 PM
– Or call 440-735-6570

The post Get Ready for Fall Soccer in Bedford! first appeared on The Bedford Tribune.

According to an Aug. 6, article by the Chronicle Telegram, Lorain decided not play any games last year because of COVID-19 concerns, and the team is only returning two starters from the 2019 season. They also have new coach, Damon Creel, who was once on the Bedford staff, and spent the last six years as the head coach in Beechwood. Needless to say, it could take a little time for them to get their footing again.

In the meantime, Bedford took care of business. The team ran out to a 38-0 halftime lead before putting their foot on the brakes and starting to play their younger, non-starting players.

Bedford scored on their second series, when senior quarterback Raymell Hester ran the ball in from 14 yards out, capping a drive that started at the Bearcat 35-yard line. The two-point conversion by Hester was also good, and Bedford had the lead 8-0 with 5:05 left in the first quarter.

The Bearcat defense was very stingy on the night, and allowed the Titans only two yards during their next series before Lorain had to punt. During those downs, senior defensive lineman Leonard Sharp made a beautiful shoestring tackle, and junior linebacker Caleb Hunter followed that up with a nice stop, himself.

Lorain punted and put the Bearcats back on their 25-yard line. On the second play from scrimmage during the series, Hester fumbled the ball, giving the Titans great field position on Bedford’s 30-yard line. But the Bedford defense would not bend. On first down junior defensive lineman Trent Thomas and senior linebacker Torrion Barnes rose up to hold Titan senior running back Xzavier Christian to one yard. On third down, Thomas grabbed senior quarterback Robert Gonzalez for a sack, ending the possible scoring threat by Lorain.

Bedford would score again with 7:29 left in the second quarter when Hester hit senior wide receiver Joseph Stokes for 40-plus yard touchdown catch. Another two-point conversion, this time by senior running back Joseph Lymon, made the score 16-0.

Two fumbles on the next two possessions by Lorain led to two more Bedford touchdowns. The first fumble gave the ball to the Bearcats at the Lorain 13-yard line. Two plays later, and Lymon took the ball straight into the end zone on a run. This time senior running back Caleb Hunter took the ball in for the conversion.

The second fumble was a very odd play indeed. Bedford kicked off after their score, and the Lorain player returning the kick fielded it cleanly. He took off running, but then, without being hit, he bobbled the ball and coughed it up right into Bedford senior defensive back Malik Baker’s arms. Baker ran the ball into the end zone, and after another two-point conversion, Bedford led 32-0.

Bedford’s final score came with around three minutes left in the first half, when Hester threw and 86-yard touchdown pass to senior wide receiver Jaylon Clark. The extra-point try was partially blocked, and Bedford went into the half ahead 38-0, and that score stood until the end of the game.

Bedford’s next opponent with be the Red Raiders from Shaker Heights (0-4). Bedford overcame a tight battle with Shaker last year 21-16. Even though the Red Raiders have not had a victory this season, they have had many close contests. According to maxpreps.com they have lost to GlenOak 31-22, Solon 33-20, Dublin Jerome 24-20, and Waubonsie Valley 23-19. So, they could be itching for their first victory on Friday night in Bedford.

Lake Conference Scores and Standings Week 4 (maxpreps.com):
Maple Hts. 48, Shaw 0
Cleveland Hts. 42, Buchtel 7
Waubonsie Valley 23, Shaker Hts. 19
Garfield Heights 21, Cleveland Central Catholic 14

Team Standings, Total, Conference Total
Cleveland Heights, 4-0, 1-0
Maple Heights, 2-1, 1-0
Bedford, 2-2, 1-0
Shaw, 1-3, 0-1
Garfield Heights, 1-3, 0-1
Shaker Heights, 0-4, 0-0
Lorain, 0-4, 0-1

The post Bedford rolls over Lorain, 38-0; will face Shaker Hts. next (Photos) first appeared on The Bedford Tribune.

The Bearcats held a 14-0 lead early in the first half after rushing touchdowns by junior running back Caleb Hunter and senior quarterback Raymell Hester. Both scores were the culmination of drives where Bedford was able to continue to move the sticks by running the ball and getting good chunks of yardage. The offensive line, particularly the right side, was doing a fine job opening lanes for the running backs. Senior running back Daniel Lymon was used effectively out of the backfield getting first downs on the ground and also as a receiver.

On the defensive side, the Bearcats held Alliance to a pair of three-and-outs on its first two drives. Senior defensive lineman Isaiah Pettis and defensive back Hester both had notable tackles in the first series to stop the Aviators. In the second series, senior defensive back Sean Conway stepped up and had a great open-field tackle, followed by a coverage sack by Pettis and junior defensive lineman Trent Thomas on a third-and-11.

Still, the Aviators were able to chip away at Bedford’s lead as they answered with two scores of their own during the second quarter. Sophomore quarterback Brendan Zurbrugg, who is 6’3″, found success running the ball against the Bearcats on those scoring drives, coupled with a few timely pass plays. The Bearcats were hurt by some ill-timed penalties that helped Alliance, including a facemask and a roughing the passer call.

While still young, the Aviators’ Zurbrugg, who seemed to be a head taller than most of the players on the field, showed flashes of excellence with both his feet and his arm on the two scoring drives. He could be a player to keep on eye on in the coming years.

The score at halftime was 14-13 in favor of Bedford. Fortunately for the Bearcats, they were able to shut down any further scoring by Alliance the rest of the game. Alliance received the ball first in the second half and was stymied immediately for a three-and-out, punctuated by sophomore linebacker Tyquan Goodman break-up of a pass play on second-and-12.

In the next series, Bedford drove the ball down the field and scored on a third-and-11 screen to Lymon for a 39-yard touchdown. The score put the Bearcats up 22-13 with 7:33 left in the third quarter. On Alliance’s next series, Bedford once again held them to a three-and-out, which included an impressive stop by senior defensive lineman Leonard Sharp.

Bedford scored on their next possession on a 2-yard run by Hester, that was set up by a fourth-and 5 pass to Sean Conway for 33 yards. This put Bedford up 28-13 with 3:22 left in the third quarter.

Bedford added another touchdown as senior wide receiver Jaylon Clark caught a 23-yard pass from Hester in the fourth quarter, leading to the final score of 34-13. Earlier in the same drive, Clark also had a 55-yard run.

Both teams entered the contest 0-2 on the year, with Bedford having lost its first game 47-18 to Nordonia (3-0), and its second game 14-6 to Elyria (3-0). Bedford’s next game will be at home against Lorain (0-3) who lost to Elyria in their last game, 37-0 according to maxpreps.com.

Lake Conference Scores and Standings Week 3 (MaxPreps):
South 31, Maple Heights 14
Cleveland Hts. 46, Euclid 14
Hubbard 47, Shaw 14
Green 33, Garfield Hts. 0
Dublin Jerome 24, Shaker Hts. 20
Elyria 37, Lorain 0

Team Standings, Total, Conference Total
Cleveland Heights, 3-0, 1-0
Maple Heights, 2-1, 0-0
Bedford, 1-2, 0-0
Shaw, 1-2, 0-0
Garfield Heights, 0-3, 0-1
Shaker Heights, 0-3, 0-0
Lorain, 0-3, 0-0

The post Bedford defeats Alliance, 34-13, for first victory of the season (Photos) first appeared on The Bedford Tribune.

The celebration for the touchdown was short-lived, however, after it became sadly apparent that Lymon had injured his leg on the play. Bedford’s trainer and coaches rushed to the back of the end zone to treat him as he lay on the ground. Fortunately, he was able to limp off the field on his own strength after a delay of a few minutes. He was later seen on the sideline with a large ice bag on his knee.

Just as their offense seemed to get humming, the Bearcats were facing a major setback with the loss of their featured back. Still, if the team could lock down the Nordonia offense for a little more than a minute at the end of the half, they would be down only a few going into halftime.

The Bearcats kicked off, and Nordonia started their drive on their own 41. After a short gain on first down, and with the clock running, the Knights ran a pass play on second down. The quarterback had great protection, and a breakdown in coverage in the Bearcat defensive backfield left a receiver wide open way down the field by the goal line. The quarterback heaved the ball for a 57-yard completion and a touchdown.

The Bearcats were now down 10 points instead of 3, and while there was still much more of the game left, it seemed like the momentum had swung back to the Knights as the teams headed into the locker rooms with the score 28-18.

Bedford received the ball at the start of the second half, and with a third-and-10 from his own 20-yard line, Hester took off down the field for 37-yard sprint. After a defensive pass interference call on Nordonia, and a great fake on a pass play by Hester on a second-and-13, the Bearcats found themselves back in the red zone. An ensuing pass play was called back because of a holding call against Bedford, and on second-and-24 from the 32-yard line, a Hester pass was tipped and intercepted with 8:42 left in the third quarter. A promising drive was snuffed out. After this series, Bedford would not reach the red zone again during the game.

To Bedford’s credit, though, after the interception, their defense held Nordonia to only one first down before the Knights had to punt the ball. Sophomore Marion Spraggins had a beautiful open-field tackle during the series, and Bedford was given the ball back at their own 20-yard-line. Still, as the game moved on, Bedford had more and more difficulty moving the ball as the Nordonia defense was able bear down more on Hester in the pocket. He was sacked on a third-and-8 play during that series, and the team went four-and out.

Nordonia got the ball in excellent field position after the punt, starting at Bedford’s 40-yard-line. Even then, the Bedford defense made another stand, and forced a fumble as Nordonia was driving down by the goal. Bedford took over with the ball on their own 2-yard-line, and ended up giving up safety to Nordonia with 1:06 left in the third quarter, and the score, 30-18.

Bedford kicked off after the safety, and the Knights got great field position again, with a first-and-10 from Bedford’s 36-yard-line. This time the Knights capitalized on their opportunity, and with 11:09 left in the game, they took a 37-18 lead. Nordonia would tack on 10 more points before the game finally ended, including a 48-yard field goal by their highly-skilled kicker Andrew Lastovka. It was Lastovka who made Bedford start most of their drives on their own 20-yard line during the game, since he routinely kicked the ball through the end zone on kickoffs.

Bedford’s two other touchdowns in the game came on 20-yard pass play from Hester to senior receiver Sean Conway off a deflection, and a pick 6 by defensive back Jaylon Clark. Both scores occurred in the second quarter.

Bedford will play Friday at 7:00 p.m. at Elyria, who won their first game 28-15 against Elyria Catholic according to MaxPreps.

Of interesting note, Bedford was the first team to play against Nordonia on their newly redone field. According to an Akron Beacon-Journal report, the $425,000 turf was installed and ready for play on July 15.

Lake Conference Scores (MaxPreps):
Maple Heights 53, John F. Kennedy 0
Cleveland Hts. 48, Hoover 28
East (Youngstown) 12, Shaw 8
Eastlake North 22, Garfield Hts. 15
GlenOak 31, Shaker Hts. 22
Olmsted Falls 50, Lorain 0

The post Bearcats lose to Nordonia in first game of season, 47-18 (Photos) first appeared on The Bedford Tribune.

That all ended on Wednesday, June 16, as the pool opened for business once again. The sun was brilliant on opening day as it glinted off of the water, but the temperatures only hovered around the 70-degree mark. Still, according to an unofficial tally, about 30 residents came out to welcome the pool back to operations.

Darlene Boyle was one of those at the pool, enjoying opening day with her son Grayson Westfall. She was joined by her friend Andrea Anderson and her daughter Kayla, as well. Boyle said her family loves the pool and have been pool-pass owners for life.

The Bedford Parks and Recreation Department said it is their intention to use the pool this summer for open swim only. The pool will be open from Wednesday through Sunday from 1:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., and 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. for adult only swim only on those days. For more information on purchasing passes, see the pool-reopening flyer here.

The post Bedford Pool opens for business after a year off due to COVID first appeared on The Bedford Tribune.

For Bedford, this was only their second loss in 12 games. During the regular season, they had won the Lake Erie Conference Championship after beating teams in their conference like Lorain and Cleveland Heights. (Those two teams also bowed out in their district final games; Lorain lost 56-52 to St. Ignatius while Cleveland Heights lost 54-53 to Medina according to the OHSAA website.)

The Bearcats got behind early in their finals game, and were never quite able to get back on track. The Eagles pressed Bedford immediately, and the Bearcats had struggles handling the intensity. This led to a few easy baskets by St. Edwards, and a 19-13 lead at the end of the first quarter.

What was even more distressing than the score was that senior Malik Simmons, who had a mammoth 22-point game against Brunswick the game before, picked up his second foul with 4:06 left in the first quarter, and his third foul with 3:15 left in the second quarter. Bedford head coach Pete Priola, in turn, had to keep Simmons on the bench for part of the game to protect him from getting more fouls.

At 6’4″, 218 pounds, Simmons has used his physicality and body control to dominate inside again smaller opponents. The officials in Bedford’s first two tournament games seem to let the teams play a more physical-style game, but that didn’t happen during this contest. As a result, Simmons finished the game with zero points on 0-2 shooting, with 4 rebounds and 4 fouls according to MaxPreps.com. He still managed 3 assists and 4 steals, but his effectiveness was obviously limited. (For the record, Simmons had only 2 fouls in each of the first two tournament games according to the website.)

Other players tried to pick up the slack, including senior Chaze Harris, who scored 14 points in the first half on his way to a 30-point game. Still, with Simmons on the bench, and the Eagles hitting many of their open shots, Bedford found themselves down by 20 points, 44-24 at halftime.

To the Bearcats’ credit, the team never gave up. As the Eagles began to take the air out of the ball in the second half with a motion offense, the Bearcats continued to fight, getting a number of steals for some fast break opportunities. One memorable one was a beautiful dunk by Harris, that momentarily got the stands rocking for Bedford.

Junior Raymell Hester added 8 points for the game, and junior Jaylon Clark had 9 points, but St. Edward’s proved to be just too much to handle for the Bearcats on the evening.

St. Edward now moves on the Regionals to face rival St. Ignatius (18-6). The teams split a pair of games this season during conference play.

In the meantime, the Bearcats will still have a special season to remember. The COVID-shortened season started on January 15 for Bedford, only 10 days after they were able to start practicing. This was according to a Feb. 3 story on Cleveland.com called “Bedford coming of age without the comforts of home,” in the Boys Basketball Rewind column. The story went on to talk about the obstacles the team not only had overcome this season, but also for the past few years.

According to the story, seniors Chaze Harris, Trey Miller and Malik Simmons, have been on the varsity team for four years, and lived through through a winless season earlier in their careers. Fast-forward now to their senior year, and they, and their teammates, have put Bedford back in the mix as one of the finer teams in Northeast Ohio. Along with those three, other seniors also played their final game in a Bearcats jersey Saturday night. They are Errone McCrimon, Marshawn Fields, Tyler Craft and Malcolm Sims, Jr.

Despite exiting earlier than they wanted, the group played some important and memorable games during their 2020-2021 season.

Editor’s note: The story above was written to give the facts of the game from a mostly objective point of view. The next comments will be the opinion of the writer (who wanted the Bearcats to win.)

*This is not to take anything away from St. Edward, since they are a very good team, but as a former high school player, I think it has to be very difficult for a visiting team to play in the Eagles’ gym. Now, St. Edward was able to host the district tournament championship game since they were a 1st seed compared to Bedford at a 6th seed, so that is acceptable practice. Still, while the floor is regulation size, the rest of the dimensions of the room are very small, with the bleachers only going back maybe 10 rows before you get to the top. On top of that the lighting is dim, which might not be helped by the number of very large championship banners hanging from all over the ceiling. It is a jarring and somewhat claustrophobic, uncomfortable environment. Even with social distancing the place felt mostly full. If St. Edward gained any advantage from the somewhat awkward surroundings, then that is their prerogative. That is what home-court advantage is about. I just want the reader to understand the extra element with which the Bearcats had to deal.

*And finally, I want to highlight the performance of Chaze Harris during the game. As some of you may know, Harris hit the 1,000-point mark earlier in the season, so, it is not a surprise that he is a scorer. Still, to drop 30 points in a district championship game is an impressive feat. And it is not just that he scored, it was how he scored. While the team struggle to put up points, he created many of his shots by driving through heavy traffic and finishing at the rim with defenders on him. For a high-schooler to have the touch and body control that he has is unusual, and fun to watch. At times, I just had to sit back and watch with admiration. I wish him and all the seniors the best.

The post Bedford team ends season as conference champs, district runner-up (Photos) first appeared on The Bedford Tribune.

The tough defense led to quick Blue Devil turnovers, and a 11-2 lead for the Bearcats at the 5:04 mark in the first quarter. Brunswick called a timeout, but once play resumed, Bedford was able to maintain the intensity and its lead grew to 17-2 by the 2:17 mark. The Bearcats brought so much vigor, Brunswick could barely find space to breathe, let alone run their offense or get off quality shots.

The Blue Devils settled down a bit and climbed back into the game with some timely shooting, and the score stood at 18-9 at the end of the quarter. At 6:06 in the second quarter, Brunswick was able to get the deficit to 6 points at 20-14, but that was about as close as they would get, as the Bearcats (10-1) rose to their tenth straight victory, 61-47, while Brunswick finished their season at a respectable 13-9.

Bedford was ranked as a 6th seed in the district bracket while Brunswick was a 7th seed coming into the tournament, so they were considered comparable opponents going into the contest at Maple Heights Wylie Athletic Center. Brunswick had defeated Parma Normandy 88-47 to advance to play Bedford. Earlier in the season, Brunswick lost a close one to Division I powerhouse Mentor (22-0) by a score of 97-91. So Brunswick’s ability to score was not in question, nor was it’s ability to run with the elite.

But because of Bedford’s defense, Brunswick never was able to get into a scoring groove the whole night. There were some flashes, but whenever they seemed to be on the verge of getting things going, Bedford would respond with a score of its own or another defensive stand.

Ultimately, Brunswick had no real answer to Malik Simmons on either end of the court. The 6’4″, 218-pound senior exerted his will throughout the game. He was a centerpiece to the full-court press (collecting 5 steals in the game), as well as a dominant presence inside, scoring 22 points, while grabbing 7 rebounds and supplying 5 blocks according to statistics from MaxPreps.com. Simmons was a standout wide receiver for the football team, and has signed an intent to attend and play college football at Lenoir-Rhyne University in North Carolina. He brings a unique skill set of speed and agility to the Bearcats center position, which can create match-up difficulties for other teams.

Another match-up headache for other teams is Bedford senior Chase Harris. Also listed at 6’4″, Harris can dribble like a point guard, drive like strong forward, and rebound and defend like a center. He finished the game with 21 points, 9 rebounds, and he converted an impressive 9 out of 9 at the free-throw line.

Another big man, 6’2″ junior Malik Baker also had a efficient night, adding 10 rebounds and 8 points in the effort. Still, at the end of the day, it was the consistent hustle by the whole team that set the tone and eventually sealed the victory.

Bedford will now move on to play 1st-seeded Lakewood St. Edward Eagles, Saturday at 7 p.m. in Lakewood. See game information here. St. Edward’s (14-3) defeated 11th seeded Brecksville-Broadview Heights on Wednesday, 72-50 according to the OHSAA website. The Eagles started the season 9-0, and according to MaxPreps.com, their three losses have come against Shaker Heights (77-71), St. Ignatius (52-44) and St. Vincent-St. Mary (88-58).

The post Defense key in Bearcats 61-47 victory over Brunswick, will face St. Edward’s next (Photos) first appeared on The Bedford Tribune.

While Bedford led much of the game, they found themselves in the second quarter at a 8-point deficit, 23-15, with 4:23 left in the half. The Pioneers physicality inside on defense and their sharp shooting from beyond the 3-point line had allowed them to keep pace with Bedford in the first quarter, and then build the lead in the second.

Bedford answered in the form of 6’2″ junior Malik Baker, who was a major force on the offensive boards all night, and helped lead a 10-point charge by Bedford to retake the lead at 25-23 — a lead the Bearcats would never relinquish. Baker had two impressive tip-ins during the second period, and ended the game with 11 rebounds, including 9 on the offense glass according to statistics from MaxPreps.com.

The Bearcats took a 29-25 lead into halftime and extended their lead to 40-32 after three quarters. Still, it seemed like every time Bedford looked to pull away, Elyria answered to keep the game close, usually with a three-pointer.

Elyria entered the tournament as the 25th seed and defeated 18th-seeded Medina Highland, 49-46 on Wednesday in order to advance to play the sixth-seeded Bearcats. The Bearcats with now move on to play seventh-seeded Brunswick at 7 p.m. Wednesday in Maple Heights. Brunswick defeated 20th-seed Parma Normandy by a score of 88-47 to advance. You can see the tournament brackets here.

The post Bedford advances after 54-47 victory over scrappy Elyria team (Photos) first appeared on The Bedford Tribune.

Shaker began the game by applying immediate backcourt pressure to the Bearcats. Instead of folding under the barrage, the Bearcats showed poise, using their ball-handling skills and floor awareness to convert a number of layups. Bedford paired those scoring opportunities with a stingy defense, and other fast-break points, and soon found themselves in the driver’s seat during the first half.

Junior Jaylon Clark had 8 first-quarter points on his way to 17 for the game. Senior Chaze Harris added 18, with 10 in the second half, while senior Malik Simmons had 12 and Junior raymell Hester added 10 for the game.

Bedford came into the evening ranked seventh in the area on MaxPreps, with Shaker ranked 15th. Shaker handed St. Edwards (ranked second) one of their only two losses earlier in the season, and had another quality win over Warrensville Heights (ranked 13th) coming into the game, so the contest looked to be a battle between two evenly-matched teams.

Still, the Bearcats were able to keep the Red Raiders’ high-scoring offense off-balance for most of the first half, as they took a 39-21 lead into the locker room. (Three of those points coming from a last-second half-court shot by Harris.) Despite the disparate score, it was uncertain how long the Bearcats could keep the talented Red Raiders down, and Shaker came out fired-up for the second half.

Momentarily, the Bearcats saw their lead dwindle in the beginning minutes of the third quarter as their hustle was not matching that of their opponents. Junior Sean Conway provided a spark to get Bedford back on track with one of the more impressive series of plays you will find in a high school basketball game.

While Shaker was building momentum, one of its players was about to drive down court for an uncontested fast-break layup. Conway was at half court himself and the nearest defender to the ball, but still a distance away. At that point, he put his head down, and tore down the floor in a dead sprint to get to the Shaker player in time to alter his shot for a miss. Conway then grabbed the ball after the shot and quickly dribbled it back up the floor, stopping at the free-throw line, and then lobbing a perfect alley-oop pass to Harris for a slam. The four-point swing helped to turn the momentum back to the Bearcats.

As did Bedford’s disciplined handling of the ball during the second half. With a double-digit lead, it seemed like Bedford head coach Pete Priola was content to “take the air out of the ball” and slow down the game. The team ran a motion offense, and since there is no shot clock in high school basketball, they were able to basically play keep-away from Shaker until the Bearcats got the shots they wanted, which ended up being quite a few lay-ups. (Including a thunderous two-handed dunk by Malik Simmons leaping straight up from two feet.) The delay-game also limited the amount of possessions Shaker had to catch up.

For the Bearcats to run that type of offense required excellent fundamentals by the whole team, and the ability to forgo tempting open shots for open layups. Bedford delivered with sharp dribbling and passing, and Shaker never got the lead down to single digits. For a portion of the second half, Bedford had Harris, who is 6’4”, show his ball-handling skills by bringing the ball up the floor against a much smaller defender, and the scheme worked well setting up the motion offense.

Toward the end of the game, Shaker was forced to apply a full-court press again, but still with little results as Bedford went on to win its eighth victory in a row, and continue in first place in the Lake Erie League. According to the ArbiterLIVE website, this was the last regular-season game on the schedule for the Bearcats.

Bedford is in the Ohio Athletic Association Division I and will be playing in Region 1 in the tournament. The Bearcats’ record has earned them a first-round bye as a 6th Seed and they will play the winner of the Feb. 24, Elyria/Medina Highland game. Bedford will meet the winner on Saturday, February 27. See the OHSAA bracket here.

Other higher seeded teams in the Region 1 Northeast 5/Northeast 6 brackets include Lakewood St. Edwards (1), St. Ignatius (2), Garfield Heights (5) and Brunswick (7). Bedford’s only loss this year was to Garfield Heights 65-56 in the Bearcats first game of the season. According to MaxPreps, Garfield lost its last game of the season on Thursday to Brunswick 76-74.

The post Bedford handles pressure, defeats Shaker, 72-56, for eighth straight win (Photos) first appeared on The Bedford Tribune.

The first-round playoff victory means the Bearcats will move on to play the Hudson Explorers at Hudson Memorial Stadium next Friday at 7 p.m. It also means that for the senior players, this will probably have been their last game at Bearcat Stadium as they continue their playoff run.

The 42 points was the most Bedford had scored in a game all season, and included touchdowns by five different players:

• Hester capped off a 12-play 84-yard drive in the first quarter with a 4-yard run.
• Receiver Jaylon Clark nabbed a Hester pass and ran it in for a 49-yard score.
• Running back Caleb Hunter rumbled straight over an Ellet defender into the end zone for a 3-yard score in the second quarter. (This was set up by an 88-yard pass from Hester to receiver Daniel Lymon.)
• Running back De’sean Courts sprinted in for a score from 9-yards out in the second quarter.
• Hester again hit Clark with a pass for a score, this time up the sidelines for 64-yards.
• Malik Simmons grabbed a short pass from Hester for a score as the first half was winding down.

After halftime, the Bedford coaches pulled some of the offensive starters, including Hester, in order to give other player valuable experience. Ellet scored their only touchdown at the end of the game.

While there was impressive play on both sides of the ball for the Bearcats, the special teams were particularly good Friday evening, led by senior kicker Sam Laffin. Laffin, who is a captain on the Bedford boys soccer team, was four for five on extra-point attempts on the evening.

For those unaware of the process, kicking an extra point is a complicated effort involving a long snapper, a holder, an offensive line to keep out rushers that could block the kick, and then — of course — the kicker. Some high school football teams don’t even try extra points, and instead only go for the two-point conversion. Laffin and the special teams crew were also able to convert what looked like an on-side kick attempt after the Bearcats’ first score. The ball was recovered by Daniel Siggers and helped Bedford retain their momentum early in the game.

Hudson (6-0) did not play on Friday, as they received a first-round bye starting out the tournament. Both the Bearcats and Hudson play in the Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA) Division II based on their respective school sizes. Within Division II, they are also part of the 26 teams that make up Northeast Ohio’s Region 5.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the OHSAA is running the football playoffs differently this year than it has in the past. Usually only eight of the 26 teams in Region 5 make the playoffs each year. Instead, this year all the teams were put in playoff brackets, sort of like March Madness in basketball. According to maxprepps.com, Bedford was seeded at No. 14, while Ellet was the 19th seed. Hudson was given the No. 3 seed.

As of Oct. 6, according to the same website, Hudson was ranked 24th overall in the state regardless of the division. The Explorers’ high-powered offense averages close to 49 points a game, but their defense has also have given up an average of about 23 points a game.

After Friday’s games, the original 26 teams in the region have been narrowed down to 16. You can see the bracket here. There were only two upsets, the 21st-seed Garfield Heights beat 12th-seed Eastlake North to advance, and 18th-seed Twinsburg beat 15th-seed Brush.

The top-ranked team in the state in any division is Archbishop Hoban, and they also happen to be the 1st-seed in Region 5. Austintown Fitch is the No. 2 seed in the region.

The post Hester has big game as Bedford drills Ellet, 42-7, will face Hudson next first appeared on The Bedford Tribune.