Saturday, November 20, 1999

Calvert faces battle tested Marion Local

By Dave Feltner
Sports Editor

After coaching three teams to unbeaten regular seasons, one to a state championship appearance, and now consecutive regional final showings, one might think this playoff football stuff is old hat for Toby Hammond.

But as the Calvert Senecas stand at the threshold of another big game, Hammond admits he still gets giddy as a schoolboy.

"I notice I worry a lot more (this time of year)," Hammond joked about what it's like moving deeper and deeper into the playoffs.

The focus of his worries this week is Maria Stein Marion Local, a football team whose 9-3 record is as misleading as the female lead in The Crying Game.

Tonight, the 12-0 Senecas take on a battle-tested Flyer team (see related story) in the Division VI, Region 22 championship game at Lima Senior High School.

It will be a game that features the quick-strike, record-setting offense Calvert against Local's grind-it-out, ball-control offense.

Naturally, that puts the pressure on the two defenses.

"They're a big, physical team, a lot like Mohawk," Hammond said of the Flyers. "And we probably played our best defensive game against (Mohawk). To shut that team down was quite an accomplishment. We've got to have another defensive effort like that."

The heart of the Marion Local attack is the option, a game run well by quarterback Mitch Knapke and tailback Travis Unrast, the team's top two rushers.

Unrast eclipsed the 1,000-yard plateau during a 28-3 win over Pandora-Gilboa last week. During that game, Unrast rattled off a pair of 74-yard runs on his way to a 230 rushing yards, bringing his season total to 1,131 (6.7 ave.).

Knapke has run for 477 yards (4.5), but can also do damage with his arm. The Flyers throw the ball about 15 times per game, and do it with success. Knapke has completed 47 percent of his passes (86-of-185) for 1,500 yards, 14 touchdowns and just five interceptions.

He has two primary targets in Brian J. Wolters (722 yards, 33 catches) and Adam Grieshop (456 yards, 31 catches), both of whom stand 6-3. No other Flyer receiver has more than nine catches.

"They're very similar to us in that they have to have balance," Hammond said. "If people are able to stop their run, they have to be able to throw the ball. And when given time, this kid can throw. He's got a nice arm.

"Another big concern is that they've got tall wideouts," he said. "You can play these kids perfectly and they'll still make catches. Those are two kids with 30 catches on a team that doesn't throw an awful lot."

The Senecas, on the other hand, feature one of the most prolific passing offenses in state history &emdash; at any level.

By now, everyone knows the gaudy numbers quarterback Nate Keller has put up. His 78 career touchdown passes are a state record, and his 5,443 career passing yards rank him fifth all time.

But, quietly, wide receiver Bart Fisher is making a name for himself in the state record books. After two playoff games of more than 100 yards receiving, Fisher now needs just 50 yards to set the state record for career receiving yardage, held by Leipsic's Aric Christman (2,567).

Fisher has caught 50 passes this season for 1,031 yards and 16 TDs. Keller has 36 TDs, and 2,462 yards on 154-of-281 passing.

But like Hammond says, the Senecas need balance. That's where the offensive line and running back Eric Puffenberger come into play.

Puffenberger missed a three-and-a-half game stretch in the regular season due to a concussion. But since returning has rushed for 611 yards in the last five games, including two 100-yard efforts in the playoffs.

"Certainly, the numbers Keller have put up really stand out, but they play defense as well as anybody we've seen," Marion Local first-year coach Tim Goodwin said. "And certainly you have to stop the big play. But I don't know if that's different than any team in any other league. This is high school football. Most teams like the big play and like to score quick.

"I mentioned to our kids this week that we'd like to control the ball on the ground and keep it out of their hands," he said. "But we'd also like to spread things out a bit, too."

Defensively, the Flyers run a 4-4 and are led by first-team Northwest District linebacker Mitch Schmackers, who has 153 tackles this season. The other inside backer, Mike Clune, has 96 stops. The Flyer defense has picked off 17 passes, led by Knapke, who doubles as a safety, with five.

Calvert's defense is led by a trio of Northwest District first teamers in Dustyn Risner, Eric Baugher and Tim Brodman. Risner, the district's defensive player of the year, has eight interceptions this season and 18 the last two years.

"When you get to this stage, you're not going to change much," Goodwin said. "You just have to go out and do what you do best. We're confident in what we can do, and I know Calvert has to be confident. They're 12-0 for a reason. There won't be a whole lot of feeling out in this game. Both teams know they're good."

Game time is 7 p.m.