Walsh Jesuit High School football coach Nick Alexander doesn’t just consider Archbishop Hoban one of the best teams in the state.
Alexander recently explained he deems Hoban “one of the best teams in the nation.”
Walsh felt the full force of Hoban on Friday night in a 57-7 road loss at Dowed Field.
The two teams entered the showdown undefeated.
Hoban (6-0) was ranked second and Walsh (6-1) fifth in Division II in the Associated Press state poll.
In the Ohio High School Athletic Association computer ratings, Walsh was No. 1 and Hoban No. 3 in Division II, Region 5.
In the Beacon Journal’s power poll, Hoban was first and Walsh second in the Divisions I-II category.
But the gap between the two programs was evident in Week 7 and gave rise to the following question: Can Walsh regroup and rebound?
“It just counts as one,” Alexander told the Beacon Journal after the game. “It was a tough loss. I didn’t have us ready to play tonight. I thought we had a good week of practice, but I’ve got to figure out a way to make sure that we’re ready to roll.
“We’ve just got to stick together. If we can just go one game at a time and keep working to get better, we’ll get another shot at these guys.”
Walsh has lost its last 10 meetings with Hoban. Walsh’s next potential shot at Hoban would be in the playoffs because they occupy the same region.
“It’s one loss. We’ve got playoffs. We’re going to see them again, and we’re going to be a better team,” Walsh senior safety and wide receiver John Keough said.
Alexander said he will lean on Keough, senior defensive lineman and tight end Noah Brock, senior safety and wide receiver Dylan Hereford and junior offensive and defensive lineman Kodey Kish for locker-room leadership.
Alexander refused to use it as an excuse for his team’s letdown at Hoban, but Walsh is missing two of its best players. Senior captains Brock Sherman, a linebacker and running back, and David Hawersaat, a two-way lineman, were sidelined against Hoban. Sherman suffered a lower-body injury the previous week in a 43-13 win over St. Vincent-St. Mary, and Hawersaat has been sick.
“We’re hoping that they’ll be back soon,” Alexander said. “It’s still next-man-up mentality. [We’re] just hoping to get them back so that we can let them have the rest of their senior year.”
Walsh will host Notre Dame-Cathedral Latin (4-3) on Friday.
“Full attention on them,” said Keough, who is committed to play college football for the University at Buffalo.
Keough commands the respect of his teammates because he does much more than talk. He leads by example. When Hoban junior quarterback Tylan Boykin broke away for a 60-yard run late in the second quarter, Keough never stopped pursuing the play and made a touchdown-saving tackle. Unfortunately for Walsh, Hoban scored on the next play and led 50-0 at halftime.
“It’s hard when you’re down by a lot,” Keough said. “But, still, we can’t give up because that’s not Walsh Jesuit football.”
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Alexander praised Hoban for its size, physicality, talent and coaching. Now he’s focused on ensuring his players rally.
“I told them if there’s any finger to point, point it at me,” Alexander said. “I’ll do a better job making sure that we’re prepared. Our senior leaders are awesome, and we’re going to go back to work.”
Adversity has hit Walsh after it maintained an unscathed record through six games. Its response will be telling.
“That hiccup out there was a failure on our part,” Keough said, “but we’re going to bounce back.”
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Nate Ulrich can be reached at [email protected]. On Twitter: @ByNateUlrich.
2023-10-02 09:29:53
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