Norwalk heads to Vermilion for key game

NORWALK — This wasn't difficult to forecast. Last season, the Vermilion football team started the season 3-1. That start came on the heels of a 1-19 record over the 2021 and 2022 seasons. But blowout losses to Sandusky and Norwalk sent the Sailors into a tailspin they didn't get out of with a 3-8 finish. Those Vermilion teams are also young. Now, many of those players are upperclassmen and have led the Sailors to a 4-1 start entering Friday's game against visiting Norwalk (2-3). And though Vermilion is coming off a loss at Sandusky again after a 4-0 start, the 36-20 setback to the Blue Streaks was also a competitive game. "This is kind of their year they circled," Norwalk head coach Keith Mora said of Vermilion. "They are playing a lot of juniors and seniors at the top of the roster, and a lot of them have been playing for several years and have worked hard to get things going in the direction they are now going. "They do some nice things on both sides of the ball," he added. "We know they are going to give us a great game and it's going to be a battle. They are a very improved team from last year, and I'm sure everyone they've faced sees that as well." Vermilion is led by Aaron Mathis, a three-year senior starter at quarterback. He is 22-of-47 passing with one touchdown and one interception. He's also rushed the ball 45 times for 388 yards and 10 TDs. Evan Kuhns leads the Sailors with 397 yards and 5 TDs on 50 attempts. Cohen Mooney adds 246 yards and 2 TDs on 38 attempts, and Logan Peterson also adds 247 yards and a TD on just 15 rush attempts. "They are kind of still doing what they were doing last year," Mora said of the Sailors. "They will run the spread, but they also get under center and try to pound the ball with some Wing-T concepts. They are going to use Mathis in the run game, and use him when things break down in the pass game, which allows him to scramble in space, which can be dangerous. "He can get loose and run for a long time. We've talked to our kids about knowing where he is at all times. We have to be able to bottle him up when those things happen, and you can't assume one guy will go make the tackle on him. And they come off the ball hard." For Norwalk, quarterback Brayden Viock is 44-of-79 passing for 462 yards with 3 TDs and 3 INTs. Ben Rothhaar has 16 catches for 145 yards and a TD, and has rushed for 106 yards and a TD on 12 attempts. Nico Helton has totaled 255 yards and 3 TDs on 69 attempts, while Viock adds 125 yards and a TD on 51 attempts, and Nick Toth has 46 yards and a TD on 15 rushes. Viock's top targets include Jameson Poole with nine catches for 83 yards and 2 TDs. Antwaine Porter has four catches for 77 yards, and Sam Konik adds 32 yards on six catches. The Sailors enter Friday in 11th in Division IV Region 14, while the Truckers are eighth in Div. III Region 10. The top 16 teams in each region qualify for the state playoffs. The Truckers have two wins over Toledo Start (2-3) and Toledo Rogers (2-3) by scores of 26-7 and 7-6. Norwalk lost games in the final minutes at Eastlake North (3-2), 17-12, and against Bellevue (2-3), 21-18. Last week, visiting and state-ranked Edison (5-0) flexed its muscles in a 35-0 win. Mora assessed the season at the halfway point. "I think when you look at our team right now, we've played one bad game," he said. "Other than that, we've been competitive in everything. Our kids have battled, and we're a team that's willing to play for four quarters; a team that has battled back in the fourth quarter; and a team that is capable of holding onto a lead when we've got one." Mora said those traits show the resilience of his players. "And the fact that they are locked in throughout the season and are competing," he said. "We're a smaller roster than a lot of teams we're seeing, so that means we're asking a lot of the same guys to do a lot of the work that has to be done on the field throughout the night. "Before last week, we were eight points from being 4-0," Mora added. "That's something if you'd ask me how I feel about that in April, I'd say we're on the cusp of some really nice things. I'm happy with where our team is at right now. There is a lot of pride in the effort and attitude with our kids so far."