Norwalk heads to Bellevue next

Each snap can make all the difference. Through three games, the Norwalk football team has found that out the hard way on offense. The Truckers (1-2) are finding some success in their new run-based Wing-T offense. However, the consistency hasn't led to enough points, which is also keeping their defense on the field longer. Norwalk will look to take another step in the right direction when it visits another longtime opponent this week at 7 p.m. Friday against Bellevue (2-1). Trailing 7-0 early in the second quarter against Galion on Sept. 5, the Truckers converted two fourth downs but were unable to do it a third time, which led to a turnover on downs at the Galion 33-yard line. After their defense forced a turnover at midfield, the Truckers were again unable to produce enough offense to either find the end zone or get in range for standout kicker Tommy Vanderpool. That led to the Tigers taking a 14-0 halftime lead, and the visitors put the game away in the third quarter in the 41-0 defeat. "We do feel like we're getting closer to finishing drives," Norwalk head coach Keith Mora said. "We still feel the same way we felt at the beginning of the year, which is that we are a team we think can match up against anyone on our schedule. Galion was one of them, and Ontario was, too. "We felt similar from the Ontario game that we did after watching back last week's game," he added. "If we do our jobs and convert on that drive, or even after we get the turnover, then we're in a one-score game, and it has that potential to be tighter at halftime, and everything changes." Mora said the biggest key is for the Truckers to have success with the same plays more than once. "We have to find ways to finish and be more consistent with what we do," he said. "We can't have it be where we run a play successfully, then the next time we run that play against the same front, we don't have success. "We have to get to a point where we can be consistent. When we run something we know is working, it should continue to work until we see a defense make adjustments. If they're not making adjustments, we should be able to see the same success, or at least something similar to it." Defensively, Mora said the Truckers need to improve at tackling in space to avoid allowing the big play. "We felt really strongly about the game plan, and we were in the right spots an awful lot," Mora said. "But ultimately, we gave up the explosive plays twice in the first half that led to their 14 points. "We have to find ways to take away those big pass plays." Up next for the Truckers is a Bellevue program that has been a model of both success and consistency for decades. However, the Redmen have some big changes. After 34 seasons, head coach Ed Nasonti retired from the position over the winter. Bellevue is now led by first-year head coach Alex Shepherd, a South Central graduate and former St. Paul assistant coach. Mora said the changes are noticeable, starting with a lot less running of quarterback Ike Brown on offense. "They are a lot different from what they've been in previous years, and that starts first and foremost with the quarterback run game," he said. "They do things well. They are fundamentally sound. Coach Shepherd is a solid coach, and they bounce around a little bit from shotgun and get under center with I-formation. "That's kind of the big difference with them, seeing the QB under center with some power run game. But they can get back in the shotgun and still pass as well." Through two games, Ike Brown is 19-of-32 passing for 280 yards with 5 TDs and no interceptions. He's run 12 times for 112 yards and a TD. Evan Bova has 100 yards and 2 TDs on 28 rush attempts, while Caden Cramer has nine catches for 134 yards and 2 TDs. Bellevue opened with a 33-23 win at Clyde and a 42-14 victory against Wauseon. The Redmen are coming off a 49-6 home loss to Shelby (3-0), the No. 1-ranked team in the first Division IV Associated Press state poll. "They definitely have multiple looks on offense, and they are efficient at what they do," Mora said. "You can't put a lot of weight on last week's game considering who Shelby is. But looking at what they did against Clyde and Wauseon is more indicative of who they are." Defensively, Konner Dauch has 29 tackles, while Cramer has 23 tackles with an interception. Bova also adds 19 tackles and an interception. "They are still a 4-3 defense with the ability to jump into 3-4 as well," Mora said. "But they are still running some Cover 4-type stuff in the secondary. It's still a lot of the same principles to their defense." Last season's game was a thriller in the 125th meeting between the two longtime U.S. 20 opponents. Bellevue leads the series, 78-44-4. A year ago in Norwalk, the Redmen came up with a controversial goal line stand, then marched 99 yards for a touchdown in the 28-21 win. It appeared the Norwalk ball carrier had gotten the ball across the line, but it was ruled he was short of the end zone. Since both teams left the Northern Ohio League for the Sandusky Bay Conference, Bellevue is 6-2 against Norwalk. Five of the eight games have been decided by 14 points or less. The previous two meetings have been non-league matchups as the Redmen shifted to the Bay Division of the SBC.