Blocked Kick Wins Wild Opener For Rangers

The Lakewood football team accomplished something in its season opener that very few other programs can claim…..they matched their 2013 win total in just one night. After going 1-9 last year, the Rangers won their first game of 2014, giving new head coach Mike Ribar a win in his debut. The Rangers defeated Parma 14-13 at Byers Field in a thrilling back-and-forth game that came down to the final two minutes. The Redmen scored the apparent game tying touchdown with just over one minute to go, but the extra point was blocked by Cody Riccotone.  

Ribar has been preaching “The Ranger Way” to his team all offseason, trying to instill preparation and toughness in his players. This opening night contest, which earlier in the week was named “Game of the Week” by Channel 5, was the team’s first opportunity to put Ribar’s lessons into practice. It was a very conservative, hard fought battle between two evenly matched teams.

Parma received the opening kickoff on a clear, cool evening for football. They put together a very strong, methodical 12 play drive, consuming over six minutes and driving into Ranger territory. They faced a 4th and 4 on  the Ranger 30, where the defense tightened up to force an incomplete pass. It was a key confidence builder for the Ranger D, which was abused for 35 points per game last year.    

Lakewood  took possession, and put together its own impressive drive. They went 70 yards on ten plays to score the season’s first touchdown with 1:20 left in the first quarter. Ranger running back Quentin Hill hit the end zone on a four yard run, giving the Rangers a 7-0 lead after the extra point. Parma would tie the game with 7:00 left in the second quarter. Jovonate Cummings caught a 12 yard touchdown pass, culminating a seven play, 51 yard drive. The score remained 7-7 at halftime.

The teams exchanged punts early in the third quarter. On its second offensive series, the Rangers  put together a five play, 56 yard touchdown drive. Running back Quentin Hill carried the load, running the final three plays of the drive. The touchdown was scored on a 22 yard run by Hill, which put Lakewood up 14-7 (after the extra point) with 5:57 left in the third quarter.

Parma seemed ready to answer on its next possession. They moved the ball from their own 17 yard line to the Ranger 26, mixing passes and runs during a nice ten play drive. However, on the eleventh play of the drive, Ranger defensive back Andrew Lesko picked off a Parma pass, snuffing out the potential scoring drive late in the third quarter.

The Lesko interception gave Lakewood the ball deep in their own end, starting the drive at their own four yard line. The offense effectively moved the ball out towards midfield, where it punted to Parma with under nine minutes left in the fourth quarter. The Ranger defense held the Redmen to a “three and out” on the ensuing drive, where they punted back to Lakewood with less than seven minutes left. The Ranger offense put together its worst drive of the evening, moving backwards on three plays and punting back to Parma.

Parma started its final drive down by seven points and at its own 43 yard line with 4:14 left on the clock. They did five consecutive running plays, moving the ball to the Rangers 23 yard line with 1:34 left on the clock. On the sixth play, they astutely ran a pass play…and gained 22 yards to reach the Ranger one yard line with just over a minute to play. The Redmen punched in a touchdown run on the next play, making it 14-13 with only 1:08 to play.

Parma initially lined up in a gadget formation, perhaps planning to try a two-point conversion. However, they switched to a traditional extra point lineup, and the crowd anticipated overtime. A few Ranger fans shouted, “Block that kick,” which 99.9 percent of the time is a futile battle cry. However, senior linebacker Cody Riccotone took their advice to heart. He penetrated the interior of the Parma line and deflected the kick, which landed harmlessly in the end zone. The Rangers were jubilant, having locked up the win.

After the final seconds clicked off the clock, the team stormed over to the area in front of the Lakewood Marching Band. The frustration of recent seasons was released in a wild celebration among players, students, parents, and fans. All the hard work of the offseason – the weightlifting, the practicing, the studying – had paid off, at least for this glorious night. The players got their first taste of “The Ranger Way.”