Homecoming weekend is a time to celebrate traditions and friendships old and new. The Lakewood Rangers 2007 homecoming opponent was their old Lake Erie League foe, the Garfield Heights Bulldogs. The Rangers dominated Garfield Heights on both sides of the ball and added two special teams touchdowns on their way to a 38-6 rout in a Northeast Ohio Conference crossover game on September 21.

After a scoreless first quarter, Lakewood scored first when sophomore fullback Joe Young capped a nine-play 77-yard drive with an eight-yard touchdown run to put the Rangers on the board. Ardjan Bako’s extra point made the score 7-0 with 9:43 remaining in the first half. Young carried the ball seven times for 38 yards in his first start in place of injured Mike Harrington.

The Rangers special teams added the next points when defensive end Kenny Kinder ran untouched into the Bulldogs’ backfield to block a Nick Bowling punt. Kinder then scooped up the football and lumbered 24 yards for Lakewood’s second touchdown.

Lakewood’s punt coverage unit added another score in the fourth quarter when senior George Newbrough ran 57 yards down the left sideline with a Bowling punt to put the Rangers ahead 31-6.

The Rangers’ special team prowess did not go unnoticed by Coach Jim Slagle. “We are getting better every week. Our defense and special teams picked up this week.”

That is not to say the Rangers’ weren’t impressive on the offensive side of the ball. Lakewood netted 264 yards of total offensive and 13 first downs. Quarterback Dan Shannon was 7-of-9 passing for 124 yards. Shannon’s favorite target was senior flanker Jon Ross. Ross caught six passes for 88 yards. Shannon’s other completion went to senior co-captain Jim Guzay.

Tailback Robert Trivett had another big night for the Rangers. Trivett’s 20-yard touchdown run early in the third quarter against the porous Bulldog defense gave Lakewood a 21-0 lead. In five games Garfield Heights has allowed its opponents to score 145 points.

The Bulldogs only points of the night came with 3:58 to go in the third quarter when senior running back Ahmad Hagler scored from 5 yards out to close the score to 21-6. The two-point conversion attempt failed when quarterback Kendrick Price’s pass sailed past the outstretched arms of intended receiver Luke Kupniewski.

With their first home Northeast Ohio Conference win, the Rangers improved their record to 3-2 while Garfield Heights fell to 2-3.

“We look at our schedule as 10 mini-seasons,” Slagle said. “We will enjoy (the Garfield Heights win) until about 4:15 Monday afternoon when we will be back on the practice field to start over again”

The Rangers will find themselves up against some of the top football programs in northeastern Ohio in the second half of the season. Valley Division foes Solon, Strongsville, Brunswick and Medina all qualified for the OHSAA Division I playoffs in 2006 and Elyria is just two years from their last playoff appearance in 2005.

After this week’s visit to Strongsville’s Pat Catan Stadium, the Rangers will be home for their final two home games of the season against Medina and Brunswick before closing out the 2007 campaign at Elyria’s Ely stadium.