PERRYSBURG — Northwood used a simple formula in its Toledo Area Athletic Conference showdown with Toledo
Christian.
The plan worked to perfection as the Rangers wore down the Eagles for an impressive 38-11 victory Friday
night.
Northwood (6-3 overall, 5-0 TAAC) ran the ball 71 times for 521 yards and forced five TC (6-3, 4-1)
turnovers to clinch at least a share of its third consecutive TAAC title. The Rangers have now won seven
of the last nine league championships. CLICK
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The game, listed as a home game for TC, was played at Perrysburg’s Steinecker Stadium.
“This is a huge win. This was our No. 1 goal coming into the season, the TAAC championship,” said
Northwood junior quarterback Erik Russell, who ran for four touchdowns. “After we defeated Ottawa Hills
last week, we knew this was our biggest game of the year … Hopefully, we’ll take care of business next
week and have an outright TAAC championship.”
Northwood hosts Cardinal Stritch next Friday for a chance at the outright title.
“This puts us in the driver’s seat,” said Northwood coach Ken James. “When we get done with film
tomorrow, everything will go into Stritch. That’s a huge rivalry for us. It’s a mile up the road. All
our kids see each other at the mall and know each other.”
The Rangers used an array of physical runners to wear down TC through its option offense. Northwood
finished with 26 first downs, 25 coming on the ground.
Russell ran for 121 yards, Zach Bermejo ran for 150 yards and a score, Corey Jones added 87 yards, and
Jake Pressley ran nine times for 53 yards in a balanced attack for Northwood.
“It makes a defense play assignment football and all you’ve got to do is get one guy out of position and
you break some big plays, and we got a lot of big plays,” James said.
Northwood got the momentum on its side early, recovering a TC fumble on the second play of the game.
Russell capped Northwood’s first offensive drive with a 1-yard run less than four minutes into the game.

TC turned the ball over three times in the first quarter, which ended with Northwood leading, 6-0.
In the second quarter, TC appeared on its way to tie the game, but Northwood’s Tyler Mack picked off a
pass in the end zone. The Rangers took the ensuing drive down the field for Bermejo’s 3-yard touchdown
run and Northwood led 12-0 with 5:14 left in the half.
“We were able to get a little momentum after that,” said James of the interception. “Any game of
football, high school or otherwise, is a game of momentum.”
After a 35-yard field goal by TC’s J.C. Miller cut the lead to nine points midway through the second
period, Northwood answered with another Russell touchdown, on a 2-yard run, to lead 18-3 going into the
break.
The Rangers put the game away in the second half, scoring on its first drive of the third quarter on a
16-yard run by Russell and a two-point conversion to up its lead to 26-3.
Northwood added two more touchdowns, one by Russell and one by Nick Whitmore, to build its advantage to
38-3 with 9:23 in the fourth quarter.
“We’ve got real good running backs and a real good offensive line in terms of coming off the ball and
getting on you and wearing you down,” James said. “It’s tough to play defense the whole game when you
got guys that keep coming at you, trying to knock you down. It’s taxing.”
The Rangers have won five of six games after a challenging non-league schedule. They still have an
outside shot of making the Division V playoffs with a win next week and some help.
“We’re getting better each week and that’s a big part of our practices. Our practices are physical. We’ve
got guys who are beating each other up left and right,” Russell said. “Once the game gets in the third
or fourth quarter coach is calling power, power, power. We’re just running teams over.”
NORTHWOOD 38, TOLEDO CHRISTIAN 11
NORTHWOOD
6
12
14
6
—38
TOLEDO CHRISTIAN
3
8
—11
N — E. Russell, 1 run (run failed)
N — Bermejo, 3 run (run failed)
TC — J.C. Miller, 35 field goal
N — E. Russell, 2 run (pass failed)
N — E. Russell, 15 run (E. Russell run)
N — E. Russell, 1 run (run failed)
N — Whitmore, 9 run (kick failed)
TC — Brumbaugh, 11 pass from Rightnowar (Ivan pass from Rightnowar)
TEAM STATISTICS
Category
N
TC
First downs
26
10
by rushing
25
6
by passing
1
4
by penalty
Total net yards
542
282
Rushing
521
109
Passing
21
173
Attempts
4
27
Completions
1
14
Interceptions
2
Punts/average
1/27.0
2/32.5
Penalties/yards
12/90
5/43
Fumbles/lost
5/0
4/3
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING: (N) M. Prothero, 6-35; Pressley, 9-53; E. Russell, 12-121; Jones, 9-87; N. Russell, 1-2;
Bermejo, 23-150; Whitmore, 2-10; Fullenlove, 2-5; D. Prothero, 1-5; Perkins, 3-26; Dunbar, 3-27; (TC) G.
Miller, 6-33; Holly, 2-(minus-3); Clark, 2-13; Ivan, 5-48; Rightnowar, 8-18.
PASSING: (N) E. Russell, 1-4-0—21; (TC) Rightnowar, 14-27-2—173.
RECEIVING: (N) Jeffries, 1-21; (TC) Ivan, 6-58; Brumbaugh, 2-43; Huffman, 3-24; Westmeyer, 3-48
Photo caption: Northwood’s Matt Jeffries (28) catches a pass against Toledo Christian (Aaron
Carpenter/Sentinel-Tribune)