It's a great time of year at PH - Wednesday, November 25, 2009 | Courier Electronic Edition

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Wednesday, November 25, 2009

It's a great time of year at PH

By DAVE HANNEMAN

STAFF WRITER

HAMLER -- A tractor pulling two hopper wagons turned off State Route 18 and headed south on Road 7.

There was a bit of a chill in the air, and barely, just barely, you could hear the thumpa-thumpa-thumpa of basketball practice from the gymnasium nearby.

It's late November, time for harvest and hoops in Henry County and across Northwest Ohio. But the lights are on at the football field and the crack of helmets and pads still echo in the cool afternoon air.

Most prep football teams have long since packed away their gear. But at Patrick Henry, the Patriots are still going at it. The playoffs are keeping Bill Inselmann and his staff pretty busy these days, and the long-time Patrick Henry coach wouldn't have it any other way.

"Yeah, I do like this time of year," Inselmann said.

"I learned real fast over the years that every time you win a playoff game, the media calls you every Monday and you're busy. The first week you lose, there are no more messages on the phone. That means you're done."

It's been a long while since Patrick Henry had to pack up the gear early. The Patriots are making their eighth straight playoff appearance, their ninth in 10 years, and their 12th overall.

Friday at Donnell Stadium, Patrick Henry will be facing a another perennial playoff power when the Patriots (13-0) battle Coldwater (12-1) in the Division V state semifinals.

Division IV state champion in 2005 and '07, Coldwater is making its 12th straight playoff appearance and 15th in school history.

Coldwater is one of three teams still carrying the Midwest Athletic Conference banner in the playoffs.

"To me, it's the Mighty MAC," Inselmann said of a league that has produced 19 state football championships in 37 years.

"The MAC had five teams make the playoffs (Coldwater, Delphos St. John's, Marion Local, St. Henry, Anna). Three of those teams (Coldwater, St. John's, Marion Local) are in the state semifinals. The two schools that got beat, lost to MAC teams.

"That tells you how dominant that conference is."

Inselmann says the MAC has earned its state-wide swagger with a bruising style of football.

"That conference is just a physical conference," Inselmann said.

"This is one of our smaller teams. We've been out-sized in every playoff game so far but this Friday we have to try to match their physicality. To me, that's the number one key."

Statistically, the Cavaliers don't exude an air of pound-it-out dominance. They are averaging just 68 yards a game rushing, but they do average almost 300 yards total offense and 34.4 points because of the talents of Keith Wenning. a 6-foot-4, 225-pound quarterback who has rushed for 835 yards and 11 touchdowns and completed 282-of-337 passes for 2,897 yards and 33 TDs.

"As far as matching up with them, our biggest concern is their quarterback," Inselmann said.

"He's a tremendous athlete who's got a full-ride to Ball State. Obviously he's going to be reading your defense every play. How many people you put in the box determines whether they pass or run, and we know they use audibles very well."

Wenning is the only Coldwater player with more than 300 yards rushing. But the Cavaliers have an excellent corps of receivers headed by Adam Rammel (51 rec., 693 yards, 11 TDs), Reese Klenke (47, 643, 8). Kurt Schoenherr (36, 497, 3) and Colin Paynter (33, 519, 3).

It's a big and athletic group.

"When you're in the playoffs you're facing the best teams," Inselmann said.

"The No.1 thing is you have to execute, and No.2, there are going to be times when, because of their athleticism, they are going to put you in situations where you're just going to have to make a play. A great example of that is going to be tackling. There are going to be times when our kids have to play off blocks and tackle that quarterback, and times when their kids make a catch in the open field and we have to stop them.

"We cannot miss tackles. That's going to be critical."

Coldwater's offense will face the strength of Patrick Henry's team, a defense whose starters have allowed just 17 scoring drives (14 TDs, 3 field goals) in 13 games.

"We knew our defense would be good, and they have lived up to our expectations," Inselmann said. "Outside of some games where we gave up touchdowns in the fourth quarter our defense has been dominant, and it's going to have to keep us in the game Friday."

Offensively, Patrick Henry has been led by quarterback Luke George (1,185 yards passing, 11 TDs; 1,123 yards rushing, 16 TDs) and record-setting running back Justin Buenger (1,824 yards, 32 TDs). But Inselmann knew the Patriots needed more to make another extended run in the playoffs.

"We had to replace four of five starters on the offensive line and all of our receivers, Inselmann said. "That's been a big key offensively, the development of the line and the receivers, especially Dylan Tonjes (33 receptions, 475 yards, 4 TDs)."

That overall development added up a 10-0 regular season and another long playoff run for the Patriots. Come late November and harvest time, though, that's just business as usual for the Patriots.

Hanneman: 419-427-8408,

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